Achieving Durability before You Build and Break: Modern Solutions

Rubber component development activity is typically organized so that expensive durability qualification testing occurs as the final capstone before entering production.  The risks inherent in this step can be greatly reduced if materials and design decisions at earlier stages of the development process are guided by an accurate understanding of how each decision ultimately impacts durability.  Here, we review modern solutions for materials characterization and virtual product simulation, and consider how these bring value to the problems faced by rubber component developers.