Executive Summary
Robinson Rubber Products transformed a failing agricultural spraying system by developing a custom pinch valve solution that increased durability from 10,000 to 3,000,000 cycles—a 300x improvement that eliminated field failures for over 15 years.
The Challenge: Critical Equipment Failures During Peak Season
Agricultural Equipment Manufacturer Faces Crisis
A leading agricultural spraying equipment manufacturer contacted Robinson Rubber after experiencing widespread field failures with their existing pinch valve systems. The problem was devastating:
- Rubber pinch valves were cracking during herbicide and fertilizer application
- Failures occurred during critical planting and fertilizing seasons
- Chemical leaks created uncontrollable spraying, wasting expensive chemicals
- Potential contamination of farmland with concentrated liquid compounds
- Safety risks from unnecessary chemical exposure to people and animals
Quality Control Nightmare
The manufacturer’s current supplier couldn’t identify failure patterns:
- Inconsistent performance: Good parts lasted 250,000 cycles, bad parts only 10,000
- Every batch contained both passing and failing components
- Identical appearance made defective parts impossible to identify
- No correlation between visual inspection and performance
Robinson Rubber’s Solution: Advanced Rubber Formulation Engineering
Custom Pinch Valve Development Process
Robinson Rubber’s engineering team approached the problem systematically:
- Material Analysis: Evaluated the demanding application requirements
- High-pressure chemical exposure
- Aggressive herbicides and fertilizers
- Repeated pinch cycles
- Outdoor environmental conditions
- Custom Formulation Development: Leveraged expertise in rubber compounding
- Utilized 20+ engineering-grade polymers
- Drew from library of 2,500+ unique formulations
- Developed proprietary compound specifically for agricultural applications
- Prototype Testing: Rigorous validation process
- Prototype valves achieved 3,000,000 cycles before failure
- 12x improvement over best previous performance
- 300x improvement over failing components
Results: Zero Field Failures Over 15 Years
Performance Metrics
- Cycle Life: 3,000,000 cycles (vs. 10,000-250,000 previously)
- Field Failures: Zero failures over 15+ years of use
- Reliability: 100% consistent performance across all production batches
- Cost Reduction: Eliminated expensive downtime during critical seasons
Unexpected Challenge: Aesthetic vs. Performance
An interesting formulation discovery highlighted the precision required in custom rubber compounding:
- Initial formula produced gray appearance after shelf storage
- Slight recipe adjustment (329¾ vs. 330 total parts) maintained black color
- However, performance dropped dramatically to 10,000 cycles
- Solution: Educated market that gray valves indicated superior performance
- Gray pinch valves became recognized as the premium, reliable option
Robinson Rubber’s Competitive Advantages
Advanced Bonding Capabilities
Rubber-to-substrate bonding eliminates secondary operations and reduces costs:
- Substrate Materials: Acetal, aluminum, brass, bronze, carbon steel, copper, ductile iron, nylon, PEEK, stainless steel, and more
- Manufacturing Processes: Die casting, injection molding, stamping, waterjet cutting, CNC machining
- Complex Assemblies: Rubber-to-metal-to-plastic-to-fabric combinations
- Quality Record: Over 70% of production involves bonded assemblies with virtually zero returns
Applications Across Industries
Robinson Rubber’s expertise extends beyond agricultural equipment:
- Chain pads and conveyor systems
- Diaphragm assemblies
- Electrical insulators
- Motor mounts and vibration isolators
- Medical device components
- Valve assemblies and impellers
Why Choose Robinson Rubber for Custom Pinch Valve Solutions
Engineering Excellence
- In-house formulation capabilities with 2,000+ unique compounds
- Custom polymer selection from 20+ engineering-grade materials
- Proprietary formulation development for specific applications
Manufacturing Integration
- Rubber-to-substrate bonding eliminates assembly steps
- Reduces component count and weight
- Lowers total system costs
Proven Track Record
- 15+ years zero-failure performance in demanding agricultural applications
- Virtually zero returns on bonded assemblies
- Rapid problem-solving and solution implementation
Contact Robinson Rubber for Custom Solutions
Struggling with component failures in challenging environments? Robinson Rubber’s custom pinch valve solutions and advanced rubber formulation expertise can solve your toughest engineering challenges.
Get Started Today:
- Email: sales@robinsonrubber.com
- Website: www.robinsonrubber.com
- Phone: 1-877-619-5825 or 763-535-6737
Request our Polymer and Material Selection Guide to explore how custom rubber solutions can improve your product performance and reduce costs.
Robinson Rubber Products specializes in custom-molded rubber products, extruded rubber components, and precision rollers with advanced substrate bonding capabilities. Serving industries from agriculture to medical devices, Robinson Rubber delivers high-performance solutions that eliminate field failures and reduce total system costs.