Quality and precision should be the main focus for any business looking to remain a market leader in UK silicone rubber manufacturing.
At Advanced Materials we pride ourselves on having stringent quality control systems in place, which we consistently look to improve on, wherever and whenever we can.
In our silicone rubber extrusions manufacturing, we operate a quality management system that meets ISO 9001:2015. To comply with this standard a business has to be able to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer, statutory and regulatory requirements; and that it aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system.
Advanced Materials is also committed to sustainability and works to ISO 14001:2015, which specifies the requirements for an environmental management system to enhance environmental performance. (Copies of our certificates are available upon request and can be downloaded on our website).
Silicone rubber manufacturing regulations
When it comes to specific types of silicone rubber manufacturing, there is a wide variety of tolerances, regulations and standards which extrusions must meet, depending on the application for which they are intended.
For example, customers regularly want to know if their material is FDA compliant, usually for food processing lines use. Many of the grades of materials that we manufacture our extrusions from are indeed FDA compliant, and we also have materials for drinking water approvals and for use in pharmaceutical industries.
Standards include:
- USP CLASS VI
- FDA § 177.2600
- BfR XV Silicones regulations
- WRAS
- EC 1935/2004
For our most popular grades, such as our GP60 material, we are often asked about whether our products comply with certain standards, approvals and regulations surrounding issues such as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), REACH Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) and Ozone Depleting Substances. GP60 does indeed comply with these regulations and many more. Details can be found in our Product Compliance Statement – Regulatory Product Information for Silicone Rubber Grade GP60.
Silicone rubber extrusions for rail and aviation industries
One of the silicone rubber grades which we supply into rail/aviation industries is FR70R The most common questions we are asked in relation to this grade, are whether our products meet the UL94-V0 (flammability) standards and (most importantly) whether the materials complies to EN45545-2:2020 for Rail and FAR25.853(a) for Aircraft. You may be pleased to know that the answer is that FR70R does, it has been tested to Rail requirements, aircraft material flammability, burning behaviours, smoke density, and other flame retardancy tests:
- Vertical Combustion UL94-V0
- BS6853 Cat 1
- Aircraft FAR 25.853(a)
- Rail EN45545-2:2020, HL1 – HL2 – HL3
- EN 45545 Part 2
The approvals and compliances are outlined in detail in our Pack for Advanced Materials Silicone Rubber Grade FR70R. Feel free to ask the team for more information on any of these compliances.
We also have other grades of silicone rubber that comply to other standards, so always send all the details of the compliances that you would like when you send us your enquiry.
Silicone Rubber Tolerances
The silicone rubber tolerances we are asked to work to also come with standards of their own which must be met, and we ordinarily offer the following:
- ISO3302 E1 for our Extruded Silicone Rubber Profiles, tube, strip and cord
- ISO3302 M2 for our Silicone Rubber Mouldings
- ISO3302 L2 for our cut lengths of profiles
Some exceptions will apply for large or uneven profiles, or materials that are more difficult to process. We will clarify the tolerances being offered on your quotation, but for any specific tolerancing questions, get in touch with the team who will be more than happy to answer them.
In some cases, we will be able to hold tighter tolerances than the ISO3302 E1 tolerances, if you let us know which the critical dimension is on your drawing prior to quotation stage, then we can work with you on achievable, repeatable manufacturing tolerances that work as needed in your custom application.
We can specify tolerances as negative only, or positive only tolerances, for clearance or better fit according to your applications requirements.
Finding the right silicone rubber manufacturer
All of our silicone rubber extrusions comply with the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) & Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) standards – two environmental regulations for hazardous materials, which apply to companies that supply products to the European Union, and other parts of the world.
For standards and regulations not mentioned here, please contact us directly, we are happy to work with you on grade selection during your design stages to help establish material compliances suitable to your industry.
We understand how important it is to ensure your silicone extrusions meet your quality and performance expectations. Why not get in touch with a member of our team for more information on how we ensure quality standards are met for all our customers?
Advanced Materials is a leading supplier of silicone rubber extrusions. To find out more about our silicone rubber manufacturing services contact our expert and friendly team on +44 (0)1903 713566 or sales@amsilicones.co.uk.