Introduction to the Extrusion Molding Process for Silicone Rubber Extruders

The extrusion molding process used in silicone rubber extruders is also quite complex. Take the production of tires as an example: at a specific low temperature, the extrusion method employed during tire manufacturing causes the silicone rubber to dissolve; the resulting melt is then forced through the die opening of the extruder head to form the desired shape required by the process. This is a highly demanding operation that not only necessitates a thorough pre‑operational inspection of the extruder but also calls for operators with extensive experience—only the seamless integration of technical expertise and practical know‑how can ensure the successful execution of this process.

The extrusion‑molding method using the aforementioned silicone‑rubber extruder entails relatively high technical requirements; however, it is more efficient and can help reduce production costs, making it well suited for widespread adoption across the industry.

In addition, during the production of silicone extruders, it is essential to ensure that the extruder applies a certain pressure at the feed inlet to maintain stable product output. Therefore, effective temperature‑control methods must be employed; using a mold‑temperature controller for cooling is an excellent approach. Furthermore, since no vulcanization has been carried out, the molded rubber remains relatively soft and must undergo vulcanization in a curing oven.

After extrusion, silicone products pass through a pre‑curing high‑temperature oven to achieve preliminary vulcanization and rapid shaping; they then proceed through a post‑curing oven for complete vulcanization, thereby resolving production and quality challenges that traditional silicone rubber extrusion‑vulcanization processes could not address. For example, thin‑walled tubes exhibit perfectly round cross‑sections with no deformation; large‑diameter and thick‑walled silicone tubes show no surface indentations; and complex‑shaped silicone strips of various cross‑sections are produced with consistent dimensions and aesthetically pleasing profiles. This process delivers excellent extrusion‑vulcanization results across a wide hardness range, from 30 to 70 Shore A. The oven features a double‑layer stainless steel construction with superior insulation, long heat‑retention times, energy savings, and a clean, attractive appearance—ensuring no contamination of the finished parts. Special quartz heating elements enable efficient use of both high temperature and radiant heat, resulting in short vulcanization cycles and high thermal efficiency. Once the oven reaches the set temperature, it automatically switches to constant‑temperature control and deactivates one heating zone to further conserve energy. This equipment is suitable for manufacturing silicone tubes, strips, custom‑shaped profiles, foamed tubing, and more. With short curing times and high productivity, output ranges from approximately 60 to 180 kg per hour, and operation is exceptionally user‑friendly.

Applications of Silicone Extruders

1. Silicone extruders are widely used for manufacturing silicone tubes, various sealing strips and seals, automotive tires, composite silicone tubing, as well as multi-layer co-extruded silicone hoses. Composite extrusion is an advanced technology in the rubber industry that allows for the production of products meeting diverse performance requirements by employing different formulations and grades of rubber compounds, thereby reducing material consumption while satisfying multiple functional demands.

2. Silicone extruders are also used in sectors such as residential construction, wire and cable manufacturing, and the automotive industry. In residential construction, they are primarily employed for single‑ply roofing membranes; in the wire and cable sector, they serve applications including service entrance cables for both residential and commercial buildings, building power cables, mining cables, nuclear‑power‑station cables, automotive ignition wires, and control and signal cables; and in the automotive industry, they are utilized for tires and non‑tire components of cars, trucks, and buses, encompassing radiator and heater hoses, sealing strips, rubber belts, body and chassis parts, weatherstripping, underbody panels, and tubing, among others.

3. Silicone extruders are used in the LED industry for applications such as LED flexible light strips, soft light bars, LED tubing, neon lights, optical light strips, and more.

4. Silicone extruders are used in the medical field for applications such as urinary catheters, drainage tubes, silicone peristaltic pump tubing, endotracheal tubes, medical feeding tubes, and central venous catheters, among others.

5. Silicone extruders are also widely used in the infant and toddler products sector, including baby bottle straws, sterile medical-grade baby bottles, silicone teething toys, milk tea bottle nipples, silicone children’s toys, and more.