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General News & Events, Manufactured Rubber Components, Fabricated Components - 12th Sep, 2018

J-Flex products once again provide a clear solution

Our Customer:

A large European producer of specialised electronic and electrical lighting equipment for airports & heliports.


The Requirements:

A suitable flat gasket material to create an effective permanent weatherproof seal, even after long term exposure to external weather conditions.

A material that gives no outgassing when heated in light fittings to high temperatures of 150°- 185°C.


The Problem:

OUTGASSING!!

Outgassing is defined as the release of a gas that was dissolved, trapped, frozen or absorbed in some materials. Evidence of outgassing is shown as a thin film deposited on surrounding surfaces. Some materials exhibit some degree of water vapour causing misting (fogging) of glass or plastic surfaces.

Outgassing is a challenge to lighting equipment producers, to create & maintain condensate free glass lighting products.

Some traditional rubber seal materials outgas when installed in light fittings, as temperature rises it manifests itself as a condensate fog on the inside of the light glass.

Silicone if processed correctly does not outgas. Thermally Silicone is one of the most stable elastomer materials available, capable of working over a wide temperature range – typically -40°C + 230°C continually.

A pre-requisite of correct processing is post curing. This additional heat conditioning process, or secondary curing, removes unwanted volatiles by diffusion and evaporation. This is carried out at high temperatures & once the volatiles are vapourised they are no longer available to outgas. Some traditional rubber materials, and some producers, do not advocate the use of post curing.

The Solution:

Within 24 hours of receiving the enquiry we sent by courier A4 sized samples, of premium grade Silicone Sheet for testing.

Testing completed in 1 week by our client.

A full production order despatched within 24 hours of sample approval – adding another happy customer to our 35 year history of satisfied clients world-wide.

Here’s what our customer had to say:
“Dear Denise – I must thank you again for your willingness to help find a solution. After complete testing we suffered no outgassing problems. Thank You!”