Shore A hardness is the most common property on a rubber part drawing. It is quick to measure, easy to specify and useful for checking consistency between batches. But two compounds with the same hardness can behave very differently in service.
What hardness does — and doesn’t — tell you
Hardness describes resistance to indentation at the surface. It says little about how a material recovers after long compression, how it resists tearing at a sharp edge, or how it ages under heat, ozone or oil.
Properties that usually decide service life
- Compression set, for seals and pads under constant load
- Tear strength, for parts with thin sections or sharp corners
- Abrasion resistance, for soles and wear strips
- Heat and fluid ageing, for parts near engines or machinery
When you send us a drawing, tell us where and how the part will be used. That lets our compounding team look beyond hardness and recommend a material that will hold up in the real application.