Ward & Kennedy supplies businesses nationwide with traditionally die-cut and high-precision digitally cut polyurethane. From industrial rollers to packaging inserts and everything in between, you can trust Ward & Kennedy’s nearly 100-year history for fast turnaround times and dedicated service and support.
Polyurethane is a versatile polymer that can be produced as a flexible foam or a durable elastomer, known for its cushioning, abrasion resistance, and elasticity. It's widely used across furniture, automotive, industrial, and packaging applications, particularly where a combination of durability and flexibility is needed.
Common products made from polyurethane include:
Polyurethane's density, hardness, and form directly affect how it performs during cutting, from blade selection to edge consistency.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Hardness | Ranges from soft foam to firm elastomer, requiring different blade pressure and tooling for each |
| Cell structure | Foam forms compress under the blade, while solid elastomer sheets cut more like rubber |
| Thickness | Thicker sheets require more cutting force and sharper dies for clean edges |
| Abrasion resistance | Elastomer-grade polyurethane can dull blades faster due to its toughness |
| Elasticity | Stretch can distort shapes during cutting if the material isn't held flat and stable |
| Rebound | Determines how well cut pieces hold their final shape after the blade passes through |
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 works well for prototyping polyurethane products and producing custom shapes, such as new gasket designs or padding inserts still being tested, since patterns can be adjusted without any tooling cost.
For production runs, die cutting is the standard approach for repeated shapes like gaskets, seals, and cushioning components. The upfront tooling cost of building a 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.
