ABSTRACT
The automobile combines many different materials that must be integrated with the ever-changing design and manufacturing processes. Without rubber components, the automobile in its current state of technology could not exist. Very few people are aware of the role that rubber plays in the total transportation industry. Approximately 500– 600 applications in the automobile involve the use of elastomers. Some critical uses having safety implications are as follows: tires, fuel hoses, brake hoses and cups, various fluid gaskets, and engine and TBI gaskets. Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer is used for weatherstrip, exterior rubber parts, coolant hoses, brake system parts, and ignition cable insulation, and some exhaust hanger isolators. Thermoplastic elastomers were developed to bridge the gap between rubber and plastics. Thermoset materials are rubber-based compounds that are capable of becoming permanently rigid when heated or cured.
