CAR CAPITAL CAR Capital Auto Rubber Products Private Limited

R & D Department – Parameters for Rubber Testing

Mechanical Testing of Rubber Compound

Hardness Testing – Part 1.2

Definition:
Hardness of a rubber compound can be described as the resistance to indentation.

Scope:
This test is conducted to ensure the hardness of the compound falls within either the in-house specifications or
customer's specifications. If the hardness is too low, the mileage obtained from the cured liners will be lesser,
vice versa, if the hardness is too high, cracks and loss of traction will ensue.

Testing Machinery and Standard:

Some of the most popular ones are the shore A Durometer, the Rex Gauge, Wallancve Hardness Meter, the
international Rubber Hardness Tester etc.

The Durometer is the international standard for the hardness measurement of rubber,
plastic and other non-metallic materials

Advantages of Hardness Testing:

 Hardness is an important property to the compounded since its specification imposes limits upon the
type and quantity of certain compounding ingredients like fillers, plasticizers etc. in a particular
compound.

Test Implications:
 If the hardness is too low, the mileage obtained from the cured liners will be lesser, vice versa, if the
hardness is too high, cracks and loss of traction will ensue.
 Lower hardness may be due to several reasons like improper reinforcement, usage of non-
carbonaceous fillers for cheapening purpose etc. Such tread compounds will be lacking very much in
abrasion resistance.
 Hardness measurements lack in precision since it is very common to find a minimum of 5 points
difference in readings made by various people using different Durometer on the same piece of rubber.
Hardness is only an approximate measure and it is not an accurate index of stiffness or load-carrying
capacity.