O-Rings are used to provide secure sealing when two parts are assembled. The installation process, when performed correctly, can increase the service life of the component as well as the application.

Incorrect O-Ring installation can lead to assembly damage, causing leakage during the first pressure test. This could be cause for the entire piece of equipment to be disassembled so that the seals can be replaced. If O-Ring damage happens often, wasting time and money replacing the seals could become a genuine problem for your business. Follow these recommendations for proper O-Ring installation to help prevent these issues from occurring.

For more information on O-ring installation and seal components, contact Real Seal today.

Lubrication

Lubrication is an essential component of O-Ring installation, reducing friction and allowing the O-Ring to seat easily in the groove of the mating surface. When inserting a piston into a bore for male/female radial seals, proper lubrication will reduce installation force and create a smooth transition.

Choosing the Proper Lubricant

When choosing a lubricant, there are some things to take into consideration. The lubricant must be:

● compatible with the material being used
● suitable for the temperature range of the application
● compatible with the system fluids
● capable of producing a high surface tension film
● not clog system filters

Examples of Lubricants

Two examples of lubricants on the market are O-Lube and Super O-Lube. O-Lube is a general-purpose grease intended for O-Ring and elastomer seal types used in hydrocarbon service. Super O-Lube is a high viscosity silicone oil, and is considered an ideal all-purpose O-Ring lubricant which is extremely effective.

Design Principles

If you want your machinery to last with minimal need for repair, good design is key. Some of the basic ideas of good O-Ring installation design are:

● put good compression on the O-ring while preventing the groove from exceeding 100% fill
● use a lead in chamfer in radial seal applications at an angle of 15-20 degrees, with an opening which exceeds the maximum height of the O-Ring in the groove

Sizing

Putting the wrong size O-Ring into a machine can cause damage. Make sure to verify that you have chosen the proper sized O-Ring before installation.

Measuring cones and circumference “Pi” tape can help you measure parts and pieces accurately to avoid these problems.

5 Tips for Better Installation of O-Rings

The following steps should help with installing O-Rings correctly, and save you some time as well:

1. The shaft consists of threading, which could tear the rubber seal. Covering and lubricating the threads will provide an easier passage. You can cover the threads using masking tape.
2. You must avoid forcing the O-Ring over sharp corners. Jagged or sharp features could tear the O-Ring. These tears might sometimes not be noticeable to the naked eye; however, they can seriously compromise the seal.
3. When stretching the O-Ring around the shaft, stretch it evenly. Do not pull from one side. Also, try to stretch the O-Ring as little as possible. This will provide a tighter seal and added security.
4. When installing an O-Ring, do not roll it down the shaft. Instead, slide it down. A rolled or “spiral wound” O-Ring cannot be properly installed, and will not function the way it should. This can damage your machine and be lead to costly repairs. Apply lubricant to the O-Ring to keep it from rolling.
5. When installing the rest of the assembly, it is important to place the female component so that it has a radius around the corner. The lead of this component should be inside the chamfer. This process guarantees the safety of the O-Ring.

Bonus: Check out these videos about the various kinds of O-Ring installation.

Real Seal started in 1970 as a distributor of O-Rings, and has grown exponentially since then to serve hundreds of industries nationally and internationally with our seal products and mechanical component goods. If you have any questions about O-Ring installation, sealing products, or sealing systems, contact us today!

Why You Should Choose a Silicone Gasket

Gaskets are an integral part of any application, especially in automotive engines where they play a crucial role in keeping the engine temperatures in check. This is why choosing a gasket material deserves special attention. Choose the wrong one, and you could see a significant drop in production.
Depending on what your application requires, silicone could be just the material you need.

Silicone Versatility

If you are considering silicone for your application, you will have a wide variety of choices in properties that will make it a perfect fit:

• Silicone sheets and rolls come in a variety of thicknesses, from 0.10” thick to .500” thick.
• Silicone can have a hardness anywhere from 10 Shore A to 80 Shore A.
• Molding compounds can be pigmented to match the color chips or Pantone color designations.
• Closed cell silicone sponge and foam come in sheets and rolls, from .032” thick to .500” thick. Its densities range from ultra soft to extra firm.
• Silicone rubber has the broadest range of firmness and densities.
• Fluorosilicone is resistant to fuel, oil, and chemicals.

Compression Set Resistance

Compression set, which occurs when a rubber cannot return to its original thickness after experiencing prolonged compressive stress, is an important factor to consider when choosing a gasket material. If compression set is one of your main concerns, silicone will be one of your best choices: two of the top-ranked compression-resistant materials are silicone and silicone sponge.

Flame Retardant

If silicone is compounded, its ability to resist flames is impressive. It can achieve UL94V0, UL94V1, and UL94HF1 flammability standards. For this reason, silicone is relied on for analytical instrumentation, telecommunications equipment, and controls found in Mass Transit systems. Even if silicone burns (which is only possible under extreme temperatures), its byproducts are non-toxic, and its residual ash can even provide electrical insulation.

FDA Regulations

Silicone can be compounded with FDA-approved ingredients to gain properties like high tear strength and flexing by using platinum-based catalysts. This makes silicone great for healthcare, instrumentation, food processing, and medical diagnostic equipment.

Electrical Conductivity

By blending silicone with nickel-graphite or silver-plated aluminum particles, silicone can be used as an electrically conductive gasket providing EMI shielding for use in electronic communication equipment. This form of silicone comes in a sheet or a custom-molded gasket.

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

In applications where ESD is a problem, silicone can be blended with a semi-conductive carbon to gain ESD properties.

Extreme Temperature Resistance

Unlike other organic elastomers like EPDM and neoprene, silicone rubber can retain its thickness even after exposure to a wide range of temperatures. This range goes as low as -60°C to as high as +250°C. In fact:

• It can be used at 150°C continuously without experiencing any change in its properties.
• Certain compounds can even withstand up to 200°C for 10,000 hours or more.
• Certain forms of silicone can withstand 350°C for short periods.
• Most forms of organic rubber become embrittled at -20° to -30°C.
• Some kinds of silicone products can retain elasticity at -100°C and lower.

Silicone Sponge and Silicone Foam

Silicone sponge (also called closed cell silicone sponge) is made from a thin sheet of uncured silicone gum. Closed cell means that the cells are not interconnecting, preventing water from wicking through the sponge. It also has strong mechanical properties.
Silicone foam is an open cell, lightweight material. Higher density open cell variants are suitable for water sealing, while lower densities will allow moisture to pass through.

Other Properties

• Due to its closed cell structure, silicone is great at water sealing with relatively low compressive forces. UL 50 and UL 50E are available.
• Silicone is excellent at resisting UV and ozone because it has an inorganic backbone. This extends the performance of the gasket in the long-term.
• Silicone sponge is much tougher than silicone foam.
• All of silicone’s properties make it a great choice for outdoor environments with extreme conditions, such as the Arctic tundra and the desert.

No matter what gasket material you choose, make sure that you understand the major causes of gasket failure, and how to prevent them.

Consult the Industry Leader

If you are ready to make a purchase for your seal, consult the industry experts at Real Seal today. Real Seal has been an industry leader since the 1970s, and continues to innovate with its own chemist and technical staff. No matter what type of seal or mechanical component you are looking for, Real Seal will have the answer you need.

If you’re most people, you probably haven’t thought much about using lubricants on your machineries—unless they’re already making noticeable sounds.

But you don’t have to wait until your gears are all rusty and worn out before you use lubricants. In fact, it’s better to lubricate regularly the seal components of your machines.

Here’s why. Proper lubrication:

• Reduces friction and heating of moving parts
• Prevents premature wear and tear of seal components
• Maintains the integrity of machines and other industrial applications

Machineries operate better when the seal components are lubricated. There’s less resistance and chafing, so the parts last longer. Some seals are prone to cracking easily, but when they are properly lubricated, they don’t snap just as easily.

Are all lubricants the same?

Lubricant, oil, and grease. What’s the difference between the three?

People like to use those terms interchangeably, and they somewhat correct in doing so. But lubricant is an umbrella term for both grease and oil. For purposes of clarifying what a lube really is and what it does, let’s establish their differences.

The difference between the oil and grease lies in their application:

• If you have machines that operate at high temperatures and speed, use oil.
• If your machine operates at regular temperature and speed, use grease.

That’s the most basic explanation. But of course, there are specific types of lubricants for specific types of operations:

1. Penetrating Lubricant
This is a good choice if you’re dealing with rust on mechanical seals. This lube cuts through rust after a few hours. It comes in both spray and liquid type—your choice depends on the type of seal component you have and the severity of rusting.

2. Silicone Spray
If you are looking for a lubricant that makes the least mess, then a silicone spray is your friend. It is relatively good lubricant. It’s perfect for components that are prone to rusting as it offers a bit of waterproofing as well.

3. PTFE or Teflon Spray
PTFE is often associated with the trademark Teflon. Similar to a silicone spray, this also offers corrosion protection, so it’s best used as a lubricant for machineries that operate at high temperatures.

4. Dry Lube
Also called graphite lube, dry lube is best used on small parts. Unlike most liquid lubricants, dry lube does not gum up small components. It comes in powder form, but the spray form dries rather quickly and doesn’t affect the integrity of seal components.

5. Lithium or White Grease
White grease is best used on devices that work at high temperatures. It’s thicker than other lubricants, so it stays put no matter how much pressure is applied to seal components.

Keeping your seal components well lubricated prevents friction from ruining your machinery. Even if you don’t notice any obvious wear and tear, you should make lubricating small parts a habit to make them last longer.

Lubricants are not all the same in terms of viscosity and effectiveness. The kind of lubricant that you should use depends on what kind of application you have and on whether your apparatus works at high temperatures or not.

While lubricating extends the life of seal components, they will eventually require a replacement. Real Seal is a manufacturer of sealing products and other mechanical goods. Contact Real Seal to order replacement parts for your machinery.