Not every rubber part comes from a mold.
Some are pushed, steamed, expanded, or cured in open space.

Because not every application fits inside a steel cavity.

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Extrusion is one of the most common alternatives.

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Here, uncured rubber is forced through a precision die, forming continuous profiles, solid or hollow, that are cut to length. This is how door seals, tubing, window gaskets and cable covers are made.

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But without a mold to hold its shape, vulcanization requires a different approach.

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That’s where the autoclave comes in.

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Extruded profiles are loaded onto trays or spools, then cured inside a pressurized chamber filled with hot air or steam. The result is uniform, distortion-free curing across parts that are too long, too large, or too continuous to mold.

Industrial hoses, protective sleeves and weatherstrips all rely on this method.

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Then there’s sponge rubber, elastomers expanded with microscopic air pockets.

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Two main types exist. Open-cell sponge is breathable and soft, making it ideal for padding, sound absorption and filtration. Closed-cell sponge is denser and water-resistant and is used for seals, insulation and vibration isolation.

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Sponge rubber is created by mixing blowing agents into the compound. As the rubber cures, whether in an autoclave or a low-pressure mold, gas is released, foaming the structure.

The result is rubber that doesn’t just flex. It cushions.

It seals with softness, where solid rubber would be too rigid.

Because in the end, not all rubber is shot into a mold.
Some is cut from coils, steamed into form, or foamed into resilience.

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Together, these processes expand rubber’s reach, into the continuous, the soft and the unconventional.