Rubber bands are common items that many people use in their daily lives, but do you know how they are made? The video clip below will provide you with the answer.
Rubber bands (also known as elastic bands) are simple yet widely used products due to their low cost and practicality, often used for tying and holding objects. They are utilized everywhere, in various fields, from packaging goods, organizing documents and stationery, to tying hair…
Rubber band.
The rubber band was first invented by the English inventor Stephen Perry in 1845.
However, it wasn’t until 1923 that American inventor William Spencer recognized the potential of rubber bands after purchasing several tire inner tubes and cutting them into small rings. William Spencer developed this idea into the useful product we know today.
The small rubber bands we use daily are typically made from natural rubber, thanks to their excellent elasticity, durability, and lower cost compared to synthetic rubber.
So, do you know how the familiar rubber bands we use in our daily lives are produced?
Try to think and make a guess before watching the video about the rubber band manufacturing process below. You will surely be amazed by its complexity and craftsmanship.
Rubber is softened by heat and kneaded like dough, then fed into a rolling machine to create thin sheets of rubber. Workers cut and bundle the rubber into small packages and mix it with sulfur and other chemicals to enhance its strength and flexibility.
Next, the rubber is rolled extremely thin and cut into small bundles that fit the molding machines. Each rubber roll is dyed and shaped into very long, hollow tubes. After being cooled with water, the rubber tubes are placed onto a mold made of aluminum that has a radius equivalent to a standard rubber band and then steamed at high temperatures.
In one hour, the machine can cut half a million rubber bands.
After steaming, the rubber is taken for a “wash and dry” process and then sent to a cutting machine that creates rubber bands with uniform cross-sections.
