Inner Tube Manufacturing Plant & Machinery Solutions

Butyl or natural rubber compound is prepared with fillers and curing chemicals, the dry ingredients being pre-blended before they reach the extruder feed. Powder handling is enclosed so filler does not settle on the tube stock.

The compound is extruded as a continuous sleeve with no longitudinal joint, then cooled so it holds its wall thickness before handling. Talc is applied to keep the inner walls from sticking together, and the airborne talc is extracted at the applicator.

Sleeve is cut to length, the valve is fitted and secured, and the two ends are joined to close the tube into a ring. The valve seat is the most common leak point, so this station is worked with fixed positioning and repeatable pressure.

Tubes are cured in heated moulds, supported by the plant steam, hot water and cooling circuits.

Every tube is inflated and held under water or under pressure so that pinholes and splice faults show up. Failed tubes are diverted off the line rather than repaired in the flow.

Passed tubes are dusted, folded, coded and cartoned by size and valve type for despatch.