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Course dates - click register to view and book
- 7 May 2025
- 24 Sep 2025
- We also run an online version of this course
Course overview
Rubber materials are often used in engineering applications where reliable and consistent performance is critically important. But their failure can have damaging and expensive consequences. Understanding the cause can assist in rectifying the issue, limiting the damage and avoiding future failures. This one day course will provide an overview of material properties, selection, failure mechanisms and methods used to investigate failure.Gain CPD credits
Smithers is an IOM3 Quality Assured training provider and our courses are approved towards professional development.
Learning outcomes
- A basic understanding of rubber materials and their key properties.
- A grounding in the principles of selection of rubber materials based on service requirements.
- Knowledge of how rubber materials and components can fail.
- The ability to recognise key modes of rubber component failure.
- An introduction to the methodology employed in order to investigate rubber failure
Course content
Introduction to Rubber Materials- Basic introduction to what rubbers/ elastomers are, their fundamental properties and how this affects their performance.,
- Why rubbers/ elastomers need to be formulated and vulcanised to achieve durable performance.
- Overview of the range of rubber types
- Their structure and properties and how these can impact on their selection and durability in service.
- Process and criteria for selection of an appropriate rubber type to ensure it is suitable for a given working environment.
- Various different modes of rubber product failure and how to recognise them. Includes factors related to design, manufacture, service, environment and also human factors.
- The approach to take when investigating the failure of a rubber component.
- Principle analytical tests involved in confirming the root cause.
- A number of typical examples of rubber component failure will be presented, with the cause and method of diagnosis explained.
Who will benefit?
This course will benefit anyone wishing to ensure that a rubber component or material they are using in their product is suitable for the intended service usage, or anyone actively involved in investigating rubber component failures.Presenter information
You can find out more about our presenters by clicking on their expert profilesWhat our delegates say
"Well presented, good information, practical information gained"Christopher Wilson - Polymeric Labels
"Excellent, lots learned"
Moore Hills - AB Pneumatics