How to cut nitrile rubber

[hringm]

I need to know how to cut 1/8" thick sheets of nitrile rubber into washers to test.

For a project at work, I'm planning to use some square nitrile washers. The possible dimensions are shown on the attached pdf. As you can see, it's not a common design. So, one rubber washer salesguy recommended that instead of ordering a bunch of prototypes from him that would be expensive because of the custom die that would have to be made, that I order some nitrile sheets, cut out some washers, and just test those.

I was going to order some 1/8" thick sheets of various hardness, probably 55A or 60A durometer to 80A durometer. Can nitrile sheets be cut with just a regular saw, or is there some special cutting equipment or technique I need to use? Do I need to order a knockout hole punch to do the middle hole? It looks like there are knockout hole punches for $40, but I'd rather not order cutting equipment for this one project that will never be used again if there is an alternative.

I tried looking for information on cutting nitrile, but most of the information I could find was about how suppliers could cut various nitrile products, or what nitrile products were cut resistant.

 

[btrueblood]

Hole punches for leather or fabric will work. You should be able to cut the nitrile sheet with a good pair of sharp shears (scissors), or a paper-cutter type shear if you've got one. Tolerance on cut parts is kinda iffy, but you should be able to get pretty close, and could sand to finish.

Grommet hole cutters e.g.: McMaster-Carr p/n 9612K33 or similar

 

[hringm]

I was wondering if scissors would be sufficient, so it's good to have confirmation. I don't need the sizes to be exact for testing so it doesn't matter that the tolerances will be off. I just need to have washers of the correct material of roughly the correct size.

Thanks for your help!

 

[cotanol]

Maybe you can try with a commercial slicing machine. I use this machine and it is work fine for me.

 

[CR100]

Waterjet.

 

[WCRPLtd]

Click press, tooling is cheap and it produces good results

http://www.white-cross-rubber-products.co.uk