Rubber

We are a strategic partner of major global rubber processing companies. Our innovative technologies help them plan their production better and save significant energy costs.

Rubbers, rubber compounds as well as final rubber products are generally characterised by low thermal conductivity. Conventional surface-to-core heating is time-consuming, inefficient and energy-intensive. Microwave heating works simultaneously throughout the depth of the material. It is therefore fast, homogeneous, and energy less expensive.

Pre-heating of rubbers before mixing

The conventional rubber preheating process is of uneven quality, is energy and space-intensive, and normally lasts more than 12 hours. This does not allow for a flexible response to the requirements for production changes.

Using microwaves, entire pallets of material can be preheated at once. Heating to the desired temperature takes 20-40 minutes, is more energy efficient and the heating quality is even. The fast processing makes the process continuous, allowing lean production to be deployed in some plants.

ROMILL

Pre-heating of the rubber compound before pressing

The vulcanizing press does not vulcanize up to half the time, but only heats the material to the desired temperature. The microwave pre-heating of the batch before pressing will allow the vulcanization time to be reduced to half, with one microwave equipment serving up to 5 presses at a time. With microwaves, you save on energy costs and significantly speed up production with minimum space requirements.

Pre-heating of tyres before pressing

In tyre production, moulding presses are generally the bottleneck. Increasing production is often only possible by acquiring new presses. Microwave heating allows a significant increase in capacity without the need for new presses. One microwave equipment can reduce the vulcanization time by 30-50%, providing thus higher output while maintaining the same number of presses. The longer the original time of vulcanization is, the greater the benefit of microwaves. They are therefore particularly suitable for OTR and agricultural tyres, as well as for solid rubber tyres.

Pre-heating of rubber products in general

Microwaves can be deployed even before other operations. If pre-heating to a certain temperature is required for the subsequent process, it can be carried out in-line with the help of microwaves. An example can be the preheating of the rubber compound before it enters the extruder. Preheating before applying layers is also known.

Continuous microwave vulcanization of extruded profiles

Vulcanization of extruded profiles is the most widespread application of microwave heating in rubber industry. The extruded profile is preheated in the microwave channel to the vulcanization temperature, where the vulcanization itself will then take place in the reheating zone.

R&D: Other areas of use

In addition to replacing conventional solutions, we also focus on the development of new areas of microwave use in rubber industry. Are you dealing with innovations in production? Contact us, we´ll be happy to help.

Benefits of microwaves

Time saving

Minutes instead of days

Improved process control

Homogeneous temperature, real-time process changes

Economy

Minimum time, space required and heat losses

Efficiency

Continuity of production

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