by Cindy LeClair Cindy LeClair No Comments

Training Employees Through A “University” Style Program

Vip University - Vip Rubber and Plastic Employee TrainingAt Vip, we work hard at continuously improving all areas of business. Our employees are a huge part of making sure we manufacture high-quality parts that meet our customers need. To improve overall quality, we have created Vip University which will allow employees to train in different areas, essentially receive “degrees” for that training.

Vip University provides opportunities for employees to improve their competencies in their specific areas, as well as cross-training in other departments

Continuously moving toward company-wide improvement, Vip implements a robust training system that delivers improvement in manufacturing, customer service, and adherence to the AS9100 Revision D quality standards. All employees now have access to various training modules aimed at advancing skills and capabilities.

Our President, Deena Campana, built a system that tracks progress inside our custom enterprise resource planning application.  Vip University is available to all employees, without exception.

“ We wanted a dedicated place to manage our extensive training material,” said Ms. Campana, “It started out as a knowledge base, including control documents for our quality management system and evolved into Vip University which addresses the importance of quality and training materials.” According to the company, Vip University presents a centralized way to control and disseminate knowledge across the company.

Employees will have a personal choice to train in each area, including manufacturing, safety, quality and customer service. Those who decide to train and increase their knowledge will position themselves to grown and expand with the company. The university about employee education, so we can serve our customers better, and open up opportunities for internal growth.

As a family-owned and operated company, our employees are very important to us. We want to do all we can to provide the best possible working environment. Employees will be paid their normal wage during any training time they decide to take.

We are an AS9100 Revision D company, so training is a cornerstone of our focus.

For a more detailed view of Vip University, view the articled that Rubber News wrote.

Vip University Rubber Plastic News
by Cindy LeClair Cindy LeClair No Comments

Which Elastomer Is Best For Your Project | Find Out Now

Understanding Polymers In Custom Manufacturing

Vip Rubber and Plastic Elastomers and MaterialsA basic understanding of polymers can be incredibly helpful when creating a new part from rubber or plastic. It is important to choose the right material to ensure product performance and longevity. It takes many years of experience to reach “expert” status in the rubber and plastic industry.

With over half a century of manufacturing under our belt, we have deep understanding of what is involved in the selection, preparation and testing of materials. The heavy lifting can be left to our experts, but for those looking for a fundamental understanding of polymers, read on…..

Definition of Polymer

“A substance that has a molecular structure consisting chiefly or entirely of a large number of similar units bonded together, e.g., many synthetic organic materials used as plastics and resins.”

POLYMERS can be classified into three categories:

  • Plastics
  • Rubber & Elastomers
  • Fibers

The rubber industry only has a few natural polymers that are available for use without making any significant changes to them. In terms of elastomers, natural rubber is the only natural elastomer available. All other elastomers are synthetic and require specific methods of modification to become usable in manufacturing.

ELASTOMERS are typically segmented into three categories. These categories are very useful when selecting the type of rubber for a job or application.

General Purpose: Best for parts that will not require resistance to petroleum-based fluids. These elastomers are made only from carbon and hydrogen and perform well, but will not resist the effects of petroleum oils.

  • Natural Rubber (NR)
  • Polyisoprene (IR)
  • Polybutadiene (BR)
  • Styrene-butadiene (SBR)
  • Butyl (IIR)
  • Ethylene-propylene (EPM)
  • Ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM)

Solvent Resistant: Good for parts used in environments with exposure to petroleum-based fluids. With a more robust dynamic composition, solvent resistant materials will resist petroleum based fluids.

  • Nitrile (NBR)
  • Polychloroprene (CR)
  • Polysulfide (T)
  • Epichlorohydrin (CO)
  • Chlorinated Polyethylene

Temperature Resistant: Best choice for parts that will be exposed to extreme temperatures for long periods of time. Usually can withstand both abnormal temperatures and petroleum-based fluids.

  • Polyacrylate (ACM)
  • Fluorocarbon (FKM)
  • Chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSM)
  • Silicone (MQ)

Not all materials fit perfectly into these three categories, with many hovering on the border. A custom compounder can alter elastomers to fit the exact needs of a part, including spec requirements for aerospace, military, automotive and other industries.

Elastomer choice is a critical starting point for every custom manufacturing project. It is important to select a material that will perform properly and provide lasting results.

Contact us today to get started on your project.

Cindy LeClair is the Vice President of Marketing at Vip Rubber and Plastic Company in California. Cindy is in the third generation of family ownership and has over 10 years of experience in the manufacturing industry. She is passionate about helping others and aims to educate and connect customers with the right resources. Should you want to get to know Vip Rubber and Plastic better as a potential supplier, do not hesitate to reach out to Cindy.

by Cindy LeClair Cindy LeClair No Comments

Central Vacuum Pipe Manufacturing

Central Vacuum Pipe - Vip Rubber and PlasticQuality American Supplier of Central Vacuum Pipe

Central vacuum pipe is used with all residential central vacuum systems, and is an important part of creating a long-lasting product that works well for your customers. Central vac pipe differs from plumbing grade tubing and typically is manufactured with a 2” outside diameter (OD). Central vacuum pipe is produced with a completely smooth interior which allows dirt and other small particles to flow freely, and prohibits clogging in the pipe.

The ASTM F2158 standard is the industrial guideline for central vacuum pipe and is a best choice. Local inspectors often look for the ASTM designation as assurance the central vac system is of higher quality.

REQUEST A QUOTE

Vip Rubber and Plastic can manufacture custom central vacuum pipe and tube to meet the ASTM specifications. We can also create custom lengths, colors, and print alignment marks, numbers, or personalized text on any of our pipes.

Since 1961, we have been a family owned and operated manufacturer, working with leading companies in all industries.

As a custom manufacturer, we do set up each job and run parts individually. Therefore, we are a best fit for customers who need larger quantities of central vacuum pipe, typically 5000’ or more.

Vip+ Central Vacuum Pipe

  • Superior Finish
  • Custom Printing Options
  • Color Matching
  • Special Packaging

Specifications

  • OD : 2.00” +.005” -.005”
  • Wall : .060” +.005” -.005”
  • Fire Rating : UL-94V-0
  • Weight : 23 lbs. per 100’
  • Freight Class : #156600- Sub 9 Plastic Pipe Class 70
  • Conforms to ASTM F2158 – 08 | Specification for residential central Vacuum tube and fittings.

Contact us today to start your project.

Cindy LeClair is the Vice President of Marketing at Vip Rubber and Plastic Company in California. Cindy is in the third generation of family ownership and has over 10 years of experience in the manufacturing industry. She is passionate about helping others and aims to educate and connect customers with the right resources. Should you want to get to know Vip Rubber and Plastic better as a potential supplier, do not hesitate to reach out to Cindy.

by Cindy LeClair Cindy LeClair No Comments

Storing Rubber And Plastic Parts | 5 Tips You Need To Know

How to store rubber and plastic parts

Summer is in full swing across the nation and temperatures are rising. Both rubber and plastic can be reactive to changes in the environment, making storage critically important for maintaining the integrity of your parts. Several factors such as exposure to oxygen, ozone, light, heat, humidity, oils, water, or other solvents can affect the performance of your rubber and plastic parts. These factors can be minimized by proper storage conditions.

1. CONTROL STORAGE TEMPERATURE
Materials can change in dimension based upon exposure to extreme temperatures. In particular, rubber is susceptible to these changes because it has a high coefficient of friction. It is ideal to keep materials stored in temperatures between 40°F and 80°F. Higher temps will cause products to soften, while colder temps cause stiffening. If your parts are out of tolerance after being stored, be sure to allow them to stabilize for 24 hours in a milder environment.

2. CONTROL STORAGE HUMIDITY
Some materials are prone to absorb moisture and will surely be affected by humidity levels. When deciding how to store your parts, remember that relative humidity in the environment should stay below 75%. Condensation should be avoided at all times. For those who can’t avoid humidity, be sure to allow for additional tolerance on part dimensions. In addition, letting the product stabilize in a controlled environment for 24 hours will minimize the changes humidity can cause.

3. AVOID EXPOSURE TO LIGHT
Both rubber and plastic products should be protected from light, particularly sunlight and strong, ultraviolet, artificial light. To help solve this issue, we suggest first putting parts into polyethylene bags, and then storing in large cardboard, or other opaque, containers.

4. AVOID OXYGEN AND OZONE EXPOSURE
Oxygen (O2) and Ozone (O3) can be quite damaging to rubber products, so wherever possible, it is best to store parts in airtight containers. This will protect them from circulating air and will minimize the potential negative affect. Exposure to ozone is particularly damaging, and can cause a scission (breakage) of the carbon backbone polymer chain into smaller chains. To maintain the integrity and shape of rubber products, keep them away from ozone-generating equipment such as electric motors, mercury vapor lamps, and high voltage electrical equipment.

5. STORE PRODUCTS IN RELAXED STATE
Rubber and plastic products should be stored in a tension-free, relaxed state. Parts that are compressed when stored may cause cracking or change of shape. Large parts should not be stored on pegs as this may cause severe deterioration. To restore parts to their original shape, apply moderate heat directly to product and allow time for product to be unrestrained.

We hope these 5 tips for storing rubber and plastic parts will help protect your products. These are especially important for parts with custom profiles. Controlling storage environment can be very difficult, but with the right protection, your parts will continue to perform as planned.

For additional questions regarding storage, feel free to contact us!

Visit us at viprubber.com

Cindy LeClair is the Vice President of Marketing at Vip Rubber and Plastic Company in California. Cindy is in the third generation of family ownership and has over 10 years of experience in the manufacturing industry. She is passionate about helping others and aims to educate and connect customers with the right resources. Should you want to get to know Vip Rubber and Plastic better as a potential supplier, do not hesitate to reach out to Cindy.

by Cindy LeClair Cindy LeClair No Comments

A Manufacturing Company With A Community Heart

Oh how I love community!

There is no better feeling than giving back to the people and places that give so much to you. So you can imagine my excitement when I learned we had been asked to assist in manufacturing parts for an exhibit at the La Habra Children’s Museum, located right around the corner from our facility. I have been to that museum many times myself, and have even taken my own children.

Custom Exhibit Manufacturing | La Habra | Vip RubberThe children’s museum was building an exhibit called the “Ocean Zone”, which focuses on the different depths and zones of the ocean, and how each one supports its own life forms. Not only does the exhibit focus on life undersea, but it also aims to teach children about conservation, and the harmful effects of global warming.

Our lead estimator Steve Prog, who has been with us since 1989, managed this project with the museum curator, Lisa Reckon. Lisa has been involved with the museum for 17 years, and is very excited about this particular exhibit and its potential to raise environmental awareness. Regarding global warming, Lisa said “The exhibit gives kids some suggestions about what they can do at home to reduce their carbon footprint to make a contribution to the solution – very empowering for kids!”

Custom Plastic Manufacturing | Kelp Leaves | Museum ExhibitsAs a custom manufacturer of plastic and rubber, our company was able to extrude semi-rigid PVC to create the kelp leaves surrounding exhibit. Lisa explained how the kelp would be used by saying “The environment is immersive, meaning you are surrounded by the elements, almost as if you were part of the exhibit. Walking in, you pass through the entryway, which has some of the kelp strands, and pass UNDER a boat and small pier to establish that you are part of an underwater world. The kelp strands are in several 11’ tall clumps throughout the exhibit, and feature fish and other creatures among the leaves, to reinforce the underwater atmosphere.”

When visiting this exhibit, the children can also dress up in fish and squid hats (how cute!) and interact with various plush sharks, whales, squid, seals and sea turtles for imaginative play.

This isn’t the first time we have helped manufacture custom parts for the museums exhibits. We have previously created other kelp structures for an ocean themed exhibit. In a ”Super Heroes, Super Jobs” exhibit, we ran some rubber sheet stripping for use on a fire engine, and created molded rubber chips for use in “planters” where the kids grew “plants”. Also, for a construction zone exhibit, we supplied the EPDM rubber discs that the kids used in the heavy equipment dig pit.

Kelp Extrusion For Exhibit Vip Rubber CompanyOur company is family owned and operated. Since my grandfather began Vip Rubber in 1961, we have a long history of connecting with new customers who ultimately turn into friends. We treat our customers, community and our employees well, and truly want to see everyone thrive. We have never sent an invoice to the La Habra Children’s Museum, and absorb the cost for all of the work we do for them. I don’t know a lot of companies who do this, knowing there will be no measurable return on investment. I am so grateful to know we are company who simply gives from their heart because they love and support healthy community growth.

Undersea Exhibit La Habra Childrens Museum Plastic Extrusion KelpCFO Kathy LeClair, who is a second generation owner, explained Vip’s commitment to investing in community. “When we moved to La Habra, we had a family agreement that we would support as many La Habra events we could.” She continued on to say “For the museum project, manufacturing the kelp was a relatively simple job. It was right up our alley, so we jumped on board!

I am proud to be a part of the third generation at Vip. Proud to know we genuinely care, and are not simply a business looking to turn a profit. We are a company that truly cares about the outcome of customer projects. We are real people who love what we do.

Visit us online

The Ocean Zone exhibit will run March 28, 2017 – January 7, 2018.
For information on the La Habra Childrens Museum visit online | www.lhcm.org

Cindy LeClair is the Vice President of Marketing at Vip Rubber and Plastic Company in California. Cindy is in the third generation of family ownership and has over 10 years of experience in the manufacturing industry. She is passionate about helping others and aims to educate and connect customers with the right resources. Should you want to get to know Vip Rubber and Plastic better as a potential supplier, do not hesitate to reach out to Cindy.

by Cindy LeClair Cindy LeClair No Comments

The Truth About Custom Manufacturing

In a one-size-fits-all world, where immediate returns and instant gratification rule, some things are worth waiting for. Some things must be planned, well- designed, carefully crafted and handled with care.

This is particularly true when it comes to the custom manufacturing process. Of course, many items are standard, and an off-the-shelf item may work perfectly fine. However, in many cases, the line between success and failure could depend on one single component. Sometimes an application calls for a part that does not yet exist. And this is the world in which custom manufacturing lives. It fills the gap between a problem and it’s solution. This type of manufacturing is meant to evolve as a customer’s project evolves. To flex alongside it’s customer in formation and creation, with a partnership that ultimately creates a fully functioning and successful end product.

I remember going to one of my favorite authentic Mexican restaurants and reading the sign on the wall as I waited for food. It read “quality food can not be made at microwave speed”. This is exactly how we should feel about custom manufacturing. High-quality product can not be made at low-quality speed.
The good news is that there are factors that can influence the speed of custom manufacturing.

HOW TO CHOOSE A CUSTOM MANUFACTURER

Dependability: You can spot a dependable company by it’s ability to thrive and weather the economic ups and downs. Manufacturers with decades of proven experience have gone through recessions and survived. This shows a solid track record of dependability which is incredibly important.

Credibility: Quality management systems like AS9100 Revision D and ISO9001 approve manufacturers who meet their stringent requirements. With these systems in place, you know the manufacturing process is lean, cost-effective, safe and stable. Companies accredited to these types industry standards have been thoroughly tested, tried and have been accepted.

Capacity: You need your products done as close to the due date as possible. To ensure this happens, take a look at a manufacturers capacity. A company running multiple shifts with ample employees is a safe choice.

Integrity: Finding a company you can trust can be a challenge. Often by looking at its employees, you will learn a lot. A good manufacturer will have long-time, loyal employees. Talk to the leadership, have a meeting with the sales team. Make sure this is a company you trust and feel good about working with.

Wisdom: Custom manufacturing cannot be learned quickly, it takes years of experience to develop the wisdom to run efficiently and properly. Manufacturing is, quite simply, not an exact science. You want qualified and capable people handling your part.

Although quality does take time, finding a partner that meets all the criteria above will help to shorten the manufacturing lead times, as well as significantly reduce the chance of dealing with a rejection.

So remember, when you need just the right part, in the perfect material and exact size, it will take more time than a standard part. However, doing a little background research to find an experienced, trusted company, will set you up for success. Contact us today to start your project.

Cindy LeClair is the Vice President of Marketing at Vip Rubber and Plastic Company in California. Cindy is in the third generation of family ownership and has over 10 years of experience in the manufacturing industry. She is passionate about helping others and aims to educate and connect customers with the right resources. Should you want to get to know Vip Rubber and Plastic better as a potential supplier, do not hesitate to reach out to Cindy.