Quality is often understood as “strength for application”, but such a concept has no cost or processing considerations. A part produced using poor processes, which can be guaranteed only as the result of inspection, has no inherent quality. A fuller definition is “dependability of function at lowermost cost, consequential from good design and the use of skilled processes”.

Quality begins on the understanding application and on creating the drawing. With awareness of rubber properties and its manufacturing needs for simple design to optimize functions and avoid manufacturing difficulties towards tooling and finished product processing. Such components will have best values for money.

Using the knowledge and understanding of the rubber designer at an initial stage will enhance the design which will offer rubber’s optimum properties and avoid future problems. It will also allow considering the tolerances, differences of thermal expansion, co efficient of shrinkage etc…