Ward & Kennedy supplies businesses nationwide with traditionally die-cut and high-precision digitally cut foam and rubber. From gaskets to padding and everything in between, you can trust Ward & Kennedy’s nearly 100-year history for fast turnaround times and dedicated service and support.
Foam rubber is a flexible, cellular material made from natural latex or synthetic rubber compounds, known for its cushioning, resilience, and ability to absorb shock and sound. It's widely used across furniture, automotive, packaging, and industrial applications, particularly where comfort, padding, or vibration dampening is needed.
Common products made from foam rubber include:
Foam rubber's density, cell structure, and compressibility directly affect how it performs during cutting, from tool selection to final dimensional accuracy.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Density & firmness | Softer foam compresses more under the blade, while firmer foam requires greater cutting force |
| Cell Structure | Open-cell foam is softer and more prone to tearing, while closed-cell foam holds its shape better during cutting |
| Thickness | Thicker foam often requires specialized tools like bandsaws or hot wire cutters rather than standard blades |
| Compressability | Foam compresses significantly during cutting, which can distort dimensions if not accounted for |
| Resilience | Determines how well cut pieces return to shape after the blade passes through |
| Elasticity | Can stretch or shift during cutting if the material isn't held flat and stable |
slices completely through the material, and both digital cutters and traditional dies can perform it depending on thickness and volume.
Perforation creates a line of small cuts for easy hand separation, achievable by both die cutting and digital cutting.
Digital cutting, including CNC oscillating knife or waterjet cutting, works well for prototyping foam rubber products and producing custom shapes like mattress toppers or packaging inserts, since patterns can be adjusted without tooling costs.
For production runs, die cutting is the standard approach for repeated shapes like gaskets, seals, and padding pieces. The upfront tooling cost of building a steel rule die is offset by faster cutting speeds and lower per-unit costs once the design is finalized and moving into full production.
At our facility in Milwaukee, WI, our team of designers and fabricators can help bring your vision to life. Whether you have existing design files or assistance with their creation, we’re here every step of the way.
Along with fabrics, we die cut materials like:
Ward & Kennedy has been designing, fabricating, and supplying industries all over the world since we were founded in 1928. Whether you’re in our Wisconsin backyard or located across the world in Asia, we can supply your die cut materials.
Along with fabricating parts for businesses across America, we supply them with the necessary tools, supplies, and gear to keep them running at full capacity. We stock abrasives, adhesives, PPE, and more from major brands like 3M, Dynablade, Superior Glove, Wendt and Mirka.
