Engineering & Product Design

Engineering Applications

The main functions of this Unit are to carry out R & D in areas related to rubber in engineering applications and to provide technical advisory and testing services to rubber products manufacturers. The common denominator in all these activities is the use of finite element analysis (FEA) and computer-aided-design techniques in the design and evaluation of the properties of rubber components. There are four main focused areas of R&D that are currently being undertaken in the Unit and they are in the following applications:

(1) Seismic and vibration isolation
(2) Marine
(3) Railways Industry
(4) Automotives

Seismic and vibration isolation

High damping rubber bearings (HDRB) - innovative devices for effective protection of structures from earthquake damage - were jointly developed by MRB and the University of California, Berkeley in the 80s and have been accepted and successfully used worldwide. Unlike the conventional strengthening technique, HDRB protects not only the structures but also the contents and therefore the technology is invaluable to critical buildings such as hospitals, military installation and emergency centres which must continue to function after a major earthquake. In recent earthquake, this technology has been proven to be very effective in the earthquakes of Los Angeles (1994) and Kobe (1995) and this led to a dramatic increase in the application of the technology worldwide especially in Japan. Today more than 8000 structures in earthquake-prone countries such as the US, Japan, China, Taiwan, New Zealand and Italy have adopted the technology. Recently, MRB was able to convince the Iranian government to adopt HDRB in the construction of 150 blocks of 8 to 12 storey building for a new town of Parand, located in the south of Tehran. The construction is currently in progress and this is the world's largest application of seismic rubber bearings in a single project. MRB is actively involved in the design, fabrication and testing of these bearings.

With regards to R & D activities, the work concentrates on aspects related to cost reduction in the fabrication of the bearing. In addition work is also being carried out with regards to the optimisation of the characteristics of HDRB.

An artist impression of a section of the new township of Parand where 150 blocks of buildings on rubber bearings are being built.	The first seismic rubber bearing for the Parand project was installed on the 9th November 2007.

Bearings being tested at MRB laboratory and subjected to simultaneous compression and shear loadings.	Optimum curing conditions of the seismic bearings are analysed using FEA

Marine

The world insatiable demand for the rapidly depleting oil and gas compel their exploration and production to deeper water and distant fields. Due to hazardous environment, it is more economical and effective to carry out the fabrication of the platforms onshore and transport them on barges to the required offshore locations. It is during the installation of the platforms that rubber shock cells are necessary to protect the costly structures from being damaged. Over the years MRB have successfully carried out a number of projects for shock cell design. The normal loading capacity for the rubber shock cell is on average about 2000 tones. However, recently the offshore industry is demanding higher loading capacity up to 10,000 tones. In fact in 2007, MRB was successful in developing a new generation rubber shock cell which had a loading capacity of 5,000 tones. MRB is now looking at a new design and a specially formulated rubber compounds to increase the loading capacity to 10,000 tones

Construction of oil platform legs	Barges are used to transport the platform to the legs and mating between the platform and legs will normally take about 24 hours to complete.	A completion of the mating process and the platform is ready for operation.

Another area which is being actively pursued is the use of rubber fenders for protection of both the ship and the harbor. A cell fender is widely used for large ships and the former could be as high as 2m and weighs as much as 2 or 3 tones. R & D is being carried out in areas related to optimization of the fender configuration, curing conditions and reduction in cost.

Cell fenders being used to protect harbor and large vessels

FEA is used to evaluate characteristics of the fenders

Railways

There are many applications of rubber in the railway industry. One of the most common is the use of rail pads - located between rails and sleepers - in the reduction of noise and vibrations. FEA is being used in the R &D of the optimization of the design of rail pads. Rubber pads for floating slab track (FST) system are also being investigated. FST system is increasingly being used because of its superior noise and vibrations isolation using rubber pads.

Work is also being carried out to develop new rubber components for the new generation of monorail.

KL Monorail uses many rubber components such as lateral and pre-torsional suspensions.

The lateral suspension was developed using FEA.

A new bush is being designed.

FEA analysis of rail pads

Two FST pads are undergoing cyclic tests - being subjected to simultaneous compression and shear

Automotives

With respect to automotive applications, the main activity of the Unit is to carry out testing on automotive rubber components manufactured by the Malaysian manufacturers. Technical advisory is also given in terms of the design and compound formulation. The servo-hydraulic equipments available can undertake static, dynamic and endurances tests and the details are:

(1) MTS 830
Frequency range: 0.1 to 300 Hz
Maximum force: 10kN
Maximum dynamic amplitude: ±25mm

(2) MTS 810 - biaxial test equipment
Vertical frequency range: 0.1 to 50 Hz
Maximum vertical force: 500kN
Maximum dynamic amplitude: ±80mm
Horizontal frequency range: 0.1 to 100 Hz
Maximum horizontal force: 50kN
Maximum dynamic amplitude: ±80mm

(3) MTS Multiaxial equipment
Rotational actuator frequency range: 0.1 to 300 Hz
Maximum torque: 5500kN
Maximum rotation amplitude: ±50º Linear actuator frequency range: 0.1 to 300 Hz
Maximum force: 2.5 and 250kN

(4) Maximum dynamic amplitude: MTS 830
Frequency range: 0.1 to 1000 Hz
Maximum force: 25kN
Maximum dynamic amplitude: ±25mm

(5) MTS 810 - biaxial test equipment
Vertical frequency range: 0.1 to 50 Hz
Maximum vertical force: 500kN
Maximum dynamic amplitude: ±100mm
Horizontal frequency range: 0.1 to 100 Hz
Maximum horizontal force: 50kN
Maximum dynamic amplitude: ±100mm

(6) MTS Multiaxial equipment
Rotational actuator frequency range: 0.1 to 300 Hz
Maximum torque: 5500kN
Maximum rotation amplitude: ±50º
Linear actuator frequency range: 0.1 to 300 Hz
Maximum force: 2.5 and 250kN
Maximum dynamic amplitude: ±80mm and ±125mm

Various rubber components undergoing dynamic tests

Contact Person

Head of Engineering & Product Design Unit

Advanced Rubber Technology

About Us

Advanced Rubber Technology Unit (ARTU) is located in Rubber Technology Centre at MRB Experimental Station, Sungai Buloh. The main activities of the Unit is Research & Development (R&D), services and consultancy. The Unit comprises of four main sections i.e. administration, factory operation, general/industrial rubber products and retread. Factory operation consists of manufacturing and processing, process control laboratory, vulcanisation and maintenance.

R & D

The Dry Rubber Products Unit investigates all aspects of technology which are related to dry rubber product manufacture and quality. Its work on process development, compounding and vulcanisation has greatly benefited Malaysian manufacturers of general and industrial rubber goods. An important aspect of the technology work at the Unit is on the localisation of rubber components for Proton. The Unit has contributed in R&D work on compound and product development since the launching of Proton in 1985. Today more than 90% of rubber components for Proton has been localised.

A selection of the manufacturing technology of rubber products which have been adopted or ready for adoption by the rubber industry is listed in the following :

• Mixing
  
• Thermoplastic Natural Rubber
  
• NR/EPDM Blends
  
• Continuous Microwave/Hot Air Vulcanisation
  
• Vacuum Vulcanisation Technology
  
• Injection Moulding

Product:
• Road Divider
  
• Hose and Seals
  
• Retread

Services

Another main activity of the Unit in Research and Development is providing services. It investigates all aspects of technology which are related to dry rubber product manufacture and quality. A brief description of the services provided by the Unit are as follows:  

• Viscometer
  
• Curemeter
  
• Rubber Process Analyser
  
• Mix Design and Supply of Compounds and Renting Facilities
  

Consultancy

• Evaluation of raw materials used in the manufacture of dry rubber products

• Mixing studies of various elastomers, chemicals, compounding ingredients from laboratory to commercial scale
  
• Extrusion studies of various compounds
  
• Extrusion and fabrication of continuous profiles
  
• Moulding studies and fabrication of moulded products
  
• Fabrication of retread tyres particularly for evaluating the performance of rubber, chemical in the end product
  

• This would include meeting the processing requirements such as cure behaviour, physical properties and service performance

Publications

1. High Temperature Resistant NR/EPDM Blends. Che Su Mt Saad and Abu Amu. Malaysian Rubber Board Interactive Technical Promotion 2000, 17 October at Penang, and 24 October at Malacca.
2. Continuous Vulcanisation of NR Compounds. Dayang Habibah A I, Md Aris Ahmad and Abu Amu. Malaysian Rubber Board Interactive Technical Promotion 2000, 17 October at Penang, and 24 October at Malacca.
3. Fast Curing Cushion Gum. Sharif Othman. Malaysian Rubber Board Interactive Technical Promotion 2000, 17 October at Penang, and 24 October at Malacca.
4. Synthetic Rubbers for High Value-Added Applications. See Toh M S and Chan B L. Malaysian Rubber Board Interactive Technical Promotion 2000, 17 October at Penang, and 24 October at Malacca.
5. Process Technology using Vacuum Vulcaniser. Rohaidah Abd Rahim, Dayang Habibah and Maarof Zainal Abidin. Workshop on Production and Process Technology for Seals, Pusat Latihan, Sg Buloh, 7 April 1999.
6. Compounding of Speciality Rubber (HNBR) for seals. See Toh M S. Workshop on Production and Process Technology for Seals, Pusat Latihan, Sg Buloh, 7 April 1999.
7. A New Technology in Blending of Natural Rubber with Ethylene-propylene terpolymer. Md Aris Ahmad. RCPM ’98 (Regional Conference on Polymeric Materials), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, 10-11 Nov. 1998.
8. Vacuum Vulcanisation Technology in Moulding and Production of Rubber Components. Chan B.L. MCC & MSTC ’98 (Malaysian Chemistry Congress and Malaysian Science & Technology Congress), Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, 21-12 Nov 1998.
9. RRIM Experience on Continuous Microwave Vulcanisation Technique. Md Aris Ahmad. RRIM/TARRC – Industry Interactive Technical Promotion 1997, 29 April 1997.
10. RRIM Experience on Vacuum Vulcanisation Technique. Chan B.L. RRIM/TARRC – Industry Interactive Technical Promotion 1997, 29 April 1997.
11. Improved Properties Natural Rubber. Md Salleh Nordin, Nor Aisah Ab Aziz and Abu Amu. IRC ’97, 6-8 Oct 1997, Kuala Lumpur.
12. Development and Testing of the Engine Dipstick for the National Car Industry. Chan Boon Lye., Peter Siew Chet and Eric Tan . IRC’97, 6-8 Oct 1997, Kuala Lumpur.
13. Monolayer Theory of Carbon Black-filled Natural Rubber Containing Multi-functional Additive. IRC ’97, 6-8 Oct 1997, Kuala Lumpur.
14. Mechanism of Multi-functional Additive in Natural Rubber . Maarof Z. Abidin, G.A.W. Murray and P.K.Freakley. IRC ’97, 6-8 Oct 1997, Kuala Lumpur.
15. NR/EPDM Blend for Automotive Rubber Component. Md Aris Ahmad. 7th Brazilian Congress of Rubber Technology, 4-6 Nov 1997, Expo Center Norte, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
16. NR Blends – Types and Applications. Abu Amu. Malaysian NR Semin., Beijing and Seoul. (1996).
17. NR/EPDM Blends for Automotive Applications. RRIM/MRPRA Interactive Technical Promotions Semin. (1996).
18. Development of Desert Boot for Export Market. Md Salleh Nordin. Semijn. Commercialisation of Malaysian R &D, Kuala Lumpur. (1996).

Latex Science & Technology

The latex-based products industry is one of the main economic pillars of Malaysian rubber industry. As the key unit in MRB for supporting the technical aspects of the latex-based product industry, the unit strives to become the most prominent R&D based unit in the field of science and technology. Our mission is to heighten competitiveness and advancement of the Malaysian latex products industry in a global environment through research and focused development, effective transfer of technology and quality support services.

The unit conducts research and development in value added and latex products diversification, in facilitating latex products industry through research, technical advisory services, specialised testing and transfer of developed technology to interested parties. The unit has the expertise in providing the technical supports and consultancy for latex-based product industry, particular on products such as latex gloves, foam, condoms, catheter, and cast products.

For further details: Head of Latex Science & Technology Unit
                              Tel: 603-61564962
                              Fax: 603-61564967

Research Activities

Synergy

The Unit collaborates at local and international levels with research and technological institutes, universities, manufacturers and other agencies to address issues or problems related to the latex product industries.

Services

Facilities for Lease

An R&D pilot scale continuous line and a batch dipping machine are available for lease. The factory is equipped with one unit of vibromill, several units of ball mills and tumbler dryers, two units of compounding tank and a batch chlorinator.

A latex thread pilot line is available for lease for R & D purposes. It is equipped with a spinning unit of 40 threads, a six-stage drying curing unit, a powdering unit and a ribboning unit.

The 01-HD attritor system is a very useful research tool for testing various formulations and grinding conditions. This system consists of six 1400 cc (working capacity 500 cc) stainless steel tank/shaft assemblies, complete with a water-jacketed stainless steel tank, and a stainless steel agitator, powered by a 1½ HP explosion-proof variable speed drive motor (100-650 rpm) with tachometer. The system is designed for grinding media of 1/8” - 1/4”. The material and media are agitated by a shaft with arms rotating at high speed, causing the media to exert both shearing and impact forces on the material. This results in an extremely fine material, measured in microns or sub-microns, distributed on a very narrow curve. The laboratory attritor works up to ten times faster than the conventional ball or pebble mill, and no premixing is necessary.

Poster Gallery

Environmental Degradation of NR Latex Gloves
LGM Glove Fatigue Test Equipment
3-In-1 Peroxide Prevulcanised Natural Rubber Latex
Protein Allergy and Related Studies

Environmental Degradation of NR Latex Gloves A. Ikram Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia, Malaysian Rubber Board, P.O.Box 10150, 50908 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. NR is a biomaterial from a renewable resource that would eventually break down (biodegrade) in the environment upon disposal. When buried in soils, NR latex gloves physically disintegrate through the influence of the environment and are chemically transformed via initial peroxidation (abiotic or biotic) into low molecular weight oxidation products that can be bioassimilated by microbes. Environmental degradation studies of NR latex gloves facilitate moves towards environmental responsibility and sustainability. Research on the biodegradation rates of NR latex gloves in soils is concerned with predicting its environmental fate within a realistic time scale. Knowledge gained in these studies is used to brand and market NR’s conceptually green image and environmental advantage relative to bio-inert synthetic elastomers (nitrile, Plasticised PVC, polychloroprene, polybutadiene co-polymer).

LGM GLOVE FATIGUE TEST EQUIPMENT Ma’zam Md Said Rubber Research Institute, Malaysian Rubber Board, P.O.Box 10150, 50908 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Glove may puncture or tear during use by mere flexing of fingers, even without contact with sharp objects. An indicator of glove durability due to fatigue failure is useful in choosing the right type of glove to serve specific task. LGM had developed a glove fatigue test equipment and a method of determining glove fatigue resistance using this equipment. The test is useful in giving a measure of fatigue resistance or durability of gloves during use. The absence of correlation between glove fatigue resistance and physical properties of gloves further enhances the usefulness of the test both for product performance indicator and for quality control purposes. The principle of the method is that the critical areas of the glove, especially the crotches of fingers are stretched and unstretched at a strain and rate that are close to that experienced by gloves during use. The glove is inflated and deflated with the expansion of the palmar areas restricted by using a cylindrical pipe. The results obtained so far indicate that NR medical gloves have a much superior fatigue resistance compared to nitrile and vinyl medical gloves.

Protein Allergy and Related Studies Hasma, H. Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia, Malaysian Rubber Board, P.O.Box 10150, 50908 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Determination of Allergenic Protein Content (IgE-Elisa Inhibition Method) The method assayed the level of latex allergenic proteins which are proteins that could sensitise individuals to produce IgE antibody and which could bind to the IgE antibody in the sensitised individuals to elicit latex allergy reactions. The assay was adopted from the Finnish test method (Allergy 1998: 53: 59-67) while the IgE antibodies were from pooled human sera, which had been tested to contain specific IgE antibodies to latex. Fresh NR latex serum was used as the allergen source. Charging fee: RM 250 per sample Virus Permeability Test Barrier integrity of gloves could be assessed by its permeability to a bacteriophage F174 of 27 nm in diameter (1/5 the size of HIV). The test involved exposing the glove film to the virus (ATCC 13706-B1) suspension of titre 1x 106 pfu/ml and assay the amount of virus permeated or leaked in accordance to the method developed by LGM and CDRH (FDA) (J. Rubb. Res. 1998:1:209-221). The compatibility of the virus to the sample was also determined. Charging fee: RM 250 per sample

Chemistry & Materials Exploratory

The Chemistry and Materials Exploratory Unit (CMEU) was set up in late 2006. The main function of this Unit is to conduct basic research on natural rubber including modification of rubber molecules to enable production of new materials. One of the most important objectives of natural rubber modification is to improve the weaknesses in the properties of natural rubber as against the synthetic polymers. These modified materials would add value to the natural rubber and would be expected to enhance the utilization of natural rubbers in applications that have been dominated by the synthetic rubbers and their latices. It is important that new polymers and polymer latices be developed from renewable resources such as natural rubber. Crude oil is the main source of raw material for the production of synthetic polymers and its reserve is continuously depleting. Chemical modification of natural rubber may be able to address some of the issues mentioned above.

Research works on chemical modification of natural rubber began in earnest in the 1950s. As up to now only a few types of modified natural rubbers and latices have been successfully commercialized. The CMEU is embarking on several long term research projects on chemical modification of natural rubber. Chemical modification of rubber via latex is a versatile process where the modification work does not involve the use of rubber solvent or high energy requirement. The modified latex could be converted into dry rubber, latex concentrate or just as latex intermediates. Great emphasis will be given to work on field natural rubber latex as the starting material since such modification route would enhance the commercial viability of the materials produced. The Unit is working on development of modified NR latices with good film forming properties, that could make these latices suitable for manufacture of latex products. The development of oil/chemical resistance natural rubber for dry rubber and latex products applications has always been an important agenda of chemical modification of natural rubber. The CMEU will also intensify the development of modified natural rubber latices for water-based adhesives/binders applications. This is a sector where the precious natural rubber latex can be more efficiently utilised.

For further details:
Head of Chemistry & Materials Exploratory Unit
Tel: 603-61563298 Fax: 603-61413167

Facilities

By the year 2009 CMEU will have a range of equipment for research and development as shown below. The liquid NR and peroxide prevulcanized latex pilot plants are of half and one metric tonne capacity respectively. Some of the research activities such as technological evaluation of modified rubbers, large scale evaluation of modified latices in the production of the corresponding rubbers and latex concenrates, large scale evaluation in the production of dry rubber and latex products and, specific polymer characterization would require the assistance from various other research Units in the Malaysian Rubber Board.

1. RAMAN Spectroscopy 2. Gel Permeation Chromatography 3. Thermogravimetric Analyzer 4. Optical Microscope 5. Liquid Natural Rubber Pilot Plant 6. Peroxide Prevulcanized Latex Pilot Plant

Services

CMEU provides consultancy services in areas within its research scope. The Unit has an adhesive testing facility and provides the relevant services to internal and external customers.

Peel Adhesion Test

A strip of adhesive tape is placed on a stainless steel plate (1.9" X 7.8") which has been cleaned with acetone. It is bonded by rolling a weight of 2.05kg on the tape in accordance with the Pressure Sensitive Tape Council (PSTC). For each testpiece, the peel strength at 180º angle (PSTC-1) is measured by pulling the tape back on itself at 300mm/min using tensile tester at ambient conditions. Five or more testpieces for each type of adhesive joint are tested to obtain an average value of the peel strength of the joint.

2° Static Shear Test

A strip of adhesive tape is bonded to clean stainless steel plate over 1”x1” area. A weight of 1kg is then attached to the free end of the tape such that it is suspended above a timer switch. The time for the weight to fall as the tape peels off from the stainless steel plate is recorded. Five or more testpieces for each type of adhesive joint are tested to obtain an average value of the shear strength of the joint.

Research Activities

Under chemical modification of natural rubber research programme, there is a vast area that the scientists of CMEU would explore, beyond the research frontier of the past. The development in the science of polymer modification and the availability of new chemicals in the last few decades for polymer modification offer opportunities for discovery of new commercially viable modified natural rubbers/latices. The research route that comprises studies on various type of natural rubbers/latices as well as new clonal latices, methods of polymer modifications, conversion of modified latices to various forms and applications of the modified rubbers/latices gives a picture of the magnitude of the research scope that will be carried out. This section will briefly highlight a few of the research projects that the Unit is working on.

Safe and Eco-Friendly PPVL Products

The development of peroxide prevulcanized natural rubber latex (PPVL) contributes towards solving the major health-related issues faced by the users of latex products as well as the environmental issues. The health-related issues pertain to possible presence of chemical sensitizers, carcinogens, teratogens, allergenic proteins present in latex products (Ma’zam Md Said, K. Vivaygananthan, Advanced Materials for the Latex Industry; New Generation Peroxide Prevulcanized NR and Low Protein NR Latex. International Latex Conference, Akron 1999). Dipped products made from PPVL developed by the Malaysian Rubber Board are free of added chemical sensitisers and passed cytotoxicity test (Ma’zam Md Said, Dazylah Darji and Mok Kok Lang, Recent Development of Peroxide Prevulcanized NR Latex, International Rubber Glove Conference, Kuala Lumpur, 12-14 September 2006). Chemical sensitizers could cause Type iv allergy and tend to be cytotoxic. Products containing these chemicals are therefore not suitable for applications that are in contact with mucous membranes and in food contact applications. Latex dipped products made from MRB PPVLs have been shown to have lower extractable proteins and allergenic protein content compared to those made using the conventional sulphur vulcanization process (Ma’zam Md Said, NR latex with low chemical sensitizers/proteins and Glove Fatigue Test Equipment, Seminar Enhancing Competitiveness of Rubber Product Manufacturing and Commercialization of R & D Findings, Penang 14-15 August 2003). Some of the proteins in NR latex products could cause type 1 allergic reactions.

Apart from solving several major health-related issues, PPVL is also an environmentally friendly material made using an environmentally friendly process. Its preparation does not use ingredients that are ecotoxic. The latex product manufacturing industry could directly benefit from this fact as the waste latex and the sludge generated could now be classified as non-scheduled waste, thus saving millions of dollars in waste disposal activities. The incineration of used latex products does not create toxic sulphur dioxide gases. Disposed latex products made using PPVL have significantly higher rate of environmental degradation compared to those prepared using the conventional system (Ikram, A., Ma’zam, M.S., Amir-Hashim, M.Y., Fauzi, M.S., Shamsul Bahri, A.R. and Kamaruzaman, S. (2005) Effect of antioxidants and latex vulcanizing agents on the environmental degradation of latex films, J. Rubb. Res. Vol 8(4), p220-240). This is an important advantage as there is an ever increasing concern all over the world on the detrimental effect of disposed products made from materials that are extremely slow to degrade.

Depolymerised Natural Rubber

The Malaysian Rubber Board has developed processes of producing several grades (different molecular weights) of liquid natural rubbers (LNR) using a chemical depolymerization process of NR latex. (Zainul Abidin B.M. and Faridah H.A.H, Characteristics Properties of Depolymersied Natural Rubber. The 2nd International Conference on Solid State Science and Technology, September 2006, Kuala Terengganu). Depolymerised natural rubber is softer, show more plastic behaviour and tackier than the initial rubber. With reduced molecular mass and viscosity it can be used as plasticizers for natural rubber and other diene rubbers. LNR can also be used as viscosity modifier, adhesive, tackifier and sealing material. Addition of functional groups to LNR can produce new chemically reactive materials. Direct utilization of LNR latices having various molecular weights has not been widely exploited.

Water Based Adhesives

Adhesives are widely used in many industry sectors, where their use is essential in manufacturing thousands of everyday products. The demand for adhesives comes from construction, packaging, textile, wood and furniture, automotive, consumer goods, abrasive and friction materials, shoes, electrical applications, bookbinding and aircraft industries.

Methylmethacrylate grafted natural rubber latex (MG latex) has established itself as an important material for water-based adhesive applications. (Rohani Abu Bakar, Inluence of Tackifiers on Performance of Water-Based contact Adhesive Based on Modified Natural Rubber Latex, The V1th National Symposium of Polymeric Material , 2006, Kuala Lumpur). With environmental and health regulations becoming more stringent, the demand for water based contact adhesive would be expected to increase. Malaysian Rubber Board has successfully developed water-based contact adhesives using modified NR latices. These novel adhesives are also suitable particularly for bonding wood substrates.