Gaskets might be a small part, but they play a crucial role in how your components function. You need your gaskets to be the correct size, shape, and material to create a secure seal between two interfacing surfaces. For some applications, you can get away with an off-the-shelf gasket that does the job. However, ready-made gaskets are rarely able to meet exact specifications, and they often fail prematurely.
At American Flexible Products, we specialize in custom gasket manufacturing, fabricating gaskets that fit your components perfectly every time. In this blog, we’ll cover the differences between custom and ready-made gaskets and explore how custom parts can keep your systems operating at peak performance.
Why Use Custom Gaskets?
Not all gaskets are created equal. If you’re looking for the perfect seal, chances are you need a custom gasket instead of a ready-made option. This table highlights the key differences between the different options:
Ready-Made Gaskets |
Custom-Made Gaskets |
| Cost-Effective. Because they can be mass-produced, these gaskets are usually more affordable. | More Expensive. Making die cut gaskets incurs an upfront cost for producing the dies, but you’ll typically see a lower cost per part as you order larger quantities. |
| Readily Available. If you need a gasket right away, you can usually find a generic off-the-shelf option quickly without a complicated ordering process. | Longer Ordering Process. Because they’re made to exact specifications, you’ll typically have a longer lead time, and the ordering process will be more complex to ensure you get the exact parts you need. |
| Low-Quality Materials. To keep costs down, many ready-made parts will be made from cheaper materials that don’t hold up well. | High-Performance Materials. Custom parts can be made from a wide range of silicones, plastics, rubbers, and foams from industry-leading material manufacturers. |
| Generic Shapes. To appeal to the widest range of industries, off-the-shelf gaskets tend to have basic shapes that fit as many different parts as possible. This can cause leaks or inefficient seals. | Custom Shapes. Custom gaskets are engineered to meet the unique requirements of each application, ensuring an exact fit and optimal sealing performance, crucial for maintaining system integrity. |
| Compromised Performance. Although not always the case, most ready-made seals are not designed to withstand extreme temperatures, chemicals, or other demanding conditions. | Long-Lasting. Custom parts can be made from a wide range of materials specifically designed to perform in demanding environments without degradation from chemicals, weather conditions, or extreme temperatures. |
Many industrial applications have unique challenges, such as working with parts that have unusual flange shapes and operating in environments with extreme temperature fluctuations or chemical exposure.
Unless you’re designing something generic that doesn’t have to operate under demanding conditions, you will likely want to consider a custom solution. A custom gasket can be designed with specific materials to handle these conditions, whereas standard gaskets might fail.
Gasket Material Selection: How to Choose
At American Flexible Products, we source gasket materials from industry-leading manufacturers. As a 3M™ Preferred Converter and a Rogers Corporation Preferred Converter, you can trust that our materials are always of the highest quality.
Gaskets can be made from a wide range of materials, including:
- BISCO silicone
- PORON urethane
- Closed-cell foam
- Open-cell foam
- Plastics and rubbers
- Neoprene
The type of material you need will depend on the operating conditions. You’ll want to consider:
- Environmental conditions. Each material has a specific operating range with maximum and minimum temperatures. You’ll also want to think about UV exposure and weather resistance.
- Chemical exposure. Some materials are designed to withstand harsh chemicals, while others are not.
- Industry regulations. Depending on the sector you work in, your materials may require industry-specific certifications.
- Mechanical properties. Consider whether the gasket will need to be waterproof, withstand pressure, or be compressed to create a seal.
Partner with American Flexible Products for Custom Gaskets
When comparing your options, it can feel overwhelming to choose the best material. But when you partner with us, you can rely on our expertise to fabricate parts that perform exactly as you need them to.
Custom gaskets are made to match your equipment’s exact specifications, ensuring a better fit than any “one-size-fits-all” solution. With custom die cutting and other precision converting technology, we can create gaskets in any shape or size and with any material.
Have questions? Contact us to speak with an engineer about materials, design specifications, or any other questions you may have. As a 100% employee-owned company, you’ll talk to an owner every time you reach out for a quote or ask a question.
