Precision-Produced Dense and Sponge Silicone

Cooper Standard ISG stands out in sealing solution development by internally formulating and compounding our own silicone in-house, right from scratch. Our expertise extends to not only dense silicone materials, but sponge silicone as well.

We offer customers tailored materials for optimal performance, which allows us to create precise blends, avoiding reliance on standard options available from external mixers. For example, if our analysis shows that a 50-durometer silicone will perform best in your application, we have the capability to compound a 50-durometer silicone, while others might only have a 40 or 70 durometer option on their shelves.

In addition to creating your precise customized blend, we can then transfer it seamlessly into the adjacent processing and extrusion workflow right here at our facility.

The flexibility to adjust formulations quickly, address hand-off challenges and ensure quality control from raw materials to finished products results in faster time-to-market and reduced supply costs.  

Get the exact silicone sealing properties you want, every time

When we enter a custom seal development partnership, we seamlessly integrate with our customer’s engineering team to design a seal that shows the ideal balance of key properties like durometer, density, tensile elongation and compression load deflection.

For example, we recently developed a silicone window seal that is soft enough to close quietly, but durable enough to ensure longevity, along with a better range of long-term temperature resistance.

We have developed sponge silicones with exceptional low compression set, performing well at both room temperature and high temperatures, enduring numerous open/close cycles for long-term use.

Custom silicone compounding provides  significant benefits in incorporating specialized pigments or performance-enhancing additives. For example, a custom-compounded material was created to introduce phosphorescence, enhancing the visibility of firefighter helmets in the dark to ensure safety.

Our in-house mixing and extrusion capabilities enable us to address challenges where certain pigments may not interact well with silicone ingredients, leading to subpar results. For example, a customer wanted a vibrant orange seal for a case. The best color pigment for a vibrant orange  can impact the curing of silicone if special procedures are not taken. By combining mixing and extrusion processes, we devised a strategy to achieve both the vibrant color and consistent high-quality parts.

Keeping you at the cutting edge of silicone development

One less commonly recognized yet crucial benefit of our in-house mixing proficiency is our capacity to promptly and preemptively respond to evolving regulatory mandates. For example, a few years ago, boric acid was included in the REACH Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). Historically, boric acid served as a primary modifier for enhancing green strength in silicone before curing and was used extensively throughout the industry.

This change increased reporting  obligations for customers using silicone seals and marketing products in Europe. However, through leveraging our in-house materials expertise, we developed a premium silicone   using a different green strength additive, offering it as a service to customers. Therefore, if you are using a compound with reporting obligation and are seeking relief , exploring alternative silicone solutions with an expert becomes even more compelling.
 
At Cooper Standard ISG, we look forward to creating a precise silicone blend to meet your needs, whatever they may be. Give us a call to discuss and see the differences that in-house customized mixing and extruding can have on your product quality, time to market and bottom line!