Laboratory Hydraulic Presses for Compound Development and Quality Control
West Coast Rubber Machinery supplies small hydraulic laboratory presses for curing rubber test specimens, evaluating compound development batches, and supporting quality control programs. Available in standard compression and vacuum configurations, WCRM lab presses are sized for benchtop or floor-mounted use with platen sizes and tonnage appropriate for laboratory-scale rubber molding.
Compression Lab Press
Standard hydraulic compression configuration for curing test slabs, ASTM test specimens, small production trial parts, and quality control samples. Heated platens maintain cure temperature; cycle control manages close, cure time, and open.
Vacuum Lab Press
Vacuum-capable configuration for compound development work where air entrapment must be eliminated from test specimens. Evacuates the mold area before cure proceeds—the same principle as production vacuum presses, at laboratory scale.
Standard and Vacuum Configurations
WCRM lab presses are available in two primary configurations depending on the requirements of the application:
What to Expect from a WCRM Lab Press
- Heated Platens: Precise temperature control for consistent cure conditions batch to batch—critical for compound development work where test results must be reproducible.
- PLC or Digital Controls: Programmable cycle control for pressure, cure time, and open sequence. Some configurations include timer-based controls appropriate for standard test slab curing.
- Compact Footprint: Benchtop and floor-standing configurations sized for laboratory environments where floor space is limited.
- Vacuum Option: Vacuum capability available for applications requiring void-free test specimens or where porosity in cured test samples would affect the validity of physical property testing.
- Single or Multi-Daylight: Single opening as standard; multi-opening configurations available when throughput of test specimens is a priority.
Process Control Upgrades – Accudyne Hydraulic Presses
Where Lab Presses Are Used
Compound Development
Curing development batches milled on a lab mill to evaluate physical properties before scaling to production.
ASTM & ISO Test Specimens
Curing standard test slabs for tensile, elongation, hardness, compression set, and other physical property testing.
Quality Control
Curing in-process QC samples from production compound to verify batch consistency before releasing to production molding.
New Mold Qualification
Pressing test shots in new or modified tooling before committing to full production runs.
Adhesive & Bonding Development
Evaluating rubber-to-substrate bond performance at laboratory scale before production bonding programs.
Engineering FAQ
What platen sizes are available for lab presses?
Contact WCRM to discuss platen sizes available for your specific test specimen or mold dimensions. We configure lab presses to the requirements of the application.
Do I need a vacuum lab press?
Vacuum is necessary when the test specimens you are curing need to be free of internal porosity to produce valid physical property test results—particularly for compounds that are destined for vacuum production molding. For general test slab curing and ASTM specimens, a standard compression configuration is usually sufficient.
Can lab press results be used to predict production molding performance?
Lab press curing can confirm compound physical properties under controlled conditions, but production press conditions—larger platen area, higher heat mass, different cycle dynamics—may produce results that differ. Lab presses are best used for compound development and QC screening rather than as direct predictors of production output.
Specify the Right Lab Press for Your Work
Tell us your platen size, cure temperature, and whether you need vacuum capability, and we will put together the right lab press configuration.