Continuous Microwave Oven and Hot Air Line
The continuous microwave vulcanisation is one of the modern continuous vulcanisation processing methods. The microwave has an available power of 10kW. The microwave energy is generated by 4 magnetrons with a nominal rating of 3 kW each, but which are used at a maximum of 2.5 kW. The power can be infinitely adjusted up to 10 kW. The tunnel has a total of 6 cavities with the first and last cavities being empty or not fitted with magnetron. At the entry and exist of tunnel, adjustable metal gates are fitted as wave traps for blocking any possible remnants of radiation. The tunnel which is 8.5 m in length is also conditioned with hot air at a temperature which is adjustable up to 200 0C in order to ensure against possible radiation of heat generated with profile to the surrounding atmosphere.
Extruders
There are two types of rubber extruder namely warm-feed and cold-feed extruders. During extrusion, compounded rubber is forced to flow through a die to produce long section profile of constant cross-section such as hose and cable.
Twin screw extruder is a continuous processing technique of rubber or rubber/ thermoplastic blend from raw materials to extrudate of rubber compound or free flowing rubber/ thermoplastic granules. The Farrel FTZ Twin Screw Extruder (FTX80) in MRB has been designed to meet the needs of today’s compounders in TPR and TPNR compounding and polymer masterbatching. The equipment is fitted with automatic feeding system and a pelletiser.
Injection Moulding Machine
Rubber Injection Moulding (LWB VRE 1000)
The machine is designed for the injection of viscous-liquid uncured rubber into a closed mould under high pressure and suitable temperature in which vulcanisation will take place.
Plastic Injection Moulding (Toshiba 1580 EPN-2A)
This machine is compactly designed with newly improved functions and increased performance for production of high value added molded products. Stable molding is assured by the adoption of NCC (numerical closed-loop control), developed based on advanced numerical control technology used on machine tools. The granular plastics are fed into a heated barrel by gravity from a hopper, melted, mixed, and forced through a nozzle and enter the mold cavity through a gate and runner system. The melted material cools and hardens to the configuration of the mold cavity.
Internal Mixers (0.4kg to 50kg compounds)
One of the most important processes in controlling the quality of finished product is the mixing process. The unit is well-equiped with mixing facilities capable of R&D work and supply of rubber compounds to customers. The Haake (0.3 liters) and BR1600 laboratory mixer (1.6 liters) are state-of the art technology in the R&D work for mixing. The bigger international mixers Francis Shaw (K2A) and Werner & Pfleiderer (GK 70) are capable for producing of 35 kg to 38 kg of coloured compound and 55 kg of black filled compound respectively.
Steam / Electrical Presses (80 tonnes to 450 tonnes clamping pressure)
The unit has two types of press. The steam and electrical presses range from 80 tonnes to 150 tonnes and 150 tonnes to 450 tonnes clamping pressure respectively.
Two-roll Mills (6in x 12in to 18in x 48in)
A two-roll mill is an equipment to masticate rubber as well as to perform mixing of rubber with compounding ingredients. It consists of two cylindrical rollers placed horizontally touching each other. The nip size between the two rolls is adjusted accordingly to grip and squeeze as the rubber passes through it. The UTGT unit has various sizes of two-roll mills ranging from 6 inches x 12 inches to 18 inches x 48 inches.
Capillary Rheometer (Rheograph 75)
The Rheograph 75 is High Pressure Capillary rheometer with enlarged shear rate range, higher test piston force (75 KN) and a huge variety of options. The main function of Capillary Rheometer is to measure rheological properties of polymer melt such as viscosity, die swell, thermal conductivity and melt fracture with temperature range up to 400 °C.
Filler disperGRADER
The filler disperGRADER instrument designed to measure filler dispersion in rubber compounds. The disperGRADER uses digital image processing by utilising the reflected light microscope method to automatically measure the size and proportion of undispersed agglomerates and provides quantitative results. The disperGRADER displays the sample image and reference image on a split screen and data is automatically compared to the standard dispersion scale of 1 to 10.
Mooney Viscosity (MV 2000)
The Viscometer tests the viscosity and processability of raw or compounded polymers. It has a heated pressurised die cavity that contains a serrated rotor. The MV 2000 measures the viscosity at the preselected preheat and testing time and the minimum viscosity and scorch (induction) point of the sample: t5, t35 (large rotor); t3, t18 (small rotor). The MV 2000 can use any several output devices to produce a smooth, continuous curve that is proportionate to a sample’s viscosity and/or scorch characteristics.
Rheometer
Oscillating Disc Rheometer (ODR 2000)
The ODR 2000 Oscillating Disk Rheometer is an improved version of the popular oscillating disk rheometer technology. The R100 ODR curemeter from Monsanto has been a rubber industry standard test for more than 20 years, measuring rubber compound stiffness before, during and after vulcanisation in a single rapid test. The ODR 2000 reduces heat and mechanical losses typical of R100 tests and improves test precision with microprocessor temperature control, more rapid temperature response, and digital torque measurements. Conforming to international test standards, the ODR 2000 offers many benefits.
Moving Die Rheometer (MDR 2000)
The MDR 2000 has become the new standard for Rheometer testing. The MDR's unique design improves test productivity, repeatability and sensitivity to meet your ever increasing product quality demands. Increasingly in the future, less compound variation will be the key to meeting customer requirements and eliminating lost time and out of specification materials. The ability to reduce compound variation depends on both material variation and testing provision. The MDR 2000 improves not only cure testing precision but efficiency as well.
Moving Die Rheometer with Pressure Option (MDR 2000 P)
The MDR 2000P rheometer measures the pressure effect of blowing agents in cellular rubber compounds in addition to cure characteristics. The unique sealed cavity makes this the only system available that accurately measures full pressure development. A bi-functional pressure/torque transducer is attached to the upper die of the MDR 2000 to make precise and repeatable measurements of the chamber pressure produced by gas generation from precisely weighed samples.
By measuring both cure and pressure in a single test, the MDR 2000P efficiently tests cellular rubber compounds for compound development or process control applications.
Rubber Processing Analyser (RPA 2000)
It is latest-generation assay equipment for it analyses elastomeric polymer under processing conditions. It is considered to be one of the most advanced testing instruments for physical properties and has been especially developed by the rubber industry. With only one material sample, it assay, analyses, compares and makes complete graphics and report of the result obtained, thus supplying information on the mechanical, dynamic and rheological properties of the compound. The RPA2000 is the only rubber tester available today with the ability to completely measure uncured rubber processability, measure the cure reaction, and measure cured rubber properties on a single test specimen in a rapid test. Reduced scrap and improved product quality are among the many benefits users have already found with the RPA2000.
SERVICES PROVIDED BY ADVANCED RUBBER TECHNOLOGY UNIT
1. Rental of Machinery / Equipment
| MACHINERY/ EQUIPMENT |
| Electrical curing press |
| Steam curing press |
| Autoclave (electrical & steam) |
| Kneader (2 litre) |
| Injection Moulding |
| Extrusion |
2. Mixing
| MACHINERY/ EQUIPMENT |
| Kneader (75 litre) - Non-black compound |
| Mastication - on 2 roll mill |
| Internal Mixer |
| Open Mill Mixing |
| Chungking/Granulator |
| BR 1600 |
3. Rheological Testing
| TYPE OF TEST |
| Rheometer, ODR 2000, MDR 2000 |
| Mooney Scorch, MV 2000 |
| Viscosity, MV 2000 |
| RPA 2000 |
| Capillary Rheometer (Rheograph 75) |
| Reflective Light Microscope (disperGRADER) |
4. Others
| CHEMICAL/ PRODUCT |
| Material Supply e.g chemicals |
| RRIM Chem R - NR Base* |
| RRIM Chem R - NBR Base* |
| MRB Sealant* |