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Rubber linings are an excellent solution for handling elevated concentrations of acids and other highly corrosive environments. Thanks to their strong abrasion- and corrosion-resistant properties, rubber linings are widely used in industries such as mining, steel production, wastewater treatment, and chemical processing.

Natural rubbers and other rubber compounds are essential for preventing damage to equipment from the severe service conditions commonly encountered in industrial environments. The lining materials play a critical role in safeguarding tanks, piping, and other process equipment, making it essential for installation to meet the highest standards to ensure strong adhesion and prevent potential leaks.

The installation of rubber lining is a manual and precise process that requires specific skills and experience to apply a durable, long-lasting barrier. Using specialized hand tools is essential to achieve the precision and safety needed to ensure the lining is free of any holidays or voids to create an impermeable, homogeneous barrier, effectively preventing corrosion for years to come. Hand tools used by rubber liners are quite unique and specific to their roles.

Rubber Lining Hand Rollers and Stitchers

Hand rollers
Hand rollers come in two main types: hard and soft, each available in various sizes to suit different applications. Hard, wider rollers are ideal for large, flat surfaces, ensuring efficient coverage and pressure across bigger areas. In contrast, soft, smaller rollers are well-suited for tighter, curved spaces, corner joints, and nozzles, where flexibility and precision are needed.

Rollers play a crucial role in pushing out trapped air pockets from between the rubber lining and the substrate. This helps ensure strong adhesion by removing air pockets that can expand during the curing process, causing blisters between the rubber and the surface. This is a key process that creates a reliable bond between the lining material and the substrate, enhancing its durability and creating a highly resistant corrosion barrier.

Abtrex Industries Team uses a hand roller for natural rubber lining

Hand roller for rubber lining

Stitchers
At Abtrex, we utilize three types of stitchers during the rubber lining process: regular, curved gooseneck, and long pipe stitchers. These tools feature specialized protrusions that enhance grip, preventing slippage on the rubber surface. Stitchers are essential for working in tight, uneven areas, corners, and on 2-inch laps to release trapped air bubbles from behind the rubber lining. Using a smaller stitcher ensures greater precision compared to a roller.

Stitcher for protective linings

Stitcher for protective linings

Rubber Lining Saw and Knives

Cutting with an Electric Water Saw
Large rubber lining sheets are typically cut using an electric water saw. This automated tool speeds up the cutting process, making it efficient for handling large sheets. To ensure smooth operation, the saw blade requires constant wetting, supported by an attached water reservoir that keeps the blade cool and prevents material damage.

Electric saw for cutting lining sheets

Electric saw for cutting lining sheets

Rigid Skiving Knife
Rigid skiving knives are essential for precision cutting, particularly when working with thicker rubber linings. These knives are ideal for creating precise skives along the material’s edge. Regular sharpening and spritzing with water while cutting, ensures a clean, uniform edge that supports the highly resistant to corrosion qualities of rubber linings.

Flexible Skiving Knife
Flexible skiving knives are better suited for thinner rubber linings, allowing for more precise skives. Achieving a proper skive manually can be challenging and requires holding the knife at a specific angle. The flexibility of these knives helps maintain the correct angle, ensuring consistent and accurate cuts.

Hot Knife for Flange Bolt Holes
A hot knife is indispensable for cutting flange bolt holes in rubber linings. A small propane torch is used to heat the blade, which retains a temperature of up to 300 degrees for approximately 1.5 minutes. This allows for clean and precise cuts without damaging the surrounding material, which is crucial when working in highly corrosive environments that require superior material integrity.

Skiving knife for cutting natural rubber

Skiving knife for cutting rubber

Abtrex Industries Inc.

Author Abtrex Industries Inc.

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