Laser cutting and water jet cutting can both cut rubber products like seals, gaskets, and insulation. What’s the best cutting method for your application then? This article compares laser cutting vs. water jet cutting and considers the advantages and disadvantages of each process. Elasto Proxy provides water jet cutting services, but we want to help you make the right choice for your project.
Laser Cutting vs. Water Jet Cutting for Rubber: An Overview
This table provides an overview of key differences between laser cutting and water jet cutting for rubber.
Factor | Laser Cutting | Water Jet Cutting |
Types of Cuts | Highly intricate cuts | Intricate cuts, but less effective for ultra-fine details |
Heat Generation | Generates heat, which can damage the rubber | Cold cutting process, no heat damage |
Material Thickness | Best for thin rubber sheets | Can cut through thick rubber materials if an abrasive is used |
Tool Wear | None (Tool-less process) | None (Tool-less process) |
Production Speeds | Faster | Slower |
The following sections compare these two cutting processes in greater detail.
What is Laser Cutting?
Laser cutting uses a high-powered laser beam to cut through a workpiece. The concentrated light produces heat that vaporizes or melts the material. Unlike CNC cutting, laser cutting doesn’t require metal tools. It’s also fast, exceptionally accurate, and can create complex shapes and ultra-fine details. Yet laser cutting can burn rubber materials and is generally limited to thin sheets.
For non-metallic materials like rubber, carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers are typically used. Depending on the type and thickness of the elastomer, the laser can be adjusted as necessary. Reducing the speed or raising the power can produce deeper cuts, but with more scorching or melting. Most laser cutters for rubber are gantry-style machines, but multi-axis equipment is also available.
Advantages of Laser for Rubber
There are four main advantages to using lasers to cut rubber.
- Accuracy: Lasers can achieve pinpoint accuracy, even with small and intricate designs. They can achieve tight tolerances but remember that rubber has different tolerances than metal.
- Speed and Volume: Laser cutting is fast, especially with thin rubber sheets. In turn, this supports the higher-volume production of parts like flat gaskets.
- Minimal Waste: Because of its precision, laser cutting creates minimal material waste. This makes it a cost-effective choice for more expensive materials like specialty rubber.
- Post-Processing: Laser cutting produces smooth, clean edges. This can eliminate the need for post-processing operations such as trimming that add costs and extend timelines.
Disadvantages of CNC Cutting for Rubber
Despite its advantages, laser cutting has some disadvantages when it’s used with rubber.
- Heat-Affected Zones: Laser cutting generates heat, which can cause burn, melt, or discolor rubber. Heat can also degrade the elastomer and affect the quality of rubber products like seals, gaskets, and insulation. Most rubbers are thermoset materials, and thermosets lose their properties when exposed to high temperatures.
- Limited Thickness: Most of the laser cutters that are used with rubber can only handle flat sheets. With thicker sheets, the laser beam may struggle to penetrate the entire thickness of the material without a loss of precision and the production of excessive heat.
- Material Constraints: Because of its other disadvantages, laser cutting may not be suitable for certain types of rubber. This cutting process can also leave behind residues that are difficult or time-consuming to remove.
Water Jet Cutting
Water jet cutting uses a high-pressure stream of water to cut through the workpiece. For softer materials like rubber, pure water jet cutting is typically used. For harder and thicker rubber, however, the pressurized stream of water is mixed with an abrasive. Water jet cutters include flatbed equipment, but multi-axis robots are also used.
During water jet cutting, the cutting stream is directed at the rubber material at high speeds. The cuts are clean and precise, and water jet cutting is an especially good choice for heat-sensitive materials since it’s a cold cutting process. Like laser cutting, water jet cutting can produce details such as notches, holes, angles, and chamfers; however, laser cutting can produce even finer details.
Advantages of Water Jet Cutting for Rubber
There are three main advantages to using water jet equipment instead of lasers for cutting rubber.
- Cold Cutting: Rubber is sensitive to temperature changes, and high heat can cause elastomers to warp or degrade (i.e., lose their properties). One of water jet cutting’s main benefits is that it’s a cold cutting process that does not generate heat.
- No Material Deformation: Water jet cutting does not create thermal stresses that can deform the workpiece. With rubber, this is another significant advantage because rubber products that are exposed to thermal stress will lose their flexibility and elasticity over time.
- Thick Material Compatibility: When an abrasive is used, water jet cutting can slice through thick rubber materials. Depending on the composition of the rubber and the settings of the water jet, it’s possible to cut rubber that’s up to several inches thick with precision.
Disadvantages of Water Jet Cutting for Rubber
Despite its advantages, water jet cutting for rubber has some disadvantages.
- Speed: Water jet machines are slower than laser equipment overall. Abrasive water jet cutters can cut thicker rubber, but at slower speeds than water jet cutting for thinner rubber.
- Volume: Because water jet cutting is slower, it’s generally used for prototyping and low-to-medium volume production. Laser cutting can also be used for these applications, but laser equipment is faster and, therefore, better suited for higher-volume production.
Which Cutting Method is Better for Rubber Parts?
When choosing a cutting method for rubber products, it’s important to consider the thickness of the material, the complexity of the cut, the production volume, and whether the material is a sheet or an extrusion. Keep these general guidelines in mind.
- Laser cutting is generally a better choice for cutting flat parts, especially ones with ultra-fine details, in high volumes where heat from the cutting process isn’t a concern.
- Water jet cutting is generally a better choice for cutting sheets and extrusions, including intricate parts, in low-to-medium volumes when heat and deformation are concerns.
Elasto Proxy can help you select the best cutting method for your project and operates flatbed or gantry-style water jet equipment at our manufacturing facilities near Montreal, Canada and in Simpsonville, South Carolina (USA). At our Montreal-area facility, we also have a multi-axis robot that can be used for abrasive water jet cutting.
