One of the most common questions we get asked at WRS is whether we stock products and materials. The answer is yes, we stock a wide variety of our products and materials to serve customers with an immediate need. In fact, you can browse everything we have available by visiting our online store. Our current list of stock materials includes a range of EMI/microwave absorbers, grommets and extrusions.

The four categories of EMI/microwave absorbers we stock are cavity resonance, lossy foam, reticulated foam and surface wave. You can sort each product category by a dozen different parameters, including thickness, name, part number and price.

You can even click the Add to Compare option to see side-by-side comparisons of any products. Just look for the Compare Products box in the upper-right section of the page and click Compare. This launches a window where you’ll find more extensive information for each item, such as applications, features and benefits, and typical properties.

You can search for in stock grommets in our store by using the Advanced Search Tool. Parameters include part number, width and thickness as well as different diameter options.

As with all the items in our store, grommets can be compared by clicking Add to Compare.

Our stock extrusions include standard profiles such as P-profiles, U-Channels and other unique shapes. Our standard rubber extrusions are either weather resistant EPDM or SBR, but we can also accommodate customers who require silicone, Neoprene, Viton and Buna-N for their applications. Extrusions can be searched and sorted by part number, slot width, leg width, overall width, slot depth, leg depth and overall depth.

Learn More About Our Stock Products and Materials

We’ve made it easy to search for the EMI/microwave absorbers, grommets and extrusions we stock. And if you’d like to place an order, we have no minimum order requirement, and we credit any sales tax charged to resale customers with a valid license. Contact us today if have questions about any of the stock products and materials we carry.

More than half of all purchasing decisions are now made before talking to a sales representative. Our new catalog and modeling capabilities will allow our customer’s to “design-in” our products using CAD model downloads. We expect this new system to save customers time and money for a number of reasons, one of which is the ability to search for and compare products by attributes such as minimum and maximum diameters, widths, thicknesses and standard part numbers. Customers can even select Army, Navy and military part numbers.

3D CAD catalog item.

Once a part is selected, a 3D model can be download in all major 2D and 3D CAD formats. Available formats include Creo Parametric 1.0, Pro/ENGINEER, Autodesk Inventor, Solidworks, Parasolid, AutoCAD, CATIA, IGES, STEP, ANVIL, CADKey, IronCAD, Mechanical Desktop, PDF, ACIS, SDRC I-DEAS, Unigraphics and eDrawings.

Downloading and viewing 3D CAD models.

Customers can also click “View 3D Model” to see the product in their browser before downloading. Below is a 3D rendering of Grommet in a browser pop-up window.

Learn More About the Products in the WRS 3D CAD Catalog

Customers that value our quality, efficiency and competitive prices now have more options when ordering, and we’re certain our new 3D CAD models will save significant time during the design process. Contact us today if have any questions about the products in the catalog.

PORON® Urethanes are high performance foams designed for a broad array of uses, such as gasketing, sealing, vibration and sound dampening, orthotics, prosthetic padding and shock absorption. To give you a sense of how good these foams are at bouncing back from impact, take a look at the forklift test video posted on YouTube by the manufacturer, the Rogers Corporation. In the video, testers drop a bowling ball from 20 feet on both regular and PORON XRD foam.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

What gives PORON foams such remarkable springiness, or resistance to compression set, is their open cell structure. Closed-cell foams are composed of tiny air bubbles that bounce back when compressed. In contrast, open-cell foams allow air to flow between cells. As you would expect, both types of foams are suited for different applications, and open cell foams may not be appropriate for environments where water absorption may occur. However, these foams are often an ideal choice for shock isolation in fragile or sensitive devices, such as electronics. And since closed cell foams often de-gas and lose resiliency over time, open cell foams like PORON maintain their properties over much longer time frames.

Besides excellent compression set characteristics, these foams are flame retardant, resist chemicals and are available in a range of thicknesses. The versatility and durability of these foams make them an ideal choice for countless automotive, industrial and electronic applications.

PORON Urethane Foams From WRS

We offer a range of PORON foams for gasketing, sealing, and energy absorption that we can easily fabricate through die-cutting, slitting, machining and laminating. Our PORON urethanes are available in hardnesses from very soft to firm. For more information, view the company’s Material Selection Guide for Industrial Applications, or contact us at any time if you have questions.

3M Tapes and Adhesives

The products of 3M can literally be found everywhere. Whether it’s the Post-it notes or Scotch Tape on your desk, the Littmann Stethoscope at your doctor’s office, or the Thinsulate clothes or bedding in your home, chances are you’ve relied on at least one of this company’s 55,000 products in one way or another. Though its history spans over 100 years, it’s still recognized by many in the business world as an innovator on par with companies like Apple and General Electric. In fact one list recently ranked the company third in innovation behind Google. If you’re interested in learning more about the culture of innovation that the company fosters at its global facilities, the following articles are good starting points: “Innovation: 3M’s Lessons to Be Learned” and “3M’s Sustainability Innovation Machine.”

The company is so committed to research and product development, it has been opening innovation centers around the world to create places where both 3M employees and customers can engage and interact. These centers allow the company to understand customer needs on a deep level and develop lasting and mutually beneficial relationships. 3M’s customer focus, superior products and history of innovation are some of the reasons WRS decided to partner with the company. In fact, we are a 3M Choice Converter.

As 3M states on it’s Converter Solutions website, “Converters combine 3M innovation and converter expertise to create precisely what the customers want. By using processes such as custom die cutting, durable graphics printing and laminating adhesives to substrates, converters are able to design innovative products that meet very specific needs of customers.” Being a Choice Converter means that partner companies convert a high volume of 3M products every year, but it also signifies each company’s team has undergone specialized product training. If you’d like more information, the company distributes a 3M Converter Markets Selection Guide that describes the complete line of products available as part of the program.

Learn More About Our 3M Tapes or Other Products

As a member of the 3M Converter program, we can not only offer 3M thermally conductive tape, we can also deliver laminating and coating solutions, which gives us the ability to customize 3M materials to your exact requirements. Contact us to learn how we can deliver 3M solutions for your unique challenges.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

We’ve also posted shorter clips in our media library if you’d like to see videos on a specific topic, such as a corporate overview, our products and processes or a testimonial from one of our reps. The products and processes video demonstrates our 60,000 psi waterjet cutting machine, CNC-driven Zund, fast Laser QC, in-house and overseas rubber molding capabilities, automated form in place gasketing dispensing system, and low-to-mid range and high speed die cutting. In addition, there is a quick overview of the wide selection of premium products we offer from leading companies such as 3M, Lord and Nolato as well a our own HiMag™ Microwave Absorbers, WesLastomer™ Sheet Rubber and Sponge , WesShield™ EMI Shielding,  WesTherm™ Thermal Management Products  and WesCoustic™ Acoustical Foams. All of our videos are also posted on our YouTube channel. We’ll also be adding additional informative videos throughout the year, so check back often.

Learn More About Our Extraordinary Service and Value

We develop and maintain close partnerships with our customers and vendors so we can always help you achieve success. Contact us to learn how we can deliver quick custom and off-the-shelf solutions for your unique challenges.

A WRS CNC Prototyping Process

Nowadays, projects move at a breakneck pace, and product development cycles are shorter than ever. Rapid Prototyping (RP) refers to a number of techniques used to quickly create a model of a part using computer aided design, or CAD, and it allows manufacturers to create parts from drawings in as little as a few hours. The process was first developed in the 1980s using stereolithography, a technique that involves layering material using an ultraviolet laser to create the final form. However, this method is expensive, and other processes have been developed that are much more cost effective.

Prototyping is an essential component of product design. For example, anyone who has seen a concept car probably knows that most of those vehicles will undergo substantial revisions before reaching the showroom. It’s a way of testing a design before committing the vast sums of money required to bring a new car to market. Testing is also crucial when dealing with rubber parts, such as gaskets and seals, since these types of products are often placed in the most extreme environments. Just to give you a sense of these extremes, our WesLastomer™ Grade 2100 Silicone is designed to withstand temperatures that can range from -80 to +450°F, stresses and strains up to 650 PSI, stretching forces of up to 500% as well as unlimited exposure to UV, ozone and sunlight. Other types of elastomers may be exposed to harsh chemicals and oils in addition to the harsh conditions already described. Prototyping lets you test out your design in real world conditions before manufacturing it, minimizing the chance for failure down the road. Rapid prototyping cuts the lead-time down significantly.

Rapid prototyping can be done in a number of ways, but we use various manufacturing processes to produce gaskets quickly, including water jet cutting, CNC plotter, form-in-place and molding presses. Our prototype process includes the key steps outlined in the diagram below:

WRS Prototyping Expertise

We use actual production materials to manufacturer your prototype, which allows you to test the real part in your specific application or environment. Your WRS account manager has a tremendous amount of applications experience and specialized process training. They will help ensure your project is a success. Contact us today learn more.

Everyone is familiar with the “natural rubber” derived from the milky substance found in rubber trees. In fact, rubber balls have been found in Aztec and Inca ruins that date back over 900 years. The latex from these trees is still grown on plantations in tropical regions from Brazil to Thailand to India, and the harvesting process is somewhat similar to the way sap is tapped from Maple trees to make syrup. The properties that make rubber so useful–elasticity, resilience and water resistance–makes it ideal for countless applications, including gaskets and seals.

However, natural rubber is not recommended for situations where it will be exposed to chemicals, petroleum, sunlight and ozone. Also, latex allergy is a very common problem that further limits its use. Fortunately, countless “rubber-like” substances, or elastomers, have been developed over the decades, and chances are there is a material for almost any application you can imagine. Silicone rubber is extremely versatile and offers many of the benefits of natural rubber, but it is far superior in its ability to withstand chemicals and outdoor environments. Fluorosilicone is generally used in the extreme conditions typical of automotive, aerospace and defense applications. FDA Silicone is a low volatile and peroxide free material ideally suited for food or pharmaceutical processing. There are also electrically conductive silicones designed for a range of industrial and military applications, and fiberglass-reinforced silicones which are stronger and more temperature resistant than other types of silicone rubbers.

Western Rubber & Supply, Inc. rubber sheeting.

But the options don’t end with silicone. There are many synthetic rubbers, such as Neoprene, Nitrile, and EPDM, which can handle stress and deformation better than natural and silicone rubbers. Cellular, or sponge rubbers incorporate gas bubbles to make the material softer and more compressible than traditional rubber. EMI shielding, or electromagnetic shielding, is a type of elastomer that isolates electrical devices from other sources of interference. Thermal management materials cushion components and dissipate heat in sensitive electronic devices. Plus, if you add PSA, or pressure sensitive adhesive, to the back of a rubber part, the number of material combinations increases substantially.

While selecting the right material involves considering the chemical and physical properties of the material, it also means choosing a product that will ensure the longest possible life expectancy in the working environment. Using the best material for the job can decrease your overall cost because otherwise similar products may have different price/performance ratios. For example, using a proven, high performance 3M adhesive instead of a generic alternative can make much more sense from a budgetary standpoint, since the cheaper adhesive may not last as long in the application.

WRS Can Help You Choose the Right Material
The word “rubber” has evolved quite a bit since it was coined in the 1770s by a chemist and theologian appropriately named Joseph Priestly to describe what we now commonly refer to as the pencil eraser. With so many options, it’s clear that now more than ever you should seek expert help to specify materials.

WRS works with the all of the materials mentioned in this post on a daily basis. Your WRS account manager has a tremendous amount of applications experience and specialized product training. Also, we can recommend the best thermal tape, adhesive and conductive tape for your requirements through our partnership with 3M. Contact us to learn more.

A robot dispensing a form-in-place (FIP) gasket.

Conventional gaskets are typically die cut, extruded or molded separately from the housings they were designed for. In contrast, form-in-place gasketing, or FIPG, is an automated method of dispensing gasket material, typically a one- or two-part silicone, directly onto a metal or plastic work piece. Depending on the material, the form-in-place gasket then cures in an oven or at room temperature. For a demonstration, see our video to view a form-in-place robot in action.

This method originated on the automotive industry as a less-costly alternative to gaskets that were die cut, extruded or manually applied, but it has been widely adopted in countless aerospace, industrial, hi-tech, medical equipment and military applications. In high volume operations such as automotive assembly lines, cutting production costs is essential, and form-in-place accomplishes this in a number of ways.

Since form-in-place involves applying the material during the manufacturing process, one obvious cost that is eliminated is the need to stock a variety of conventional, solid gaskets. Also, since the form-in-place process is automated, it reduces manual labor expenses and allows for a precisely placed gasket, resulting in a better seal. There are even variations on traditional form-in-place bead shapes, such as TriShield gaskets, which have a unique, triangular configuration that uses less material than D-shaped form-in-place gaskets and reduces compression force required to maintain a good seal by 30%. Less compression force could reduce the number of fasteners required or even allow for lighter weight mating components.

As you would expect with any gasket, form-in-place gaskets can seal products from the environment and absorb shock, but they can also accommodate the most intricate designs, thin profiles and even changes in elevation. Form-in-place materials are available that not only seal, but also bond surfaces, provide electrical insulation, withstand extreme movement, join dissimilar materials and adhere to a wide variety of substrates. Our WesLastomer™ pages provide additional information on the features, benefits and properties of these types of products.

Form-in-place not only allows manufacturers to specify very precise gaskets required in electronic devices, but another big advantage is that it also lets manufacturers control electromagnetic interference (EMI). Without getting too deep into the science, these emissions can adversely affect the performance of any kind of electronic equipment. Strict regulations are in place to make sure our wired world is shielded from this interference and functions properly and safely.

Our conductive form-in-place gaskets are typically silicone filled with conductive particles, such as silver, silver-plated copper, silver-plated aluminum, silver-plated nickel or nickel and graphite. Shielding effectiveness is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a material, and as you would expect, each compound has different properties. Also, compatibility between the filled silicone and the work piece comes into play, since corrosion is always a concern when dealing with metals. Our Nolato page describes the shielding solutions we offer as well as some design considerations, including recommended dimensions, tolerances and height minimums and maximums.

There are also many other factors to consider, such as compression force and compression set, temperature limits and how well the material bonds to the work piece, just to name a few. The single best piece of advice for selecting a form-in-place solution is working with a form-in-place gasket manufacturer that understands all of these complexities as well as your unique design requirements.

For More Information

Download our form-in-place brochure, visit our website or contact us to learn how our form-in-place capabilities can provide you with a turnkey work piece and gasket solution, including fast prototypes. Western Rubber & Supply, Inc. has successfully delivered a wide variety of rubber and plastic products for a diverse range of industries since 1976.

Why is isolating vibration so important?

Quite simply, vibrational forces can cause equipment to fail—if not immediately, then at some point in the future. Everyone is familiar with Charles Lindbergh’s famous transatlantic flight, but what most people don’t remember is excessive engine vibration damaged most of his instruments before he completed his flight.  Seeing the need to improve the aircraft’s design, LORD mounts were installed prior to Charles and Anne Lindbergh’s flight to China in 1932, which made for a much more reliable aircraft and comfortable ride. If you’d like to read more about the company’s history, their website has an interactive timeline.

It seems so obvious in hindsight—bond metal to rubber to isolate vibration and reduce shock. It worked then and it still works now. What makes rubber so useful is its ability to accept and recover from forces that deform it. As simple as this concept is, there is great deal of complex science behind it. Many forces and mechanisms come into play, including compression, spring rate, transmissibility and shear, just to name a few. LORD’s Engineering Guide illustrates some of these concepts and also includes an introduction to shock and vibration theory.

Selecting the right solution often requires input from an engineer or expert who’s experienced in shock and vibration application analysis.  To help with the selection process, a convenient Industrial Application Analysis Form is available on our website.  LORD’s expert engineering team has access to a variety of tools, including Finite Element Analysis, which will help ensure the optimal solution. This level of service and commitment to quality explains why the company is successful to this day—over 80 years since inventor Hugh Lord started offering shock and vibration isolation solutions.

Learning More About LORD^® Mounts

Western Rubber & Supply, Inc. has a long-standing and exclusive relationship with LORD Corporation as the Master Distributor of standard vibration and noise control products for the entire Western U.S.A. Contact us for fast product delivery and expert technical assistance. Or, visit our website to view a comprehensive list of available LORD products.

Nolato Silikonteknik has been an innovator in developing dispensing and molding materials and methods since it was founded in 1970. In 1988, it joined the Nolato Group, a global supplier of high-tech polymer products. One of the company’s specialties is EMI Shielding.

What is EMI Shielding?

EMI stands for electromagnetic interference, and it is a potentially damaging type of energy that can radiate from sources internal or external to electrical or electronic equipment. This can be real problem if electronic devices are in close proximity; for example, just think of all the systems necessary to safely operate a car, such as electronic braking, navigation, fuel control, etc. Electromagnetic interference can be blocked or managed with shielding, and EMC, or electromagnetic compatibility is a term commonly used to describe EMI control. One method we use is the form-in-place process, which is a very efficient method of precisely applying shielding gaskets to components. For a demonstration, see our Form-In-Place video.

The type of shielding applied is crucial, and Nolato form-in-place materials combine the superior sealing characteristics of silicone with the electrical conductivity of particles made from mixtures of silver, copper, nickel, aluminum, graphite and ferrite. Each of these form-in-place materials is designed for different types of applications, and a list with links to data sheets can be found on our Nolato page.

What are Nolato EMC Production Centers?

One of the reasons we partnered with Nolato is its EMC Production Center concept. Every licensee is provided access to all the production resources they need depending on their area of expertise. These resources include materials, training and a test station for quality assurance. What this means is licensees operate at the same high level of quality and consistency as the test/pilot plant in Hallsberg, Sweden.

What’s Unique About Nolato TriShield®?

Trishield® is a dispensing technology geared towards customers who need a solution with lower compression forces, shorter turnaround and lower costs. These are electrically conductive silicone blends that form an atypical triangular shape when dispensed, as shown in the picture below. You can also view a video demonstration of the process on the WRS website.

Standard Bead versus Nolato Trishield Bead

TriShield® is typically dispensed on metal or plastic covers, and normal gasket heights are 0.81 – 1.8 mm. The triangular shape is designed for dispensing on metal or plastic covers. The triangular shape is designed for dispensing on metal or plastic covers. All Nolato TriShield® gaskets are heat cured which provides superior physical properties.

Need More Information About Nolato and TriShield?

If you need local Nolato production expertise , we are a San Francisco Bay Area Nolato production center. Contact us if you have any questions about Nolato forming and QC processes.