Trim seal fabrication turns coils of rubber into cut lengths or finished gaskets. Trim seals, or bulb trim seals as they are also known, consist of a compressible rubber bulb and a solid trim section that attaches to an edge or flange. These industrial rubber products come in a choice of materials, require several measurements, and are fabricated with different processes.
By understanding how trim seals are made, you can decide for yourself whether it’s better to buy rubber coils, cut lengths, or finished gaskets. Many companies are familiar with trim seals from Trim Lok, but Elasto Proxy gives you a choice in trim seal suppliers. We specialize in low-to-medium volumes and provide trim seal fabrication services that go beyond just gasket cutting and bonding. We can even help you with trim seal installation.
The following sections explain how trim seals are made. If you’re ready to request a quote or would like a bulb trim sample, contact us.
Trim Seal Cutting
Trim seal fabrication starts with precision cutting. Depending on the type of bulb trim, Elasto Proxy uses either pure water jet cutting or abrasive water jet cutting. Pure water jet cutting uses a stream of highly pressurized water to cut softer materials. Abrasive water jet cutting mixes water with a garnet abrasive to cut harder and thicker materials. Both technologies can make straight cuts or 45° cuts.
The selection of a cutting method depends on whether or not your trim seal contains metal wire for reinforcement. If the product contains metal wire, then abrasive water jet cutting is used. Otherwise, pure water jet cutting is preferred. Neither cutting process requires tooling, which means that you don’t have to pay for or wait for metal tools to arrive before we can begin trim seal fabrication.
If you’re currently cutting trim seals in-house, consider the advantages of outsourced fabrication with Elasto Proxy. There’s less material waste, higher material yields, and a greater level of quality and consistency than with manual cutting. At a time when many manufacturers are facing a skilled labor shortage, outsourced gasket fabrication also frees-up your employees to perform other tasks.
Trim Seal Bonding
If you need more than just trim seal cutting, consider the advantages of gasket bonding from Elasto Proxy. The rubber products that you’ll receive from us arrive ready-to-install and can travel right from our manufacturing facility to your assembly line. Elasto Proxy also offers a choice of joining methods: cold bonding and hot splicing.
Cold bonding is a manual process that’s performed with a brush and an adhesive or glue. It’s called “cold” because no heat is applied to the ends of the trim seal. Cold bonded gaskets won’t last as long as hot spliced ones, but cold bonding doesn’t require metal tools called dies. Typically, cold bonded trim seals are produced in low-volume quantities.
Hot splicing is a semi-automated process that uses heat, pressure, and a thin polyethylene (PE) film splice to join the ends of trim seals. Most film splices are 90°, but hot splicing also supports 45° miter cuts and endless gaskets. Because hot splicing requires edges with clean, smooth cuts, this bonding technique complements or water jet cutting capabilities. It’s often used for medium-volume quantities.
Value-Added Services
Trim seal cutting and trim seal bonding add value to the rubber coils that you can buy from Elasto Proxy. Because we’re both a rubber distributor and a rubber fabricator, Elasto Proxy can add value even if you only need our distribution services. For example, we can buy coils in bulk, store product in our warehouses, and then release lengths of trim seals according to your sales forecasts.
Yet, trim seal fabrication can add even more value than just cutting and bonding. For example, if you need notched trim seals to fit door hinges, we can use our water jet cutting equipment or hydraulic press. Asking one of your employees to make these cuts by hand might seem cost-effective, but precise notches can be hard to make. Manual notching also incurs labor costs and can result in material waste.
Trim seal fabrication from Elasto Proxy can save you time and money in other ways as well. For example, we can use our UV parts marking system to identify your trim seals clearly for the benefit of your receivers, stockers, and assemblers. Elasto Proxy can also kit and package your trim seals along with other rubber products, such as molded parts, that we supply.
Choose Trim Seal Fabrication from Elasto Proxy
Many companies know about trim seals from Trim Lok but remember that you have a choice in trim seal suppliers. For cutting, bonding, and value-added services, choose Elasto Proxy. To request a quote or a product sample, contact us.
