Liquid rubber molding is used in a variety of everyday product designs. While silicone rubber key pads are one of the most popular purposes, at SiTECH, we can make liquid silicone injection molding components in almost any shape. As a result, it can be used in many different products, whether they are specialized or ordinary. It’s ideal for visual devices, like binoculars and goggles. While the inner structure for binoculars typically includes glass lenses and a metal body, liquid rubber molding can be used to hold it all together. It becomes a preferred choice in materials for several reasons. Here’s why.
Comfort
Custom rubber molding can be used around the eyepieces in both goggles and binoculars to protect the skin and cheekbones from hot or cold metallic ocular pieces. It doesn’t conduct heat, so even when used in the hot desert or over a black asphalt surface on a midsummer day, it won’t burn the skin. More comfortable than hard metal or plastic, liquid rubber molding won’t hurt when held against the face for a long time.
Holding Shape
Using the liquid silicone injection molding process, it is easy to form the material into a specific shape, such as round ocular gaskets and covers for binoculars, goggles and other eyepieces for vision equipment. What’s important is that the custom rubber molding pieces keep their shape. When using the liquid silicone injection molding process we use at SiTECH, this isn’t an issue. The gaskets hold their shape in extreme temperatures. They don’t melt in the heat or freeze and break in chilly temperatures. Liquid rubber molding also holds its shape at different levels of altitude. For example, goggles worn skydiving or scuba diving are both used in extremes, and the material can handle the altitude differences without compromising the functionality.
Durability
One of the reasons that liquid rubber molding is ideal for components like gaskets around binoculars and everyday products is that they are durable. Custom rubber molding can be hit, pulled and bent and it won’t lose its shape. When dropped, the liquid rubber molding won’t break. It will probably do a fair job of protecting the other materials that are underneath it, depending on the height of the drop and the hardness of the surface that it hits.
Exact
Liquid rubber molding is ideal for components on goggles, binoculars and visual products because it can be designed and manufactured to match production specification sheets within tolerance. It fits the specs every time. Single-piece designs are no problem, as long as the piece can be removed from the mold during the manufacturing process.
For more information about the design and development of silicone rubber key pads and specialty products, read our SiTECH application guide.
