Rubber materials are available in a range of durometers, making it easy to find the perfect solid sheet rubber for a specific application. A material’s durometer quantifies its degree of hardness. This measurement is expressed as a number between 0 and 100, and it is specified as either Shore A or Shore D. For softer rubber materials, Shore A is the standard unit of measurement for the materials’ hardness. For harder rubber materials, Shore D is the standard unit of measurement. The higher the number on the scale, the harder the solid sheet rubber is. Rubber sheet manufacturers produce rubber sheets in many levels of hardness. How hard a roll of rubber is mainly depends on the application for which it’s intended. A soft rubber sheet will be more flexible and pliable, making it ideal for highly compressive applications. In contrast, harder solid sheet rubber offers floors better protection against impacts and heavy objects. Regardless of differences in durometers, rubber sheets and rolls are versatile pieces of equipment that are useful in many situations. In this article, we’ll go through common questions about rubber materials and durometer.
What Is Shore in Rubber?
In rubber, Shore is the unit of measurement for quantifying a rubber product’s hardness. This is what is Shore in rubber. For the most part, a rubber material’s hardness is measured in Shore A units. However, for especially hard rubber materials Shore D is used.
Why Is Hardness in Rubber Important?
You might be thinking: Why is hardness in rubber important? A rubber product’s hardness influences the applications for which the product is ideal. For example, rubber anti-fatigue matting is available in multiple durometers. For workers who stand still for long periods of time, a softer mat is preferrable. Whereas, for workers who move around on their feet for prolonged periods of time, a harder anti-fatigue mat is ideal. This is just one example of how a rubber product’s durometer influences the situations it best fits.
What Is Shore A and Shore D Hardness?
Both Shore A and Shore D refer to the hardness of a material. However, Shore A is used to measure the hardness of softer materials, such as soft rubber, whereas shore D is used to measure the hardness of tougher materials, such as very hard rubber. According to one expert, “Shore A is used for measuring the hardness of flexible mold rubbers that ranges from very soft and flexible, to somewhat medium flexible, to hard with no flexibility whatsoever… Shore D is utilized to measure thehardness of semi-rigid plastics, hard rubbers, and hard plastics.” When measuring the hardness of a rubber sheeting material, Shore A is typically used over Shore D. Although rubber materials are resilient and hard-wearing, they are—by-and-large—still considered soft materials. The device used to measure the hardness of rubber materials is called a Shore durometer. To determine rubber materials’ hardness, a “durometer, like many other hardness tests, measures the depth of indentation in the material created by a given force.” Harder rubber materials are more resistant to indentation by the durometer, whereas softer rubber materials exhibit lowers levels of resistance to indentation. A rubber sheet is available in a wide range of durometers, adding another facet to rubber’s customizability. Now that you know what is Shore A and Shore D hardness, you might be wondering: What is Shore A unit?
What Is Shore A Unit?
Shore A hardness is the measurement used to determine the hardness of rubber materials. Sheets of rubber are available in various durometers, ranging from 40A to 80A for example. When it comes to Shore measurements, the lower the number, the softer the material is. A soft rubber sheet is commonly used to create rubber parts for applications that require a lot of compression. For example, a soft and more flexible rubber sheet is a better material for creating sealing products, such as gaskets, since softer rubber seals tighter. On the other hand, harder rubber sheeting is better used for protective applications, such as industrial flooring—stiff solid sheet rubber is ideal for creating protective padding and gaskets as it can provide a better protective barrier against impacts and abrasions. Regardless of the various durometers in which elastic rubber sheets are available, rubber materials are extremely durable. Rubber retains a high tensile strength, which means that it has excellent tear strength. Thus, a softer, flexible rubber sheet is a reliable sealing material that is highly unlikely to tear when stretched. Additionally, harder rubber sheeting is unlikely to break under harsh impacts and heavy objects, such as industrial machinery and residential furniture. Despite their differences in hardness, rubber materials are long-lasting assets in any setting, whether it be residential, commercial, or industrial.
Which Is Harder, 70 or 90 Durometer?
This question is to test your knowledge: Which is harder, 70 or 90 durometer? Because 90 is higher than 70, rubber materials with Shores of 90 are harder than those with Shores of 70. Keep in mind that these aren’t the only Shore measurements that rubber is available in—there are many more options when it comes to rubber materials and hardness.
Rubber sheets/rolls come in many varieties. And rubber sheets are so versatile since there are so many options in material, form, and durometer. We hope this article has answered your questions about rubber materials and their hardness. For further inquiries, please refer to our other articles, as we’re sure to have your questions answered.
