Processing of rubber

The latex that flows out from the

rubber trees on tapping is channe led into a
oconut shell cups, attached to them. Latex collected in coconut container, generaly
shellcups is transferred to clean buckets,
Mo to three hours after tapping. The latex which gets dried
up on the tapping panel (tree lace) and the
collection cups (sheil scrap) also form a part of the crop and are collected by the tapper in
baskets just prior
to tapping. The latex spilt including over flown on the ground (earth scrap), when
gets dried up, is also
collected once in a month. Normally 10-20 per cent of the total crops constitute the tree lace, shellscrap
and earth scrap. Rubber can be processed and marketed as

1. Preserved latex concentrates: The latex is collected in the storage tank, from there it is brought
to acentrifuge machine, rotating at 1440 rpm. Due to the centrifugal action, liquid portion comes
out. The upper layer, the concentrated latex, is collcted and brought to bulking tank and mixed
with chemical and packed in drums. 60% rubber is present in it. Skim latex is taken to another tank
and sulphuric acid is added and coagulated and milled to get skim crepe. It is of poor quality while
the concentrated latex fetches very higher price.
2. Dry ribbed sheet rubber: Anti-coagulants (solutions of ammonia, formalin or sodium sulphite) are
so
added to the cups to prevent the coagulation of latex before it reaches the factory. The latex
collected is bulked and then strained to remove the impurities. It is then diluted to a standard
emploved to
consistency of 12-15% rubber. Special hydrometers like metrolac, latex meter are
through a60 mesh sCreen for
measure the percentage of rubber. After dilution, the latex is strained
aluminium pans which are
the second time. Then it is poured into the special coagulating tanks or
into many compartments by thin aluminium sheets and acetic acid or fomic acid is USed for
divided
produces a soft rubber which is easy to work on the rollers The aeid
coagulation. Slow coagulation
thoroughly with the latex. Froth formed is removed to avoid
is to be added quickly and mixed coagulation, rubber sheets are
surface of rubber sheets. After
formation of bubbles on the
several times with changes of water and passed through hand or power
repeatedly washed
rollers. In the roller excess water and dissolvedimpurities are pressed and squeezed out.
operated grooved or zig zag or straight or diamond
either smooth or
rollers may be
The surface of the the surface of the sheets when they come out of the
normally left on
pattern, its impression is
press.
 These sheets are hung in shade for two to three hours for dripping in a dust free place
They are then taken to smoke houses for thorough drying. Smoking of rubber sheets is done to dry the
sheets properly and to avoid formation of blisters. In the smoke house, the sheets are smoked at a low
temperature of 48-50°C with fairly high humidity during the first day subsequently during 2nd to 4th day
the temperature being 68°C with low relative humidity. They are taken out, graded and packed. Such
products are known as smoked sheets or dry ribbed sheet rubber. Various grades of rubber sheets are
RMAIX, RMA-1, RMA-2, RMA-3, RMA-4 and RMA-5. High grade rubber shets are clear, free from
blisters,translucent and of a golden brown colour and fetch a better price.
3. Dry crepe rubber: When coagulum from latex or any form of field coagulum after necessary
preliminary treatments is passed through a set of creping machines to get crinkly, lace-like rubber
called 'crepe rubber after drying. Various grades of crepe rubbers are EPC super 1 X EPC1X,
EPC2X, and EPC3X.