Rubber Extrusion Process with Elbex: From Concept to Creation

David Garman • June 20, 2025

Rubber extrusions are incredibly versatile, used across a wide range of industries. At the same time, we recognize that understanding the basics of rubber extrusion for beginners can be challenging. In this blog, we’re going to provide a step by step overview of the rubber extrusions process, and how Elbex’s approach to the rubber extrusion process can benefit your company.


The Fundamentals of Rubber Extrusion


Rubber extrusion is a process in which uncured rubber materials (such as EPDM, silicone, neoprene, and nitrile) are forced through a shaped die. This is done to create a long, continuous profile, reducing waste and making the production of rubber extrusions more efficient. The extruder forces the rubber through the die, which can be adapted to create different shapes for different applications.


The continuous profile then goes into a cooling system, where it cures and hardens. After it is cured, handling equipment allows the long profile to be cut to length to form multiple extrusions.



Elbex's Streamlined Rubber Extrusion Process: A Step-by-Step Overview


At Elbex, we follow a five-step process for streamlined rubber extrusion creation:


  • Step One: Initial Consultation and Design Input. Most projects start when the client provides design information. This usually comes in the form of a drawing or sketch that provides a visual of the extrusion, or a physical sample that we can reverse engineer.


  • Step Two: In-House Die Creation. Once we have a finished design, we manufacture our rubber extrusion dies in-house. By eliminating the need for external vendors, we can lower costs and provide a faster turnaround. This also ensures that the die is the proper shape for the extrusion.


  • Step Three: The Extrusion Process. Once the custom-made die is ready, we use our extrusion equipment to force the heated rubber through the die. The right level of heat and pressure is essential to maintain the right shape during this step.


  • Step Four: Curing and Vulcanization. After going through the die, the rubber is vulcanized (or cured) with chemicals like sulfur to help it harden and improve its physical traits.


  • Step Five: Cooling and Handling. After the extrusion has cured, it needs to cool. Cooling completes the hardening process, after which the rubber can be cut to length or spooled based on application needs.



Elbex’s Commitment to Your Project: Beyond the Basics


At Elbex, our commitment to your project’s success goes beyond the basics. In addition to producing custom profiles catered to your specific requirements on-site, we offer technical resources to help your design team – and we can offer design assistance and troubleshooting as needed. Our experienced team can also recommend the right materials for different use cases so you can have confidence your extrusions will stand the test of time.


From initial design input to the handling stage, you can count on Elbex’s efficient, client-focused approach to deliver the results you need. With in-house tooling and engineering support, we deliver dependable results that meet and exceed expectations. Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced pro, contact us today to get started on your next rubber extrusion project.

Extruded Rubber Bumpers: Cushioning the Impact with Elbex

By David Garman • August 22, 2025
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Custom Rubber Extrusion Design: Tailored to Perfection with Elbex's Expertise

By David Garman • August 15, 2025
It’s all too common for off-the-shelf-parts to fall short of what you need. This makes designing custom rubber extrusion profiles for specific applications an absolutely critical aspect of getting the precision and unique functionality you need for each application. As a premier provider of customized extrusion solutions, Elbex can provide custom rubber extrusion designs that are perfectly tailored to your needs. The Elbex Philosophy: Every Application Is Unique At Elbex, we understand that every application is unique. We actively listen to your specific project requirements so we can understand your exact needs. Whether you have a detailed drawing, a simple sketch for quoting, or even a physical sample for reverse engineering, we can use it as a baseline for getting started. With our team’s knowledge, we can then recommend the most suitable design, material, and manufacturing approach for your component. “Hands-On” Engineering: Your Dedicated Project Quarterback After you request a quote, we assign a dedicated engineering team leader (your "quarterback") to your project. This person takes the lead on your project with all communication and oversight to ensure timely and satisfactory completion. From plan visits and field support to in-depth tooling and engineering setups conducted at our facilities, your team lead will make it happen. Unmatched Resources for Customization and Efficiency Elbex offers a wide range of resources to help your project succeed. Our in-house custom tool and die design services lower costs and allow us to provide turnaround times of days, rather than weeks. Our experts will help you select the right materials to ensure proper performance for your specific application and environment. We also provide a variety of technical resources (as well as the expertise of our own team) to fine-tune new designs or troubleshoot issues. The Elbex Advantage: Why Tailored Solutions Excel Custom solutions always deliver better results than standard designs. With Elbex, you get precision and performance that are optimized for your application. We seek to be a proactive partner who will help you address design challenges, while also guaranteeing a high level of quality with our hands-on approach. This fully integrated in-house approach ultimately saves you time and money – even as you get better results. With our team’s unwavering commitment to designing custom rubber extrusion profiles for specific applications and our ability to deliver customized extrusion solutions, you can count on Elbex to provide the components you need. Contact us today to bring your next rubber extrusion project to life by calling 877-302-0423 or filling out our online RFQ form.

Extruded Rubber Expansion Joints: Mastering Movement with Elbex's Expertise

By David Garman • July 25, 2025
Thermal expansion, contraction, and vibration are persistent challenges in industrial and architectural structures. Left unchecked, these forces can cause significant structural damage – but rubber expansion joints can help. Custom-engineered extruded rubber expansion joints by Elbex offer superior performance and reliability to protect your structures. Understanding Extruded Rubber Expansion Joints Expansion joints play a vital role by reducing movement and vibration, as well as relieving stress caused by surface expansion or contraction. Rubber extrusions absorb movement to dampen vibrations and prevent damage to pipes, building materials, and other surfaces. The end result is greater stability and protection for the entire system. By forcing uncured rubber through a die and curing it in a 400°F salt bath, we can create fully cured, cross-linked, and durable extrusion profiles that address these needs in a variety of applications. Diverse Applications Across Industries Rubber expansion joints are used across many industries and applications, but they are most common in manufacturing and construction. In manufacturing, rubber expansion joints are used in transitions between two surfaces (such as in industrial piping systems), specialized uses like outgassing expansion joints in clean room ductwork, and more. In construction, movement joints provide structural stress relief and maintain structural integrity. These expansion joints keep structures in place while allowing necessary movement from natural expansion or contraction or even seismic activity. This improves the longevity of building materials and helps prevent damage that might otherwise occur. The Elbex Advantage: Customization and Comprehensive Support Working with Elbex for your rubber expansion joints provides several important benefits. Our design and engineering team brings decades of experience, allowing us to custom-design extrusions for any need. Our value-added services such as printing, cutting, splicing, taping, on-site silicone mixing and color matching, and in-house die tooling allow us to provide a rapid turnaround while meeting your precise specifications. Our team can also assist you with technical resources, design assistance, and even material selection to ensure the design and composition of your rubber expansion joint will deliver the performance you need. Our commitment to quality from start to finish will let you move forward with confidence. Elbex is your premier partner for designing and manufacturing custom rubber expansion joints that will safeguard your structures and systems from movement, vibration, and thermal change. Contact us today for design assistance or to discuss your specific extruded rubber expansion joint needs.