Why Secondary Operations Elevate Injection Molded Rubber Parts

Injection molded rubber parts can be found in a variety of industries. Aerospace, medical, and industrial are just a few of the sectors that rely on these components. While the molding process itself is essential for creating precise parts, it’s only part of the equation. Most components must go through secondary operations to ensure they perform reliably in real-world applications.

In this blog, we’re exploring how secondary operations elevate injection molded rubber parts and why they matter. Additionally, we’ll cover how partnering with a full-service provider can streamline your production process. Let’s dive in.

What Are Secondary Operations?

There are a variety of secondary operations a rubber part might go through before it reaches its final application. The most common secondary operations are usually assembly, sub-assembly, coating application, and testing.

Injection molding itself creates the basic shape and material properties. However, these secondary processes are important to refine the part to meet specific functional requirements.

Assembly and Sub-Assembly

Assembly and sub-assembly services are incredibly important for injection molded rubber parts. Within an assembly, multiple components can be put together to form a fully functional unit. Sub-assemblies are smaller, pre-assembled groups of parts that can be inserted into a larger assembly later. Both of these options allow businesses to streamline operations and get to market faster.

Coating Application

Adding certain coatings to parts can improve their longevity. At Moldtech, we offer HNBR and FKM elastomeric coating procedures. These give parts better strength and isolation characteristics, provide for additional chemical and environmental resistance, and increase the temperature capability of the base material. Coatings are usually added to parts that need to resist glycol-based coolants, hot water, and ozone.

Testing

Testing may also be performed as a secondary operation. This usually involves a mix of dimensional, visual, and functional checks to ensure the part meets specifications. In some industries, additional tests like heat aging, chemical resistance, or compression set testing may be required.

Trust Moldtech for High-Quality Injection Molded Rubber Parts

If you’re looking for a partner that provides quality secondary operations for injection molded rubber parts, turn to Moldtech. Along with our robust injection molding capabilities, we provide a range of secondary solutions. Some of our options include value-added assembly and sub-assembly, testing, tight-tolerance rate repeatability, and HNBR/FKM coating application. You can always reach out to our team with questions about our secondary operations.

For over three decades, Moldtech has been the rubber molding partner of choice for some of the biggest companies in the world. In fact, Boeing, Bosch, Johnson & Johnson, and the U.S. military all trust us for critical components. We’re well-versed in creating products like:

We support even the most challenging projects from our vertically integrated facility in Lancaster, NY. With nearly 50,000 square feet of production space, we design, manufacture, and assemble parts in-house. This allows our customers to retain control over the process. If you want to learn more about what we can do for you, reach out to our team today.