The Rubber Mixing Workshop is of great significance in the production of rubber products. The details are as follows:
- Workshop Layout and Equipment
- Layout
- Raw Material Storage Area: This area is designed to store raw rubber and various additives. Different raw materials are classified and stored according to their properties. For example, raw rubber is stored in a cool, dry place to prevent degradation, while additives like sulfur (a common vulcanizing agent) need to be stored away from heat sources to avoid premature reactions.
- Mixing Operation Area: Equipped with key mixing equipment such as internal mixers and open - roll mills. Internal mixers are capable of high - intensity mixing, efficiently blending raw rubber with additives in a relatively short time. Open - roll mills, on the other hand, are often used for final adjustment and refinement of the rubber compound, ensuring uniform distribution of ingredients. The layout of these machines is carefully planned to optimize the workflow, allowing operators to move materials and operate the equipment smoothly.
- Intermediate Product Storage Area: After mixing, the rubber compounds are temporarily stored here. This area is designed to maintain appropriate environmental conditions to prevent changes in the properties of the intermediate products before they are further processed.
- Quality Inspection Area: Fitted with a variety of testing instruments. For instance, rheometers are used to measure the vulcanization characteristics of the rubber compound, while tensile testing machines are employed to assess its mechanical properties. These tests are crucial to ensure that the rubber compound meets the required quality standards.
- Equipment
- Internal Mixers: These are large - scale, enclosed mixing devices. They consist of a mixing chamber, rotors, and a discharge system. The rotors rotate at high speeds, generating shear forces that break down the raw rubber and disperse the additives evenly. The mixing process can be precisely controlled in terms of time, temperature, and rotor speed to achieve the desired rubber compound properties.
- Open - roll Mills: Comprising two horizontally arranged rolls that rotate at different speeds. The rubber compound is passed between the rolls, and the difference in speed creates a shearing action, which further refines the mixture. Open - roll mills are also useful for adding small amounts of additives or for sheet - forming the rubber compound.
- Mixing Process
- Ingredient Preparation: First, the raw rubber is cut into appropriate sizes and weighed accurately. At the same time, all additives are carefully measured according to the predetermined formula. The accuracy of ingredient weighing is crucial as it directly affects the final properties of the rubber product.
- Initial Mixing in Internal Mixer: The raw rubber is loaded into the internal mixer, followed by the addition of fillers, softeners, and some of the chemical additives. The mixer runs at a specific speed and temperature for a certain period. During this stage, the raw rubber is gradually softened, and the additives start to disperse within the rubber matrix.
- Dumping and Cooling: After the initial mixing, the rubber compound is discharged from the internal mixer. It is then cooled to a suitable temperature to prevent over - heating and premature vulcanization. Cooling can be achieved through natural air cooling or by using cooling devices.
- Final Mixing on Open - roll Mill: The cooled rubber compound is transferred to the open - roll mill. Here, vulcanizing agents and accelerators are added. The open - roll mill further refines the mixture, ensuring that all ingredients are evenly distributed. The rubber compound is then formed into sheets or other suitable shapes for further processing.
- Quality Control
- In - process Inspection: Throughout the mixing process, samples are regularly taken for inspection. The temperature, viscosity, and the dispersion of additives in the rubber compound are closely monitored. Any deviation from the set parameters can lead to quality issues, so timely adjustments are made.
- Final Product Testing: Once the rubber compound is fully mixed, comprehensive tests are carried out. Physical properties such as tensile strength, elongation at break, hardness, and abrasion resistance are measured. Chemical properties, including the degree of vulcanization and the content of various additives, are also analyzed. Only when the rubber compound passes all these tests can it be considered suitable for further processing into rubber products.
