ABSTRACT
Mixing is central to rubber technology. If the base compound is inadequately mixed, problems cascade down through the subsequent processes of shaping and curing into the end product. To achieve consistency in mixing, it is important to ensure that each component of the mix arrives at the mixer in the correct amount, at the correct time in the mixing sequence, and at the correct temperature, uncontaminated by other materials. The rubber mixing process is to produce a product that has the ingredients dispersed and distributed sufficiently thoroughly to permit it to shape readily, cure efficiently, and give the required properties for the application, all with the minimum expenditure of machine time and energy. Incorporation is the preliminary step in mixing, in which the initially separate ingredients form a coherent mass, which, although still far from homogeneous, has a consistency such that the mixer rotors or mill rolls can effectively work it.
