What is an elastomer and what is it used for in industry?

A seal that fails to maintain its seal, a bellows that cracks prematurely or a component that cannot withstand the expected temperature usually have a common cause: a poor choice of material.

Many industrial components need to deform, return to their original shape and maintain their properties over thousands of operating cycles. Elastomers stand out precisely because of this ability and form part of numerous technical components used across various sectors.

Elastomers: what they are and their characteristics

An elastomer is a polymeric material capable of deforming when a force is applied and subsequently returning to its original shape. This property makes it possible to manufacture components that are subjected to compression, vibration, movement or temperature changes without losing functionality.

A material designed to perform under deformation

Elasticity is the best-known characteristic of elastomers. Thanks to this property, they can be used in components designed for sealing, shock absorption, vibration damping or the protection of other components.

However, a part’s performance does not depend solely on the type of elastomer chosen. The material’s formulation is crucial for achieving chemical resistance, electrical insulation, thermal stability or a specific mechanical response.

For this reason, in technical projects, we seek to involve communication with compounders — suppliers specialising in raw materials — right from the design stage; they form part of the process from the very beginning. Having close partners who share the same quality standards and work through swift and transparent communication allows us to better tailor each formulation to the part’s actual conditions of use.

Thanks to this shared knowledge between the client, the manufacturer and the raw material supplier, the formulation of elastomers can be defined with greater precision according to the actual operating conditions of each part.

This collaboration with compounders enables the manufacture of technical rubber and silicone components with properties better suited to each industrial application, whether these are seals, membranes, bellows, stops, shock absorbers or other components that must maintain consistent and reliable performance over long periods of use.

Depending on their formulation, they can also offer chemical resistance, electrical insulation or thermal stability.

For this reason, they are used to manufacture technical components that must maintain consistent performance over long periods of use. Seals, diaphragms, bellows, stops and shock absorbers are some common examples.

The choice of the appropriate elastomer always depends on the component’s actual operating conditions, as each material exhibits different properties when exposed to temperature, chemicals or mechanical stresses.

Properties of elastomers in industrial applications

The properties of elastomers determine the final behaviour of the component. Therefore, before selecting a material, it is important to analyse the conditions under which it will operate: temperature, mechanical stresses, contact with chemicals, expected service life and manufacturing requirements.

At MOELSI, this phase is carried out in direct collaboration with the customer. We work alongside the part’s design process to assess the material, geometry and usage requirements from a single technical perspective. In this way, each component can be developed with greater precision and offer more reliable performance in its end application.

Elasticity and shape recovery

One of the most important advantages of elastomers is their ability to deform and subsequently return to their original dimensions.

This characteristic is particularly useful in sealing elements, vibration damping or movement compensation. Thanks to this, many components retain their functionality even after thousands of compression or bending cycles.

Chemical and environmental resistance

Certain elastomers offer good resistance to oils, greases, chemicals and atmospheric agents.
In industrial sectors where there is contact with aggressive substances or prolonged exposure to the outdoors, this property helps to extend the service life of components and reduce incidents related to premature material deterioration.

Temperature Performance

Not all materials respond in the same way when operating at extreme temperatures.

Some elastomers retain their flexibility at low temperatures, whilst others maintain their mechanical properties in high-temperature environments. This capability is essential in sectors such as the automotive industry, industrial machinery and certain healthcare applications.

Types of elastomers used in industry

Although there are numerous types of elastomers, in the industrial sector the choice of material always depends on the component’s operating conditions. Factors such as temperature, chemical exposure, mechanical requirements and expected service life usually determine which elastomer is most suitable in each case.

Thermoset rubbers

Thermoset rubbers are one of the most widely used families of materials in the industrial sector.
This group includes materials developed to offer mechanical strength, wear resistance, sealing properties or chemical resistance, depending on the requirements of each project.

They are commonly used in the automotive sector, industrial machinery and technical components subjected to demanding operating conditions.

Silicones

Silicones are particularly noted for their thermal stability and resistance to ageing.

They also offer good flexibility and retain their properties over very wide temperature ranges, which explains their use in sectors such as healthcare, the electrical industry and certain industrial applications.

Whilst certain thermoset rubbers are chosen for their mechanical strength, sealing performance or resistance to oils and wear, silicones are generally valued for their thermal stability, flexibility and resistance to ageing. This distinction helps guide the choice of material according to the actual requirements of each application.

Where are elastomers used?

In the automotive sector, an elastomer can function as a sealing element, absorbing vibrations or protecting areas exposed to temperature and fluids. In healthcare applications, the choice of material must take into account stability, cleanliness and the specific requirements of the environment in which it is used.

The adaptability of elastomers means they are used in a wide variety of products and technical components.

Industrial applications of elastomers

Elastomers are used in components found in the automotive sector, domestic appliances, motorbikes, industrial machinery and medical devices.

In each of these fields, the operating conditions differ and demand specific performance characteristics.

Among the most common solutions are seals, membranes, bellows, protectors, stops and other technical components designed to meet the requirements of each project.

The importance of choosing the right elastomer

Selecting the correct elastomer has a direct impact on the performance, durability and viability of a component.

Every application requires a different solution

Two seemingly similar parts may require completely different materials depending on the operating temperature, the chemicals present, the mechanical stresses or the production requirements.

The choice of material must be made taking into account both the properties of the elastomer and the actual conditions of use and manufacture.

At MOELSI, we support our customers from the design stage right through to mass production, advising on the choice of technical solutions in thermoset rubber and silicone according to the needs of each project.

Are you designing a rubber or silicone component and unsure which material would work best? At MOELSI, we can help you resolve any queries regarding materials or manufacturing – please contact our team.