The Engineer ’s Guide to

CON V E R TIN G
RU BB ER SEA LS
TO T P E

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 CONVERTING RUBBER TO TPE: INTRODUCTION

Gemini extrusion How to Use This Guide

So you’ve heard of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) -- Perhaps from a friend, a
experts have worked co-worker, or one of the countless studies singing the praises of this versatile
material. You know it can replace rubber in virtually any application, but you
want to learn more about making the switch. You may have questions such
with over 62 different as:
• How is TPE different from rubber?
plastic resins over • Why would I want to switch to TPE in my application?
• Will TPE even work for my seal?
the past 45 years. • What TPE compounds do I have to choose from?
• What are the nuances and practicalities of retrofitting my current
design to a TPE?
We know extrusion
We were there once, too. And we know how difficult it can be to champion
and can help you change. That’s why we created this guide. It provides the basic guidelines
for converting rubber seals and weather stripping to TPE – all from the
determine the perspective of an experienced seal engineer.

This is not an exhaustive guide; the amount of information available is simply

most cost-effective too great. However, it serves as a starting point to better understand TPE’s
and what you should consider when designing with them.
combination of design
If you’re new to thermoplastics, start with the Introduction to Thermoplastic
and materials for your Elastomer section. It provides a basic understanding of what makes this
material so versatile. You’ll also learn which markets and applications are
already making the switch to TPE.
extruded seal.
If you’re ready to make the switch to thermoplastic, jump to the Switching
from Rubber to TPE section. It provides a number of factors to consider
before switching to TPE, as well as a material chart to help determine which
TPE material is best for your application.

Questions?
If you have any questions regarding what you find on the following pages or
about our company in general, please contact our technical sales team at
plasticsales@geminigroup.net or 248-435-7271.

To learn more about seal design, check out our Extruded Seal Design Guide.
To learn more about seal material, check out our Material Selection Guide.

Enjoy!

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CONVERTING RUBBER TO TPE: CONTENTS

Contents

INTRODUCTION TO THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMER

What Are Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE’s)? 3

Benefits
Limitations
Performance
Processing
Markets
Applications

SWITCHING FROM RUBBER TO TPE

Cost 6
Cycle Time
Processing Costs
Rubber vs TPE Cost Matrix
Material Selection 7
Function & Application
Operating Environment
Aesthetics
Design For Manufacturability (DFM) 8

SUMMARY
Case Study 9
Final Note 10

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 CONVERTING RUBBER TO TPE: INTRODUCTION TO THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMER

What Are Thermoplastic Elastomers?

WHAT ARE THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMERS (TPE’s)?

Engineered thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), is one of the most versatile plastics available today. It can be soft and
jelly-like, hard and rigid, transparent or colored. TPE’s combine the performance properties of thermoset rubber
with the processing efficiencies of plastic.

TPE’s look, feel, and function like rubber, but provide greater design flexibilities and more efficient processing than
rubber. It’s no wonder why so many engineers are ditching rubber for TPE.

THERMOPLASTIC
THERMOPLASTICS ELASTOMERS ELASTOMERS

Thermoplastics: Thermoplastic elastomers: Elastomers:

Thermoplastics are comprised Thermoplastic elastomers are Elastomers are comprised of

of long, linear, one-dimensional
polymer chains that are held
together by weak physical
forces such as intermolecular
interactions. When exposed to
heat, they become free-flowing
and formable. When cooled
down, the material becomes
again rigid. As this process
is purely physical, it can be
repeated at any time and as
often as necessary.
Example: Polypropylene (PP)
comprised of – you guessed
it – both thermoplastic and
elastomer. This makes the
material free-flowing and
formable. When the material
is cooled down, physical cross-
links are established, which
bond the elastic blocks into rigid,
three-dimensional networks.
Thermoplastic elastomers thus
have the properties of elastomers
but can be processed in the same
way as thermoplastics.
long polymer chains that are
cross-linked during vulcanization
and are held together by the
weakest intermolecular forces,
allowing the material to be
extremely elastic. They are not
formable after vulcanization.
The material can be temporarily
deformed by compression and
stress forces but returns to its
original structure as soon as the
force is removed.
Example: Nitrile Rubber (NBR)

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CONVERTING RUBBER TO TPE: INTRODUCTION TO THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMER

What Are Thermoplastic Elastomers? (continued)

BENEFITS PERFORMANCE
The primary benefit of TPE is its ability to perform like The performance of a TPE is highly customizable,
a rubber while maintaining the processability of plastic. as it is controlled by the selection of the plastic and
TPE’s can be remolded or reshaped without compromising elastomeric materials comprising the system. Your
physical properties, unlike thermoset rubber which TPE can feel soft, be non-slip, lightweight, printable,
undergoes an irreversible chemical bond once processed. and UV-resistant while complying with EPA VOC limits
This means that when a TPE is damaged or reaches the end and your desired price/performance ratio.
of its lifecycle, it can be ground back into raw materials
and processed again, keeping the same impact resistance, Performance attributes TPE’s can achieve include:
toughness, etc. • Low compression set
• Heat and oil resistance
Think of TPE like a molded wax with the ability to be melted • Chemical resistance
and cooled multiple times to form different shapes, while • Weathering resistance
a rubber is like an egg, set in its shape after heating. • Tear and abrasion resistance
• Flexural fatigue resistance
Additional benefits of TPE include: • Low permeability
• Rapid cycle times • High impact strength
• Multi-component processing allows for reduced • Dimensional stability
assembly costs • Flexibility
• Combination of two materials allows for advanced • Noise reduction
composites (hard/soft) • Self-lubrication
• Excellent finishing capabilities • Conformability
• Accurate color matching
• Highly recyclable
• Virtually zero volatile organic compounds (VOC’s)

PROCESSING
TPE is processed just like plastic. All TPE’s start the process as resin, then are heated until the material takes a viscous
liquid form. It is then formed into the desired shape and cooled into its solid state, retaining its original physical
properties. Since no chemical bonding takes place during the process, TPE’s can be reformed and recycled without
negatively affecting its physical properties.

LIMITATIONS
The very thing that enables TPE’s to be processed as plastic also restricts their in temperature applications above
500 °F, though some TPE’s can begin melting at just 250 °F. As temperature increases, compression set increases and
the material will eventually begin to deform as the temperature approaches the melt point. This limits the overall
component size and complexity due to stack-up tolerances.

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 CONVERTING RUBBER TO TPE: INTRODUCTION TO THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMER

What Are Thermoplastic Elastomers? (continued)

WHERE TO FIND TPE SEALS

Rocker seal Spoiler seal

Cowl seal

Condenser seal

Door edge guard

Closeout seal

Sunroof track
seal & sunroof
mechanism cover

MARKETS APPLICATIONS
Thermoplastic trim seals, edge seals, bulb seals, bubble The versatility of thermoplastic material is demonstrated
seals, hatch seals, flap seals, and others can be found in the magnitude of applications for which it can be used.
virtually every industry, including: The list is practically infinite. Next time you head to your
vehicle, we challenge you to count how many seals you
• Automotive can spot on just the vehicle body.
• Transportation
• Agriculture These are all thermoplastic seals!
• Construction • Sunroof seals
• Appliance • Radiator seals
• Consumer Goods • Hood seals
• Electrical • Cowl seals
• Medical • Instrument panel seals
• Safety • Pillar seals
• Plumbing • HVAC seals
• Marine • Closeout seals
• Windshield laces
• Condenser seals

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CONVERTING RUBBER TO TPE: SWITCHING FROM RUBBER TO TPE

Switching from Rubber to TPE

So you want to ditch the rubber, but you know it’s not as simple as telling your manufacturer to start pumping the
TPE. The cost-to-performance ratio needs to be balanced, the material needs to be engineered, and the design may
need to change. Here’s what you need to consider:

COST
Although the tooling costs for TPE tend to be higher than rubber, shorter cycle times and lower processing costs give
it the advantage on the final piece price, especially for high-volume production. Here’s what the extrusion process
looks like. In-line processing such as tape application, stamping, and printing can be added to the process stage:

Cycle Time: In virtually all cases, the substitution of TPE materials for traditional rubber materials results in faster
cycle times. In fact, TPE cycle times are measured in seconds while rubber is measured in minutes.

Processing Costs: TPE’s don’t require finishing or post cure and can be co-extruded with materials of different
durometers and colors. Since most TPE processing is done in-line, it tends to be leaner and has fewer variables. TPE
also boasts the ability for scrap to be reused without a loss in physical properties.

The combined cycle time and processing cost savings results in lower piece prices over rubber:

Cost Driver Rubber TPE

Material 0.03 $/ft 0.06 $/ft

Cycle Time: 0.20 $/ft 0.05$/ft

Flocking 0.02 $/ft N/A

Slipcoat N/A 0.01 $/ft

Scrap 0.05 $/ft N/A

Shipping 0.02 $/ft 0.01 $/ft

TOTAL 0.32 $/ft 0.13 $/ft

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 CONVERTING RUBBER TO TPE: SWITCHING FROM RUBBER TO TPE

Switching from Rubber to TPE (continued)

MATERIAL SELECTION
Though thermoset plastics and thermoplastic elastomers sound similar, they have very different properties and
applications.

TENSILE
COMPRES-
ELON- TEAR MELT APPLICA-
MATERIAL SION SET DUROMETER OIL ACID BASIC OZONE FEATURES
GATION STRENGTH TEMP TION**
(73 °F)
(BREAK)

Styrenic Block
12 to 620 to 140 to 28 to 70 380 to Price/
Copolymers F G G G S
25 % 800 % 210 lbf/in Shore A 440 °F performance
(TPE-S) (SBS)

Thermoplastic 80 Shore A
65 to 600 to 383 to 194 to Impact
Polyolefins to F G E G S
79 % 650 % 410 lbf/in 325 °F resistance
(TPO) 65 Shore D

Thermoplastic
10 to 550 to 86 to 30 to 90 194 to Compression
Vulcanisates F E E E S/SD
25 % 630 % 286 lbf/in Shore A 266 °F set
(TPV)

Thermoplastic
21 to 520 to 240 to 55 to 80 296 to
Polyurethanes E F F E Durability SD/D
44 % 710 % 270 lbf/in Shore A 410 °F
(TPU)

Thermoplastic
17 to 300 to 79 to 95 to 98 338 to Strength/
Copolyesters E F F G S/SD
34 % 400 % 83 lbf/in Shore A 405 °F flexibility
(TPC/COPE)

Thermoplastic
Polyether 19 to 400 to 250 to 22 to 62 336 to Temperature
E G G G D
Block Amides 47 % 650 % 850 lbf/in Shore D 500 °F resistance
(TPA)

*F = Fair, G = Good, E = Excellent Source: Prospector

**S = Static, SD = Semi-Dynamic, D = Dynamic

Due to the wide range of TPE blends available today and their expanding range of applications, it is critical that
engineers keep up with the most recent innovations from industry suppliers. The chart above is only a snapshot of
the most common commercial TPE’s. We encourage you to contact your manufacturer to obtain the most recent
advancements and up-to-date advice based on your unique application.

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CONVERTING RUBBER TO TPE: SWITCHING FROM RUBBER TO TPE

Switching from Rubber to TPE (continued)

Function and Application:

TPE comes in a wide range of blends suited for many different seal applications. Thermoplastic polyolefin elastomers
(TPO’s) may be a better option when rigidity is needed, while thermoplastic vulcanizate elastomers (TPVs) are
typically more flexible. With strong durability, thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU’s) are superior for dynamic sealing
applications. Thermoplastic styrenic block copolymer elastomers (TPS’s) deliver high performance for applications
where chemicals are present.

Operating Environment:
If the part will be operating in a harsh environment, such as an under-the-hood application in a truck or automobile,
the material selected must be able to withstand a wide temperature range, from - 40 to + 400 degrees (F), over a
long period of time. Typically, TPU or nylon-based TPV are the best choices when difficult temperature, chemical,
environmental, and physical conditions are present, while TPV can be a good choice when operating conditions are
more moderate.

Aesthetics:
For many consumer products, the appearance of the part is critical. As a result, thermoplastic copolyester elastomers
(TPC’s) are a more popular choice than TPV’s for aesthetic purposes.

DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURABILITY (DFM)

Your part may need to be redesigned to better suit the material. For example, some TPE’s shrink more than others
and exact shrinkage may not be predictable. Whether you’re converting a rubber part to plastic or developing a new
product, consult with the manufacturer early in the process. Once they understand your part’s function, application
and operating environment, they can recommend a TPE material that meets your requirements and can help with
the design of your seal.

For more information about

TPE seal design, check out our
Extruded Seal Design Guide.

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 CONVERTING RUBBER TO TPE: SUMMARY

Case Study

When a Tier 1 OEM supplier had a U-channel seal fail just weeks before delivery, Gemini Group’s extrusion division
stepped in to help. A week later, the customer had a part with improved performance and reduced cost. More
importantly, they had a part that actually worked.

THE CHALLENGE
The incumbent supplier’s seal didn’t set right. The walls of the U-Channel were collapsing and causing undue friction
and squeaking. With a delivery date just weeks away, there was no time for a new design. The solution had to come
from within the manufacturing process.

THE SOLUTION
Through our testing and troubleshooting process, we identified a flaw in the incumbent supplier’s material choice.
So we proposed a better grade of thermoplastic material that would perform given the current profile design. In the
span of one week we built the tooling in-house, completed a small production run, and delivered a dozen parts that
actually worked.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
A mistake in material selection can have devastating consequences in terms of processability, performance, cost, and
delivery time. To avoid the peril of poor material selection:

• Never approach an extruder without knowing what types of materials will work for your part.
At the very least, you need a basic understanding of extruded material characteristics. If you don’t know
where to start, download a copy of our Extruded Material Selection Questionnaire.

• Don’t allow an extruder to push you into their pet material.

Make sure the material you choose is best for your part, not for the extruder.

• If you’re unsure of an extruder’s experience working with a material, ask for samples of their past work.
If possible, inspect a sample that’s similar to your design.

With over 6,000 extrusion profiles under our belt, we recognize that material selection is the most critical element in
seal design. Our extruded seal engineers can recommend the best design and material for your application.

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Final Note
Gemini Group's
Our design & process engineers add DFM/DFA to their 40+ years of tool
Extrusion Division: building and manufacturing experience to make your plastic seal design a
reality. As a Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive supplier, Gemini is comfortable being
responsible with the entire design project or assisting you as a design partner.

Gemini Group's horizontal integration is what drives this approach. Our plastic
processing expertise includes:
• Profile extrusion
• 2-shot injection molding
• Blow molding
Gemini Plastics, Inc. • Compression molding

Using the expertise of all our divisions along with offering rapid prototyping, in-
house tooling and material expertise enables us to evaluate multiple processes
and material selection for your unique application.

In fact, 9 out of 10 of Gemini Group's largest customers purchase

products from two or more of our processes.
Sierra Plastics, Inc.

Gemini Plastics de Mexico

For more information about how Gemini Group’s innovative approach to

manufacturing can help optimize your seal design, or to partner on a new
product, please contact us at:

Gemini Group, Inc.

Customer Technical Center
3250 University Drive, Ste. 110
Auburn Hills, MI 48326
plasticsales@geminigroup.net
248-435-7271

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