Standard-size ANSI gaskets will not always seal the deal. Luckily, GRI has you covered.
The Traditional Route: Die Cut Gaskets
It used to be that if an OEM or MRO needed a gasket for his product he would need to have a steel rule die manufactured specific to his application. The subsequent time spent building the custom die, as well as the associated tooling charges, could add up quickly, resulting in costly equipment and long lead times.
While upfront costs associated with die cut gasket tooling would yield a lifelong die available for long and short run orders, the process was still pricey and time-consuming.
As technology has improved, however, so have our methods for custom gasket cutting and streamlining the production process. At Gasket Resources Inc. (GRI®), we are proud to offer virtually limitless gasket cutting capabilities among our core product offerings.
Reducing Costs and Lead Times
GRI® utilizes the Atom FlashCut System to cut complex, custom gasket shapes from PTFE, flexible graphite, compressed sheet, Identa-Seal™ Genuine Viton®, and more. Because neither of these cutting systems requires a die, GRI® can eliminate the added costs and lead times associated with waiting to build custom tooling.
Featuring a 60 inch by 120 inch cutting table, these dieless systems can cut custom and complex shapes, for applications such as heat-exchangers, at high speeds with maximum precision. At GRI, we can FlashCut gaskets up to ¼ inch thick and hold tolerances up to 1/32 inch or tighter upon request. The Atom FlashCut System maximizes our material usage by reducing material limitations on the work piece.
Our FlashCut machines also operate in conjunction with AutoCAD software, allowing customers to transform their prints into digital drawings, and ensuring that each drawing is saved after the very first cut. For last-minute production runs or jobs with tight deadlines, having this information on hand is a critical time-saver and makes it easily transferable.
The Lathe Cutting Advantage
In addition to our Flash Cutting capabilities, GRI utilizes automated CNC lathe machines to lathe cut gaskets quickly and precisely.
As the only company that offers branded PTFE in billet form, our proprietary billet molding and lathe cutting processes reduce the amount of center waste material from the cutting sheet, which in turn saves our customers up to 30% on associated costs.
We can lathe cut billets of Durlon® 9000 PTFE with diameters up to 24 inches holding tolerances of +/- 0.020 for inner and outer diameters, as well as +/- 0.003 for thickness. Specific tolerances are available upon request. Our CNC lathe cutters produce a maximum gasket size of 23 7/8 inches.
Our Traceability Factor
At GRI, our die cutting, lathe cutting, and quality control processes include traceability back to the original raw materials and date of manufacture (available upon request at time of order). The accessibility of this information allows full visibility into our sourcing and productions processes.
Committed to serving a diverse customer base, GRI adheres to a variety of industry-specified standards including the Federal Rail Administration (FRA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Oxygen Service (BAM), LOX Mechanical Impact Sensitivity, TA-Luft, The Chlorine Institute, NSF/ANSI 61, and ASTM F37 (Standard Test Methods for Sealability of Gasket Materials).
Need help choosing the right gasket material? For tips on materials, installation, chemical resistance, and useful conversion factors, download a free copy of the Gasket Material Technical Handbook.