Custom Gasket Manufacturing

Gaskets are components fabricated from various types of flat sheet of soft material, including cork, rubber, silicone, foam, felt, plastic, vegetable fiber, and more. Unlike seals used to form a seal between two rotating components to prevent fluid leakage, gaskets are used on static components to act as spacers, control or dampen noise and vibration, or prevent leaks.

What Are the Different Types of Gaskets & What Are They Used For?

Gaskets are used by various industries and for applications, including piping and vehicle components. Rubber gasket materials are typically soft and flexible and chosen based on application requirements such as resistance to pressure, temperature, and chemicals. Gaskets are made from various types of rubber but can also be manufactured using cork, felt, plant fibers, or other materials. Common types of gaskets include:

• Flange Gaskets: Used to join two sections of pipe to prevent leaks. The two most common types of flange gaskets are ring-type and full-face.
• Spiral Wound Gaskets: Precision gaskets that provide resistance to corrosion and are used for high-temperature and high-pressure applications.
• Gaskets Used for Function: Includes gaskets designed to perform specific functions such as resistance to temperature, chemicals, or pressure.

Rubber Gaskets, Grafoil Gaskets, & Other Gasket Material Categories

Gaskets can be categorized based on the family of materials from which they are made. While there is a wide selection of gasket materials available, the primary types include:

• Grafoil Gaskets: Fabricated from flexible graphite material for applications requiring corrosion resistance, chemicals, and heat or fire.
• Compressed Non-Asbestos Gaskets: Used in pumps, valves, and high-temperature applications.
• Rubber Gaskets: Includes gaskets made from silicone, EDPM, and open-cell or closed-cell sponge. Rubber gaskets provide temperature resistance, toughness, and flexibility and are used for pipes, automotive applications, heat exchangers, and more.
• Cork & Vegetable Fiber Gaskets: Provide heat tolerance and are commonly used for applications requiring resistance to water, grease, oil, or gasoline.

Custom Fabricated Gaskets in Any Shape or Size

Ace Seal uses state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment to produce quality rubber gaskets with quick turnaround times and little-to-no tooling charges on most orders. Using customers’ specifications, we can supply rubber gaskets in any size, shape, and material to meet the requirements of any application.

Our Custom Gasket Manufacturing Processes

Our cutting capabilities for custom fabricated gaskets include Water Jet Cut, Laser Cut, and Die Cut processes. Ace Seal utilizes ultra-high-speed rotary die-cutting equipment to produce high-quality, high-volume, close-tolerance parts. All die cut gaskets are available with permanent or semi-permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive.

Waterjet Cut Custom Gaskets

Water jet cutting is a process that utilizes water and abrasives, which are pressurized to create a beam of fluid that will cut through almost any material. Abrasives in the solution ensure the cut is swift and smooth with minimal edge burring and no material distortion. Water jet cutting is suitable for large production runs and is an efficient way to manufacture rubber gaskets with intricate shapes.

Die Cut Custom Gaskets

Die cutting involves using semi-automatic or automatic presses for die and kiss cutting from sheets of rubber or roll stock. Steel die cutting utilizes a cylindrical die to perforate or cut gaskets from sheets or rolls of rubber. The die cuts through the rubber material and adhesive backing to create individual gaskets and is a suitable process for short and large production runs.

The kiss-cutting process makes light impression cuts in the rubber gasket material but leaves the adhesive backing intact. The gaskets adhere to the long paper sheets when the surrounding waste material is removed. This method allows sheets of gaskets to be rolled for easy “peel and stick” dispensing and is an excellent solution for high-volume gasket production.

Molded Rubber Gaskets

Molded gaskets can be manufactured using either injection molding or compression molding. Injection molding is ideal for high-volume gasket production and involves injecting melted rubber or plastic resin into a mold. This process has a fast production time and works well for smaller gaskets and intricate shapes. It can cost more than compression molding but is still considered a cost-effective process because of its high efficiency.

Compression molding is ideal for small or medium-sized production runs and involves compressing heated rubber into a mold using a press. It costs less than injection molding and works well for high durometer materials and for producing large, small, or intricate gaskets.

What Materials Are Used to Make Custom Fabricated Gaskets?

Custom fabricated gaskets can be manufactured in endless material choices based on the application’s requirements, including temperature tolerance, chemical compatibility, environmental conditions, and the life expectancy of the gasket material. At Ace Seal, we manufacture gaskets in many material options to meet the needs of a wide range of applications. We also offer specialty gasket material options, including adhesive-backed gaskets. Our available gasket material options include:

• Carbon Fiber: Compressed Non-Asbestos
• Cork: Cork & Buna-N, and Cork & Neoprene 
• Elastomer: KALREZ® & CHEMRAZ®
• FDA-Approved Gasket Materials: FDA Buna-N (White) 50-65 Durometer & FDA/NSF Approved Materials
• Fiber & Natural Gasket Materials: Felt, fiber cork, fish paper, gasket paper, vegetable fiber, flexible graphite, & gum rubber
• Fluoropolymer: PTFE & Viton®
• Foam: Open & Closed Cell Foam/Sponge
• Neoprene: Neoprene 40, 60 & 70 Durometer
• Polymer & Copolymer Plastic Materials: AFLAS®, Nylon, Urethane
• Rubber & Synthetic Rubber: Buna-N 50, 60, 90 Durometer, Buna-N Nylon Inserted, Butyl, EPDM, & Hypalon
• Silicone: Silicone 50 & 70 Durometer & Silicone Foam/Sponge
• Thermoplastic: Filled PTFE, HDPE, & LDPE

Contact Ace Seal for Custom Fabricated Gaskets, Seals, & More

Contact Ace Seal to learn more or request a quote for custom-fabricated gaskets. At Ace Seal, we provide customers with premium sealing products, including rubber gaskets and other custom products like extrusions and plastic components. Choose Ace Seal for all your custom-fabricated gasket needs.