How to choose the right rubber machinery? What key parameters need to be considered?

In the rubber products industry, the selection of mechanical equipment plays a decisive role in production efficiency, product quality and operating costs. There are many types of rubber machinery, including rubber injection molding machines, flat vulcanizers, vacuum forming machines, calenders, internal mixers, etc. Different equipment is suitable for different process flows and product types. So, in actual procurement or project planning, how to choose a truly "suitable" rubber machinery? What core parameters should be paid attention to?
Clarify the process requirements of rubber products
The first prerequisite for selecting rubber machine is: to know what products you want to produce and what processing technology is required.
If you need to produce high-precision small products such as automotive sealing strips, O-rings, and electronic insulation parts, vacuum vulcanizers or injection molding machines are the first choice;
If you need to produce large-size products such as rubber conveyor belts, tires, and rubber sheets, calenders or open mixers are recommended;
If it is mainly used for rubber mixing and plasticizing, internal mixers and open rubber mixers are indispensable.
Therefore, product size, shape, precision requirements and production scale directly determine the type and specifications of equipment you need.
What are the key technical parameters to focus on?
After clarifying the type of equipment, the following key parameters must be evaluated during the selection process:
1. Clamping Force
The clamping force determines the ability of the equipment to resist mold expansion during vulcanization or injection. The common range is from tens of tons to thousands of tons. It should be matched according to the mold size and rubber pressure of the rubber product. If it is insufficient, it is easy to leak glue, and if it is too high, it will waste energy.
2. Platen Size
The platen size affects the compatibility of the mold and the arrangement of products. It should be selected according to the actual mold size, the number of products and the distribution of the mold cavity. It is more reasonable to reserve a certain operating space.
3. Injection volume/glue supply system
For injection or injection rubber machinery, the accuracy and injection volume of the glue supply system are the core indicators. The injection volume should meet the product glue volume requirements. Too small will affect the filling, and too large will increase the waste of residual glue.
4. Temperature control system
The vulcanization process requires extremely high temperature control accuracy. It is recommended to choose equipment with multi-stage temperature control, PID adjustment, and temperature difference monitoring functions, which can significantly improve the consistency and stability of the finished product.
5. Automation degree
Modern rubber machinery tends to intelligent operation, such as PLC control, touch screen interface, automatic demoulding, robot loading system, etc., which can effectively reduce labor intensity and improve efficiency. The automation configuration should be reasonably evaluated according to the production scale and management mode.
6. Energy saving and safety performance
Rubber machinery with energy-saving hydraulic system, inverter, servo control and other configurations can not only significantly save energy consumption, but also improve the stability of operation; at the same time, the equipment should be equipped with emergency stop switch, safety light curtain, access control interlock and other devices to ensure the safety of operators.
Combining the use scenario and budget to make a trade-off
Enterprise production requirements:
Small and medium batch, multi-variety production → Recommend small vacuum press or hot press with high flexibility and convenient mold replacement;
Large batch, automated production line → You can choose large injection press or customized equipment with high efficiency and high automation integration.
Budget and after-sales considerations:
International brands such as REP, Maplan, DESMA and other equipment have stable performance but high prices;
Domestic well-known brands (such as Yizumi, Jinwei, Xinhong, Jiajin, etc.) are already competitive in terms of cost performance and technical maturity, and are particularly suitable for companies that focus on cost control and customized needs.
After-sales and accessories guarantee:
Preferentially choose suppliers with local service outlets, fast spare parts response, and support for remote debugging and maintenance, which will directly affect the continuity and stability of production.
A suitable rubber machinery is not only a processing tool, but also the core of production process optimization and product quality assurance. Only by correctly understanding product requirements, accurately matching equipment types and technical parameters, and combining process development with future scalability can we truly achieve a high-efficiency, low-energy, and high-quality rubber manufacturing system.