Specialist Sealing Products have been providing high-quality gaskets to customers throughout the UK for many years. We pride ourselves in the range of gaskets we have available, suitable for a variety of applications across a range of industries.
Rubber gaskets are indeed the perfect solution to, in their simplest form, fill the gap between two parts. Helping to provide a tight seal that prevents leaks, helps to reduce noise, or can act as a support mount.
Rubber gaskets are so versatile that they can be used in any business operating in any sector needed for any application. It is primarily used in oil and gas, food processing, pharmaceutical, water, and petrochemical industries.
Manufacturing rubber gaskets – The Process
Cutting and punching play a big part in the manufacturing process of gaskets. Producing a range of different products in a range of volumes, all dependant on specific requirements.
Ideally, you need to work with a manufacturing process that provides the best solution for you, and one that is ultimately fit for purpose.
Most common production techniques
Punching
Gasket punching is one of the most traditional methods in the manufacturing process. Gasket punching involves a bent steel strip that can be moulded into the desired shape and then fed through a sheet of the gasket, followed by a cutting board. Gasket punching involves a sharp blade being pressed into the steel to pierce through the sheet material, cleanly and with ease. The shape inside the cutter is then the finished gasket.
Originally, gasket punching was widely used in the shoe industry; however, due to its many benefits, the process of punching is used to manufacturer a much wider range of gaskets for a variety of industries.
Punching is the best manufacturing method if you’re looking for consistently sized gaskets that require large volumes to be produced.
Cutting
Gasket cutting can often be preferred to gasket punching because a number of different product characteristics come into play that cutting can work with effectively and efficiently.
Types of cutting involve:
Kiss cutting – which is used to support the handling of smaller punched parts.
Water jetting – which involves a high pressure of jet water being blown through a sheet of material to cut it. This particular manufacturing method allows hard or soft, cellular, or solid materials to be cut quickly and in a wide range of shapes. All done without deformation that is often found on other punching processes. This process is also good if you’re looking for a quick run. (Note: materials that absorb water are not suitable for this process).
Laser cutting – similar to water jetting, you’re simply just using a laser instead. The benefits are also similar, but with lasers, you can experience a flammability problem.
Hand cutting – ideal for much larger and more bespoke gaskets. A traditional manufacturing process but still extremely useful. Hand marking out shapes and then using knives and saddle punches to create more bespoke gaskets.
Strip cutting – which uses a rotary knife to convert the strip material into the end product. Using a rotating knife, this process cuts long sheets of material into strips using a circular rotation. The distance between each blade is then set, determined by what is being produced.
Finishing touches
It’s important to ensure that the products manufactured are also trimmed, finished, and packed to a very high standard.
The product still is not 100% complete as soon as it comes off the production line, it needs to be finished, by sealing experts.
SSP provides a range of gaskets to suit your individual needs. Give us a call to ask one of our sealing experts about the right gasket for you.
Gasket manufacturers SSP have the flexibility, as well as the tools, machinery, and processes to offer customers a wide range of punched and cut gaskets.
Working with a range of volumes to support several industries, we’re proud of our robust manufacturing processes.
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