Material Jointing...

Sometimes we are asked to make parts wider than available stock widths or lenghts . In some cases, in an effort to meet customers' needs, we will joint materials. Most commonly jointed materials are silicones (solids, sponges or foams). Parts are generally section cut into "sub-pieces" then jointed, an alternate method is to join the materials then cut to size (if it will fit on the cutting bed). All joints are handcrafted, thus production volumes are limited. We recommend that materials and joints be tested prior to production. Below are illustrations of two types of joints.

Edge Joint - bond between edge faces:



Edge/Lap Joint Combo - bond between edge faces and an extra supporting strip:

Material Laminations…

One thing we do quite often at Stockwell, but is not highly publicized, is material laminations. In some cases we laminate standard sheet goods to create a non-standard thickness. In other cases we laminate materials for performance properties. For example we laminate UHMW film, Teflon coated fiberglass or high strength silicone to sponge or foam to create a tough surface for a pad or elastomeric spring. We occasionally will be requested to laminate foils or electrically conductive fabric to sponges or foam to resolve ESD or EMI challenges.

It is very common for us to laminate a variety pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) to base materials such as; silicone sheets (solid, sponge, or foam), urethane foam (Poron), “organic” sponge. PSA’s are typically applied to one or two sides of the base material. We stock a wide range of PSA’s which we are able to choose from to best fit our customers’ application.

All the laminations we do are to meet specific requirements or to resolve interesting challenges that our customers encounter. Combining several materials allows for a much broader range of performace capabilities.