Foam & Rubber Processing Machinery

Open cell foam has interconnected pores that allow air and moisture to pass through, making it softer, more compressible and suitable for cushioning and acoustic applications. Closed cell foam has sealed cells, making it denser, water-resistant and better suited to sealing, insulation and protective applications.

Yes, many types of foam can be cut using a CNC router when the machine is correctly configured. Denser foams can be routed using appropriate cutters, while softer or more compressible foams are often better processed using knife or oscillating tools. Machine rigidity, tooling selection and material holding all play an important role in achieving clean, accurate results.

Yes. With appropriate material holding, cutting strategies and tooling, CNC machinery can process foam and rubber accurately and repeatably, even for detailed shapes and tight tolerances.

The maximum cutting depth depends on the type of knife system, foam density and machine configuration. In many cases, CNC knife systems can cut through foam materials up to 100 mm thick in a single pass, with deeper cuts possible using multiple passes or specialist knife setups. Accurate depth control and suitable material support are essential for consistent results.

Rubber density refers to the mass of rubber per unit volume and is typically measured in kilograms per cubic metre (kg/m³). Density varies depending on rubber type and formulation and directly affects flexibility, durability and cutting behaviour. Measuring density helps determine the most suitable cutting method, tooling and machine configuration for accurate processing.

Shore hardness is a scale used to measure the resistance of rubber and elastomers to indentation. It is commonly measured using Shore A for softer rubbers and Shore D for harder materials. Shore hardness helps determine how a rubber material will perform in use and how it should be processed, including tool selection and cutting strategy.

When rubber is described as “45 Shore” or “90 Shore”, it usually refers to its Shore hardness value, most commonly measured on the Shore A scale. A lower number, such as 45 Shore A, indicates a softer, more flexible rubber, while a higher number, such as 90 Shore A, indicates a harder, more rigid material. These values help specify how the rubber will perform in use and how it should be processed.