A machine can stop for many reasons, and those who work in the mechanical industry or in plant design know this well: often the problem arises from a single technical component which, although representing only a part of the system, performs an essential function.
Sometimes these are details weighing just a few grams, such as gaskets or vibration dampers; in other cases of rollers, wheels or components of large dimensions. In the offshore sector, for example, they can be large gripping jaws intended for tensioning systems used in the laying of pipes or cables at sea.
In earthmoving and operating machinery they can instead be coverings of the undercarriage soles, components for asphalt pavers, cranes, drilling machines or other applications subject to strong stress. In all these cases, a single technical element can directly impact the efficiency, safety and continuity of an entire line or machine.
When the component must work in the presence of oils, high temperatures, chemical agents, abrasion, significant mechanical stresses or specific requirements related to the application, the correct combination of geometry, material and production process becomes crucial. This is where custom-designed technical items take on a central role.
Why are standard components not always sufficient?
Two dimensionally equivalent components can have very different behaviors when they are made with different materials, hardnesses, formulations or processes. A gasket intended for a food plant, for example, must be chosen taking into account product contact, temperatures, wash cycles and operating conditions. In a hydraulic circuit, resistance to oil and pressure become central.
In earthmoving, abrasion, impacts and repeated deformations come into play. In the offshore, oil & gas and drilling sectors, conditions can include high mechanical stress, chemical agents and particularly demanding work cycles. The correct dimensional definition therefore represents only part of the problem. Equally important are the material, hardness, geometry, surface preparation, adhesive system and production process.
The technical compounds available allow us to respond to very different needs: resistance to oils, abrasion, chemical agents or high temperatures, self-extinguishing, antistatic or specific characteristics for particular environments of use. When required, materials formulated for food applications or accompanied by the relevant technical and declarative documentation from the manufacturer can also be used.
Lineagomma: from design to application
Lineagomma has been operating in Parma since 1987 and over time has developed skills in the creation of technical articles, coatings and customized components intended for numerous industrial sectors. Many productions are born from a drawing or technical specifications provided by the customer. In other cases the company makes available solutions, experiences and skills gained directly in the field, especially in applications in which it has developed strong specialization over time.
The work starts from understanding the conditions of use of the component: operating environment, stresses, temperatures, presence of oils or chemical agents, need for adhesion to metal supports, cycle frequency and life expectancy.
Lineagomma supports the customer in the evaluation of producibility, in the choice of materials and in the definition of the construction aspects of the product. The final verification of the suitability of the component with respect to the system and the validation of the application remain the responsibility of the customer or the person responsible for the project.
This distinction allows us to maintain a clear technical relationship: on the one hand the production and application expertise of Lineagomma, on the other the design responsibility of the client.
Materials: There is no single solution
One of the central elements in the production of technical items is the choice of material. Lineagomma works with different families of elastomers and technical materials, including NBR, EPDM, SBR, neoprene, FKM, silicone, polyurethane and Vulkollan, as well as plastic materials used in specific applications.
Each family has different characteristics in terms of mechanical resistance, temperature behavior, elasticity, resistance to chemical agents, oils, abrasion and aging. For this reason, the choice cannot be made solely on the basis of the name of the material, but must consider the actual operating conditions. When required by the application, Lineagomma can also evaluate compounds with specific technical characteristics and documentation provided by the material manufacturer.
Production processes and skills
Once the material has been identified, the production process comes into play. Lineagomma operates with different molding and processing technologies, including compression and injection molding, processing on metal supports, hot and cold coatings, surface preparation, finishing, turning and grinding.
In components with rubber-metal connection, the preparation of the support represents a fundamental phase. The surfaces can be subjected to sandblasting, washing, sanding and subsequent application of specific adhesive systems chosen according to the combination of support and elastomeric material.
After coating, finishing processes such as turning and grinding can be carried out on the rollers and wheels to obtain smooth, rounded, grooved surfaces or with other geometries functional to the application. In recent years Lineagomma has continued to invest in the renewal of its machinery fleet and production technologies, also introducing new generation presses and 4.0 systems.
At the same time, the company has made an important investment in photovoltaic systems, with the aim of reducing the consumption of energy coming from the grid and progressively improving the energy efficiency of the plant, while maintaining production processes that also require other energy sources.
From the gasket to the complex component
The concept of customized technical article includes very different product families. Lineagomma produces industrial gaskets, molded articles, rubber-metal components, coated rollers and wheels, vibration dampers, silicone parts, polyurethane components and other technical products developed according to the application.
In addition to small-sized components, the company also works on details of great technical and dimensional commitment. In the offshore and oil & gas sectors, for example, Lineagomma produces coatings for rollers and gripping jaws used in tensioning systems used during the laying of pipes or cables, both at sea and in processes connected to laying on land.
In earthmoving, operating machinery, asphalting machines, cranes and drilling machines, the company intervenes on components subjected to heavy loads and stress, such as coverings of the undercarriage soles, pads, wheels and technical details intended for harsh conditions of use.
In the food sector, however, the most specialized applications include gaskets for thermoforming machines, components for autoclaves and rollers intended for processing in the canning industry.
This variety of applications allows Lineagomma to address very different problems while maintaining a common approach: starting from the function of the component and identifying the material and process most consistent with the conditions of use.
Repeatability, control and continuity of supply
A custom-designed component must not only work the first time it is used: it must be able to be reproduced over time while maintaining characteristics consistent with those defined and approved.
For this reason, Lineagomma operates with a UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 certified quality system and carries out internal controls aimed at verifying the conformity of the products with the agreed specifications.
Repeatability takes on particular importance in recurring supplies, where the customer must be able to count on dimensional continuity, the agreed material and the stability of the production process.
Once the component has been defined and the solution validated, subsequent supplies can be made based on the same configuration, simplifying reorder management and reducing the risk of unwanted variations.
This is the main value of custom-designed technical articles: not a simple piece made out of catalogue, but a solution built around real conditions of use.
Since 1987 Lineagomma has been pursuing this approach by combining production experience, knowledge of materials, processing ability and attention to customer needs, with the aim of transforming a specific technique into a reliable, repeatable component consistent with the industrial process for which it is intended.
