Rubberized Dip Coating

Paint, powder & polymer coatings · Dip / immersion

Rubberized dip coating forms a thick flexible grip or protective skin on metal handles and similar parts.

CNC machining Sheet metalStandard cost $$Insulating

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Reference page — Rubber dip is not in the instant-quote configurator. Upload the part, name the finish in the notes, and an engineer quotes it with the part.

Rubberized Dip Coating on a machined part

What is Rubber dip?

Plastisol and air-dry rubber-class products provide electrical insulation, cushioning, grip, and color but use different primers and cure routes.

How it works

The cleaned metal is masked and commonly primed, then lowered into a liquid plastisol or rubber-class coating at controlled speed. Withdrawal rate, viscosity, dwell, part temperature, and repeated dips determine thickness and edge shape. Plastisol typically gels and fuses during heating, while air-dry products lose solvent and form an elastomeric film. The part hangs during cure, so gravity can produce a thicker lower edge or drip unless geometry and process are controlled.

Why specify it

Creates a resilient non-slip grip
Provides cushioning and impact damping
Can add electrical insulation when the exact system is qualified
Covers complex handle shapes without overmolding tooling

Where it falls short

Thickness and drip shape are less precise than sprayed films
Cuts can propagate and peel the flexible skin
Heat, oil, fuel, and ultraviolet resistance are product-specific
Internal threads and close features can fill completely

Rubber dip at a glance

Rubber dip is a middle-of-the-range finish; its best score is cosmetic quality (55 of 100), at a standard cost. It adds little lubricity. Surface hardness is not rated: the finish leaves the part's own surface.

Corrosion protectionFair45 / 100

Surface hardnessNot rated—

Cosmetic qualityGood55 / 100

LubricityMinimal5 / 100

Relative costStandard35 / 100

Each score is 0–100 against every finish in this catalog. Corrosion comes from salt-spray life (ASTM B117, log scale) and hardness from the finish layer's Vickers or pencil hardness; cosmetic, lubricity and cost are FabDigit's engineering assessment. Economy on the radar is the inverse of cost.

Rubber dip key numbers

Typical values from the governing specifications and shop practice; bars are this finish against the highest value among paint, powder & polymer coatings finishes.

Thickness250–2,000 µm9.8–79 mil

Thickness

250–2000 µm for plastisol handle dips (about 10–80 mil); air-dry rubber films can be thinner and must be named separately.

Electrical

Insulating

Colours

black
red
blue
yellow
custom product color

Appearance

Thick smooth or lightly textured flexible skin with a visible termination line and possible lower-edge bead.

Specifications for Rubber dip

The documents a drawing cites to define this finish, with the Type / Class rows that apply. Each links to a page explaining the standard.

Drawing call-out

RUBBERIZED DIP COATING, BLACK, SHORE HARDNESS AND COATED ENVELOPE PER APPROVED PRODUCT SPECIFICATION; DIP LINE 75 ±2 mm FROM HANDLE END; MASK THREADS, PIVOT, AND IDENTIFICATION

Which materials take Rubber dip?

Verdict per material family, with the grades that behave differently. Each family links to its datasheets in the material library.

Material family	Verdict	Notes
Aluminum	Yes	Pretreat and prime for adhesion.
DMLS / SLM	Yes	Metal AM handles and tools can be dip-coated after finishing.
Steel	Yes	Common handle substrate after cleaning and primer.
Brass	With care	Primer and heat cycle require validation.
Copper Alloy	With care	Primer and heat cycle require validation.
Stainless Steel	With care	Requires abrasion and compatible primer.
Titanium	With care	Adhesion primer and preheat must be qualified.
Zinc Alloy	With care	Preheat and outgassing must be controlled.
Magnesium Alloy	Limited	Preheat and primer chemistry can attack magnesium.
MJF	Limited	Possible as a grip over sealed nylon; heat can warp the print.
Polymer	Limited	Solvent, preheat, cure, and adhesion can damage the base polymer.
SLS	Limited	Possible as a grip over sealed nylon; heat can warp the print.
FDM	No	Preheat and fusion cycles damage most FDM polymers.
SLA	No	Preheat and fusion cycles damage photopolymers.

How Rubber dip is applied, and what it does to the part

1Degrease
2Abrade or pretreat
3Prime
4Mask and define dip line
5Preheat if required
6Dip
7Withdraw at controlled rate
8Gel or flash
9Cure
10Trim and inspect

Dimensions	Do not assign a generic buildup; define the coated envelope, dip line, and acceptable lower-edge bead using the chosen product process.
Build-up per side	250–2,000 µm — Substantial dip-cycle buildup; drips and the withdrawal line add local extra thickness.
Masking	Usually needed. Define the dip line and mask threads, pivots, jaws, contacts, cutting edges, identification, and assembly interfaces.
Electrical	Insulating
Appearance	Thick smooth or lightly textured flexible skin with a visible termination line and possible lower-edge bead.
Added lead time	4–10 working days on top of the bare part

Design rules for Rubber dip

What to decide on the drawing before the part goes to the finisher.

Dimension the dip line from a stable datum.The coating termination is a visible and functional feature.
Provide a hanging orientation and hidden rack point.Gravity controls bead and drip location.
Round substrate edges before dipping.Sharp edges cut flexible film from underneath.
Specify the exact product and exposure fluids.Plastisol and rubber-class films differ in oil, heat, and ultraviolet resistance.

Rubber dip versus the alternatives

Finishes engineers weigh against Rubber dip, and when each wins.

Finish	Corrosion	Hardness	Cosmetic	Cost	Thickness	Choose it when
Rubber dip this page	45	—	55	$$	250–2,000 µm	—
Soft-Touch Coating Rubber dip vs Soft-Touch Coating →	20	5	85	$$$	20–40 µm	when a thin cosmetic tactile film is needed
Powder Coating Rubber dip vs Powder Coating →	83	14	85	$$	50–150 µm	when a hard colored metal finish is preferred

Rubber dipSoft-Touch Coating

The radar overlays Rubber dip with Soft-Touch Coating, its most common alternative — chosen when a thin cosmetic tactile film is needed. Scores in the table are 0–100 across every finish in the catalog.

Cost, lead time and compliance

Relative cost

Rubberized Dip Coating is a standard-cost finish ($$): cheaper than about 60 % of the finishes FabDigit quotes.

Finishing is priced per part with a lot minimum, from FabDigit's own China-side rates. The exact figure appears on the instant quote once the part is uploaded.

Lead time and compliance

Added lead time	4–10 working days
RoHS	Compliant
Notes	Confirm exact PVC, plasticizer, solvent, pigment, and restricted-substance status for the selected product.

What Rubber dip is used for

Tool handles
Lever grips
Wire racks
Clamps
Protective end regions

Rubber dip — frequently asked

what is rubberized dip coating

It is a thick flexible liquid coating applied by dipping, then air dried or heat fused depending on chemistry. It is commonly used for tool-handle grip, cushioning, and protection.

plastisol dip coating vs rubber coating

Plastisol is commonly a PVC dispersion that gels and fuses with heat, while rubberized air-dry products form film by solvent loss or another cure. Their hardness, temperature, chemical resistance, and processing are not interchangeable.

how thick is tool handle dip coating

There is no safe class-wide value because viscosity, preheat, dwell, withdrawal rate, and repeated dips control a comparatively thick film. Specify the chosen product and coated envelope.

can dip coating insulate electricity

A qualified intact system can provide electrical insulation, but a generic rubberized dip is not an electrical safety rating. Thickness, pinholes, edges, voltage test, and aging must all be specified.

does rubber dip coating peel

It can peel after a cut, poor primer adhesion, fluid attack, or flexing at the termination edge. Rounded edges, compatible primer, and a protected dip line improve durability.