Technology
How continuous vulcanization works
Four curing systems, one shared goal: even cure throughout the cross-section at maximum production speed.
Curing systems at a glance
Microwave
Dielectric heatingHeats from within — faster and more even on thick cross-sections.
Learn moreTechnology
From compound to cured profile
01
Compound supply
Calibrated rubber or silicone compound, verified by rheometer
02
Pre-shock
A brief initial cure sets the surface right after the extruder
03
Vulcanization
Hot air, microwave, infrared – individually or combined, depending on the line layout
04
Cooling / blow-off
The profile is cooled with water or air, including surface drying
Glossar
Glossary
The key terms of continuous vulcanization.
- VulcanizationCross-linking reaction
- Chemical cross-linking of the rubber under heat – turns the plastic compound into an elastic finished part.
- Pre-shockInitial cure
- A short, intense burst of heat right after the extruder that quickly cures the profile's surface. This keeps the still-soft profile from deforming or trapped gas from forming blisters before vulcanization takes over.
- Cure stateDegree of cure
- A measure of how far the chemical cross-linking of the rubber compound has progressed at a given point in the product – from uncured (0%) to fully cured.
- ExtrusionProfile forming
- The plasticized compound is pressed through a die to the desired profile cross-section before entering the curing line.
- Final finishingPost-processing
- The processing steps after curing: cutting to length, punching/trimming, packaging or assembling into finished products.
- Co-extrusionMulti-layer profile
- A profile made of two or more compounds extruded simultaneously, layered or side by side.
- CavityEnclosed space
- The air- or die-enclosed interior of a machine module, or the hollow interior of a hollow profile.
- Guided waveDirected microwave coupling
- Instead of a diffuse field inside the oven chamber, microwave energy is directed through a waveguide into a monomode zone – up to two opposing applicators that penetrate the product from both sides.
- RheometerMDR / ODR
- A lab instrument that measures a compound's cure curve at constant temperature (Moving/Oscillating Disc Rheometer) – provides the data points used to calibrate every compound in the software.
- Scorch timePre-cure time
- How long a compound stays workable before curing begins – a key safety value when designing a line.
- t90Standard rheometer value
- The time to reach 90% cure state – a standard rheometer value and a frequent simulation target.