Why Sealing Gaskets Matter
A gasket is a form of seal that bridges the space between two surfaces to prevent leakages. When installed incorrectly, gaskets will fail to function properly. To maintain your rubber gaskets’ optimal performance for an extended time, you must take several steps, one of which is sealing.
Gaskets are a typical tool to enable a better fit while fitting into the application. Once the gasket has been properly installed, this sealant also guards against sliding. In addition, sealing gaskets guards against leaks and debris on machinery.
What Is a Gasket?
Most rubber gaskets are used to seal equipment. Even though most of these don’t need gaskets, it is a frequently utilized product to enable better placement when fitting onto the application.
Gaskets can tolerate great pressure that can be handled by their solid metal design. In industrial settings, gaskets are frequently used to seal fuel tanks, pipes, and boilers. They are also installed in car and truck engines to form a seal between the cylinders and the cylinder head. Finally, ring gaskets are used as seals in offshore oil and gas pipelines.
For industrial sealing devices, a gasket can withstand some of the harshest environments and applications, including the following:
- Chemical processes
- Power generation
- Deep sea and petroleum industries
- Gas and oil
- Mining
- Military equipment
- Aerospace machinery
How To Choose the Right Material for Your Seal and Gasket
Using unsuitable materials for a project can cause seal or gasket failure, leading to equipment damage, production delays, shortened product life, or even injury. Therefore, evaluating your application’s requirements and specifications is crucial to ensure that your chosen material will match your needs.
Here are some of the major considerations when choosing sealing gaskets:
Temperature
Extreme temperatures can impact a material’s ability to seal, its maximum permitted stress, and its overall performance. Usually, material selections are more constrained as application temperatures climb. Your choice of material will also be influenced by how long a material is exposed to its maximum temperature.
Environmental Factors
The durability of a gasket can be affected by various external conditions. For example, the success or failure of your seal or gasket depends on the temperature, UV exposure, moisture resistance, chemical resistance, and BSR & NVH reduction (vibration resistance) it will experience during processing.
Industry Standards
Seals and gaskets have different standards depending on your product, business, and location. Industries with specialized material needs include automotive, food service, pharmaceutical, and many more. Therefore, working with a manufacturer knowledgeable about industry best practices and standards is vital.
Material Compression Set
The degree of permanent deformation that a seal or gasket experiences when subjected to pressure or force is known as the compression set of material. Due to gaps, leaks, or application problems, seal or gasket performance degrades over time and with repetitive compression, which decreases its efficacy.
It is crucial to remember that intermittent compression is more significant than constant compression when it comes to material recovery. Therefore, you should collaborate with a reliable partner to help you choose the right material for your application and conduct real-world testing to establish its suitability for your planned use.
Durometer
A standardized method for determining a material’s hardness or firmness, in the case of foam, is the durometer. The measurement ranges of durometer testers, which range from 0-100, show how much force is required to produce various indentation levels. Higher numbers denote harder materials, while lower numbers denote soft, flexible materials.
A vital component of sealing performance is the durometer. The seal or gasket material must be tough enough to endure the pressure or impact it will experience but soft enough to cover the space between two surfaces without protruding from the joint.
It can take time to choose the right material hardness for your application. Thus, working with an experienced manufacturer will help you select the optimum material for your application while staying within your budget.
Reliable Sealing Services With Arizona Sealing Devices
As an ISO 9001:2015/AS9120B certified company distributing high-end sealing products, Arizona Sealing Devices prioritizes quality above all else! Our staff diligently evaluates each product we offer to ensure that it meets the needs and specifications of our customers.
Since our company’s beginnings in 1989 as an O-ring provider, we have increased the range of sealing products we offer to include caps, gaskets, plugs, and seal kits.
Get to know more about our sealing services and products by calling 480-892-7325. You may also contact us today!
What Are O-Rings?
O-rings are an essential component in many industrial manufacturing processes. These simple yet effective rubber rings provide a tight seal between two mating surfaces, allowing for the transfer of fluids or gases while preventing leaks. They have been used in aerospace, automotive, and medical applications since their invention by Danish engineer Neils Christensen in 1937.
O-rings offer superior sealing capabilities compared to traditional gaskets. Their versatility and cost-effectiveness make them an ideal choice for applications ranging from fuel lines to oil seals on engines. They can also be manufactured with different materials, making them one of the most widely used components across multiple industries today.
Materials and Types
O-rings aren’t always round; they may come in squares, X-shapes, and more, depending on their intended use. Moreover, multiple fabrication methods are used for O-rings, including extrusion, compression molding, injection molding, transfer molding, and machining.
Depending on the application, O-rings can be made from the following materials:
- Nitrile rubber
- Silicone
- Polyurethane
- Neoprene
- Fluorocarbon
- Other elastomers and more!
Static O-Rings
Static O-rings are used in stationary applications and are usually machined in a groove into the mating surfaces, preventing them from moving under pressure or temperature changes.
Dynamic O-Rings
Dynamic O-rings are designed for applications that must be able to move while maintaining the seal. Examples of dynamic O-rings include piston or shaft seals, which provide a sealing effect against rotating components. The design of these parts is more intricate than static ones due to their movement requirements and additional considerations, such as radial force and torque capabilities.
Common Applications of O-Rings
Most O-rings are used in fluid power applications such as hydraulics and pneumatics. They are also very common in piping systems, machine tools, engines, and other mechanical equipment. Other applications include the following:
Transportation and Automotive Industries
O-rings are ideal for sealing fluids such as motor oil and other liquid fuel systems, brake fluids, antifreeze, and more. Additionally, they can be used in the air intake and cooling systems to prevent leakage of air or coolant.
Medical Industry
O-rings are vital to medical device applications, such as oxygen tanks, fluid delivery systems, respiratory equipment, and more. Due to their resistance to extreme temperatures, chemicals, and gases, they provide a reliable seal even under highly hazardous conditions.
Electronics
Due to their small size and high strength, O-rings are often used in the electronics industry. They are applied as seals for circuit boards, switches, connectors, and other components to prevent moisture and dust from entering the devices.
Aerospace Industry
O-rings’ ability to withstand extreme temperatures makes them well-suited for various aerospace applications, such as fuel tanks, actuators, landing gear systems, hydraulics, oxygen regulators, cabin pressure control systems, and others.
Food and Beverage
O-rings are ideal for applications that require a tight seal, such as in soft drink dispensers, beer kegs, or chocolate enrober machines. They can also be found in bottle caps, faucets, and other food-related machinery.
Arizona Sealing Devices for High-Quality O-Ring Needs
The variety of applications for O-rings demonstrates their versatility and usefulness across multiple industries. In addition, proper maintenance and care can provide reliable performance over time, making them a cost-effective choice for sealing solutions.
Quality is our top priority here at Arizona Sealing Devices. Our staff meticulously manufactures and calibrates each product we put out to ensure that it is appropriate for the specific use. Thus, you can rely on us to address your needs and deliver only top-notch components!
Contact us to learn more about our range of products and services!