Foamed rubber profiles have found widespread industrial applications. Their cellular structure offers savings potential with respect to component weight, material consumption and costs. The foam structure is generated using chemical blowing agents, which are added to the rubber mixture before processing. Foaming and vulcanisation occur simultaneously in the curing unit. Both processes are adjusted by modification of the rubber mixture. This adaptation is one of the most challenging steps in rubber processing. Currently, the expansion of rubber mixtures is analysed using modified vulcameters. However, this method is subject to several limitations. Therefore, IKV developed a new measurement system. It allows the analysis of the free expansion behaviour of a rubber sample. Based on the Archimedean principle, the temporal foaming process of rubber mixtures is recorded. A cell structure is generated, which can be analysed using digital image processing. In first experiments, several components of the rubber mixture are analysed using the measuring device in order to identify and categorise influencing parameters. Primary objective of further investigations is the verification of results by comparison of the cell structures with industrially foamed rubber materials.
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