Many of today’s manufacturing processes involve abrasive or corrosive solutions that can weaken expensive machinery. To prevent damage, manufacturers line their tanks, pipes, and tubing with rubber intended to act as a barrier and protect equipment. Keeping the metal clad tanks and pipes separated from their corrosive contents extends work life and reduces repair costs.
A good idea …
James E. Gillespie Patent
Rubber lined tanks and pipes are not new. In 1875, James E. Gillespie was awarded an early patent for a machine that generated rubber lined hoses. His manufactured rubber lined tubing design prevented “gumming or impure coatings” from contaminating a sewing machine’s inner workings. Gillespie’s invention, introduced at the height of the industrial age, contributed to the growth of the manufactured garment industry.
… remains useful
As industry evolved, it became apparent that industrial corrosion was expensive. In 2002, one study estimated that corrosion in American industry costs $276 billion every year. The figure amounted to 3.1 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product that year.
The study concluded that all industries could save billions of dollars if they deployed corrosion control practices, which would also protect public safety and the environment. Consequently, both the United States and other countries have developed bodies of corrosion control standards, including mandates for rubber linings.
ASTM Standard D7602-11, for example, requires a vulcanized rubber lining to cover the inner surfaces of containers used for storing corrosive or abrasive substances. The raw rubber composite goes through the vulcanizing process to attain proper chemical resistance, mechanical strength, and sufficient metal to rubber adhesion that protects the entire tank interior.
Moon Fabricating’s rubber lined tanks and pipes
Today, any industry that conveys fluids, solutions, gels, or other substances through pipes, hoses, or tubes uses rubber lining to protect their system from the corrosion or erosion caused by those substances. The rubber lining itself is chemically matched specifically to the fluid at issue, to ensure maximum abrasion control.