A trend we have seen in recent years is industries moving towards completely silicone-free facilities. One industry where we have particularly seen this shift is aerospace.
In aerospace settings, precision is critical, with only certain materials meeting strict guidelines when masking or protection is necessary for electronics, sensors, optical lenses and other sensitive equipment.
EPDM, NR, Neoprene, SBR, NBR and Viton rubbers are popular alternative materials for silicone-free facilities, as they can perform under the intense pressures of common aerospace finishing processes like anodizing, chem film and wet paint applications while also avoiding common issues like fish-eyeing and surface contaminants.
The alternative materials can be used in varying temperatures and environments, standing up to intense UV and atomic oxygen exposure. Furthermore, it performs well in aerospace quality checks including water break testing performed before painting processes can begin and has ultra-low outgassing to avoid issues with fogging of optical lenses and sensing equipment critical to operations.
At Caplugs, we understand the need for rubber materials in silicone-free facilities and offer a variety of rubber parts that handle the toughest masking processes including anodizing, conformal coating, chem film, e-coating, powder coating, wet paint and more with ease, as well as any product protection, transport and storage needs that may be required.
Whether you need neoprene caps and plugs for those tough masking jobs or EPDM plugs when chemical resistance is required, our catalog has options to fit most needs.
In addition to our standard product line, Caplugs offers complete custom rubber capabilities with the ability to produce any type of rubber part upon request.
Every custom project is backed by a dedicated engineering team for part design, project management and technical sales support, and a dedicated service team to guide you from start to finish. Our in-house compounding enables customized, performance-enhancing material formulations with full batch-to-batch material control, all validated against ASTM standards through our in-house lab testing. Combined with our global manufacturing and warehousing facilities, we have the infrastructure to deliver consistent, high-quality rubber components at any scale.
✔ No Residue - Removes cleanly without leaving behind contaminants that can disrupt adhesion or surface quality.
✔ Flame Resistance – Meet flame resistance standards. Rubber options available with UL94 flame resistance ratings.
✔ ESD (Conductivity & Static Dissipation) – For managing and preventing electrostatic discharge.
✔ UV/Ozone Resistance - Stands up to intense UV and ozone exposure common in aerospace environments without degrading.
✔ Flexibility - Conforms easily to complex geometries for a secure, consistent mask.
✔ Thermal Management - Reliable performance across a wide temperature range, from curing ovens to cold environments.
✔ Custom Coloring – Pantone and RAL color matching available for easy visual identification on the line.
✔ Finishing Safe – Ideal for anodizing, conformal coating, e-coating, powder coating, wet painting and other finishing processes.
Serving as a leader in product protection for over 75 years, Caplugs engineers and manufactures a wide range of silicone-free rubber products designed to solve challenges across industries including aerospace.
With comprehensive manufacturing capabilities, a wide range of rubber parts, and rigorous process control governed by our ISO-certified quality management system, we are a dedicated partner committed to providing the solutions and service you need.
Our rubber production is backed by a state-of-the-art facility featuring a wide selection of presses, molding capabilities and a Class 8 Cleanroom, with all tooling developed in-house using durable and high-grade steels to ensure the highest quality and longest tool life. We are also expanding our manufacturing footprint with a new facility being built in Malaysia this year, allowing us to better serve customers with high-quality, consistent rubber components at scale.
Whether you have a catalog or custom need or are looking to convert a part currently made in silicone, we will be happy to find a solution that meets your exact specifications.
To learn more about how our range of rubber products can support your aerospace or other applications, contact us today at sales@caplugs.com or call directly at 1.888.CAPLUGS
Whether you require off-the-shelf rubber parts or have custom needs, Caplugs has the available product lines and expert in-house team to meet your specific protection needs.
For custom solutions, let the largest, most experienced in-house team of design engineers develop it for you from initial design to final production. We offer extensive custom molding solutions to meet your cost, performance, and production requirements.
