Guide to Rubber Sheeting, Reinforced Rubber Sheeting and Rubber Coated Textiles
At face value rubber sheeting, reinforced rubber sheeting and rubber coated textiles are simple products but take a closer look and a host of complexities become apparent. An understanding of some of the finer details will help designers and engineers be aware of the differences and specify better performing products.
| Product Type | Rubber Sheeting |
Reinforced Rubber Sheeting | Rubber Coated Textiles |
| Description | Rubber sheeting is a homogenous rubber sheet formed via the calendaring process. Precision sheeting made to tight tolerances has the same gauge from start to end and side to side. | Reinforced rubber sheeting is a composite material, a rubber sheet that has a supporting material or ‘substrate’ inserted into the middle of the sheet. | Rubber coated textiles are made by the spread coating or calender coating process. The textile forms the body of the product, a thin coating of rubber imparting additional technical properties. |
| Characteristics | Rubber sheeting can be engineered to have a range of hardnesses, compression, elongation, tensile and tear characteristics additional to the inherent qualities of the polymer. | See rubber sheeting but different supporting substrate provides augmented mechanical strength and dimensional stability characteristics | Yarn type and textile weave can largely determine how the product acts and feels which the rubber extending the range of service environments. |
| Thickness | From 0.4mm to 12mm | From 0.8mm to 12mm | From 0.3mm to 0.8mm |
| Hardness | Measured in ‘Shore’ or IRHD, can range from 30 (soft) to 90 (hard) | Measured in ‘Shore’ or IRHD, can range from 30 (soft) to 90 (hard) | Measured in ‘Shore’ or IRHD, can range from 30 (soft) to 90 (hard) |
| Width | Up to 1.85m depending on cure state and finish | Up to 1.85m depending on cure state and finish | Up to 2.0m depending on cure state and surface finish |
| Construction | The construction describes how the different strata are composed. A single sheet can have a single or multiply construction featuring multiple rubbers and cure states | See rubber sheet whilst also incorporating single of multiple substrates of varying types in the middle or off centre of the sheet. Excellent rubber to textile adhesion required. | Textiles can be coated on one or both sides with different rubbers. Multiple textiles can also be used that can ‘sandwich’ the rubber – a tri-laminate. |
| Cure state | Most rubber products go through a cure or vulcanisation cycle to impart the optimal properties. Sheeting supplied fully cured or uncured for further forming i.e. moulding | Same as rubber sheeting, different cure states on opposing faces. | Same as rubber sheeting, different cure states on opposing faces. |
| Surface finish | Relevant to cured sheeting, surface finish is the physical appearance that is imparted on the sheet surface. Smooth finish can create a better seal or textile finishes that don’t ‘block’ are possible. Different finishes on either face or ‘grooved’ finishes. | Relevant to cured sheeting, surface finish is the physical appearance that is imparted on the sheet surface. Smooth finish can create a better seal or textile finishes that don’t ‘block’ are possible. Different finishes on either face or ‘grooved’ finishes. |
The thin rubber coating often allows the weave pattern to show through, this can be smoothed off imparted textile finishes can be engineered.
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