One of the most important items in the design for manufacturability process is selecting the lowest cost rubber or urethane material capable of meeting the application requirements. Design Engineers are often not elastomer experts, although they have the most direct impact on part cost. Certainly you could choose a fluoroelastomer for a simple wire grommet application in ambient temperatures with no chemical or fluorocarbon exposure, and it would function. But why would you spend upwards of $15 per pound on material when you could spend $3 per pound to do the same job? Molded Dimensions believes in not over specifying the elastomeric material. Choosing a cost effective rubber or urethane compound not only saves money at project start up, but keeps on giving for the life of the project. Continue reading
