Compounding considerations for elastomeric wire and cable

摘要

Selecting and compounding the right elastomer for wire and cable production is a balancing act.Fabricators have to meet the often difficult engineering requirements of the application,match them to the material properties of the base compound and the processor's equipment,and deliver product that meets regulatory or other standards-based specifications.This article provides general guidelines for selecting the right material,touching on rubber family properties and processing with the objective of achieving the best quality at the lowest overall cost.Also included is a discussion of compounding and what to do when,as is often the case,one needs a custom compound.Specifically addressed are some of the considerations that lead fabricators to outsource the sometimes considerable difficulties of specialized compounding to a third-party supplier.