Automated rubber molding and de-molding

A method for forming molded rubber objects, the method comprising:

• closing a mold by bringing a mold top together with a mold bottom to define a molding surface of a cavity and a tab form within the mold, the molding surface defining a size and shape of a molded rubber object, and the tab form defining a size and shape of a tab extending from the molded rubber object, the tab form located, at least in part, in the mold top;
• forming a rubber object by processing rubber pellets positioned within the cavity;
• subsequent to forming the rubber object, opening the mold by at least partially moving the mold top away from the mold bottom;
• gripping the tab of the rubber object with a gripping device while the rubber object remains in the mold bottom;
• and
• moving the gripping device and the tab of the rubber object away from the mold bottom to separate the rubber object from the mold bottom.

A system for forming molded rubber objects, the system comprising:

• a heat press station having a mold opening adapted to receive a mold and apply heat and pressure to the mold;
• the mold having a mold top and a mold bottom that together define a molding surface of a cavity that defines a size and shape of a molded rubber object and a tab form that defines a size and shape of a tab extending from the molded rubber object, the tab form located, at least in part, in the mold top, the mold capable of being in at least an open position that exposes at least a portion of the cavity and a closed position that encloses the cavity within the mold;
• and
• a gripping device configured to access the heat press station, when accessing the heat press station the gripping device is configured to grip the tab formed in the molded rubber object while the mold is in the open position, the gripping device exerting a force on the molded rubber object through the tab to remove the molded rubber object from the cavity.