Key course information
- Course learning format: IN-PERSON COURSE
- More course dates: See below or click 'Register'
- Pricing: click 'Register' to preview
- Course duration: Two Days
- Location: Shropshire, UK
- Interactive learning face-to-face with expert tutors
- Electronic course notes
- Gain CPD Credits: Smithers training is IOM3 Quality Assured and counts towards professional development.
To book, click Register and choose a session
Looking for an alternative format?
Upcoming in-person course dates
| Select a session when registering | |
|---|---|
| 12 - 13 November 2025 | 11 - 12 November 2026 |
| 4 - 5 February 2026 | |
| 15 - 16 July 2026 | |
Course overview
Build a solid grounding in rubber technology and understand how every stage - from material selection and compounding to processing and testing - influences end product performance. Through expert-led sessions and practical case studies, you’ll gain the knowledge to make better material choices, solve problems, and improve product reliability.
The programme also covers testing, specifications, failure evaluation, and includes interactive case studies to reinforce practical understanding.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:- Ask the right questions of suppliers, processors and end-users.
- Assess material specifications for suitability to a given application.
- Understand how different service environments affect product performance.
- Recognise the range of elastomers and their properties, uses and limitations.
- Communicate more effectively with suppliers and customers.
- Identify and implement effective quality control procedures.
- Optimise in-house processing methods and identify areas for product improvement.
- Support R&D, production and purchasing decisions to reduce costs and prevent in-service failures.
- Build in-house expertise to drive more competitive product development.
Course content
History of Rubber- A brief synopsis of events in the history of rubber.
- An introduction to what rubber is, and the different types available..
- How the chemical structure of natural and synthetic rubbers dictates their properties and ultimate selection.
- How elastomers are formulated to produce compounds
- The types, levels and functions of the main additives, including curatives in generic components and how these can influence performance
- An explanation of the vulcanisation process, its role in ensuring consistent product performance, and the effects of poor optimisation
- An overview of how raw rubber materials are transformed into finished products, covering:
- Mixing technology
- Extrusion
- Moulding and other conversion processes
- Key process parameters and their impact on product performance are explained.
- Environmental factors that can cause degradation of rubber compounds
- The effects that heat and chemicals have on the polymer network and finished properties
- Methods of protection
- An overview of recycling rubber and the waste rubber market.
- A review of the various techniques and technologies that have been developed for recycling and re-using waste rubber and a summary of the many products that can be manufactured from recycled rubber
- Static and dynamic behaviour of elastomers
- Influence of service parameters such as temperature, strain rates and environment
- Viscoelasticity its consequences on product performance
- Interactive case studies on material selection and design challenges reinforce core topics and encourage discussion and problem-solving.
Who should attend
Ideal for engineers, designers and buyers working with rubber materials or components.
This course is perfect for anyone who needs a solid understanding of rubber materials and how they influence product performance, quality and reliability.
It will benefit:
- Staff working in the rubber industry - including moulders, component manufacturers and material suppliers - who are new to the field or have no formal training, and want to strengthen their technical confidence.
- Professionals from companies that use rubber components - such as automotive, engineering or consumer goods businesses - who want to improve communication with suppliers, make better material choices and solve design or processing issues more effectively.
Meet your expert tutors
Gary Crutchley – Lead Consultant
Gary is a Lead Consultant with over 30 years’ experience in rubber and elastomer technology. His expertise spans compound formulation, processing, and failure analysis, with a background in tyre R&D for leading global manufacturers. Gary provides consultancy and expert witness services worldwide, supporting clients with material selection, compounding, manufacturing optimisation and technical training.
Phil Hall – Principal Consultant, Rubber and Elastomers
Phil Hall is a Principal Consultant with over 30 years’ experience in rubber and elastomer technology across the aerospace, defence, automotive and manufacturing sectors. He combines deep technical knowledge with leadership experience in design, production and quality, and provides expert consultancy in material selection, compounding, process optimisation and failure diagnosis.
What our delegates say about the course
“World Class.”
Richard Andrews (SEP)
“Very happy I attended the course, wish I had done it years ago.”
Darren Shire (Innospec)
“Very well worth it, excellent way of gaining a background knowledge of rubber technology.”
Micah Vorster (Berwin PPG)
Contact us or download a brochure
Reach out to the training team now - ask about this course or discuss your training goals.
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