Maintaining virtually any piece of equipment on which parts are bolted together inevitably involves replacing the gaskets that go between those parts. This may be because the gasket is blown and causing a leak. It could also be because disassembly was required to repair something else on the equipment that was broken. In these situations, it is almost always best to use new gaskets during reassembly. Reusing the old ones may only mean another tear down to replace a gasket later.
Sometimes, these gaskets are not simple off-the-shelf items. Gasket sizes and shapes can be as varied as the components they are designed to fit. Consequently, there are times when specially designed gaskets are required. Companies like Ilene Industries provide an invaluable service when custom gasket manufacturing is necessary. There are a variety of forming techniques that can be utilized so that the precise shape and size, along with the tight tolerances that are required, can be retained.
Water Jet Technology
When the most advanced programming and manufacturing methods are required to come up with the specialized gasket that is required, water jet technology may be the answer. This technique utilizes high pressure water that is pumped through special nozzles in order to achieve a precise cut. The computer programming lends itself well to being able to cut a gasket in any shape, regardless of the complexity. The cutting jet can move any direction across the cutting plane. This means that no fixtures need to be machined ahead of time in order to come up with a finished gasket of the required size and shape. Water jet cutting can be a tremendous time and expense saver whenever a specially-designed gasket is needed in a short amount of time.
Die Cutting
Whenever a large quantity of the same gasket is needed, a die cutting method is often used. This allows for the production of a large number of parts in the shortest machining time at the lowest cost. Those who need to keep a large quantity on hand for repairs of similar machines might want to look to a gasket maker who has this capability.
While die cutting may be more economical for mass production and water jet may be better for uniquely-designed single or low volume applications, finding a manufacturer who can use either method provides the best of both worlds.
