There are a variety of seal products that you can use when building industrial projects. Because there are so many sealing products available, it is essential that you know which is best for your build. But how do you know which seal is right for your project? The experts at Real Seal guide you through determining what your project needs and provide a variety of specialty seals.

What Are Industrial Seals?

Seals are not the flashiest part of industrial processes or machinery. However, they are essential for ensuring that your machinery operates functionally and safely. Ensuring that all your equipment utilizes the correct seals for the correct purposes is the difference between a safe work environment and a potential disaster.

Types of Seals

Several different types of seals are utilized in many types of industrial equipment that are used every day, both by professionals and laypeople. Specifically, the primary types of seals are:

• Conventional seals
• Gaskets
• O-rings

These seals make many of the industrial processes that we engage in possible and safe. However, they are not interchangeable and are utilized for different purposes. There are many different factors to take into consideration in terms of selecting the correct type of seal for the right type of machine, and often, it takes the eye of an expert to make the final call.

Seals

Custom-built seals can be employed in a variety of situations, and there are dozens, if not hundreds, of designs that are implemented to fit the niche needs of various industrial machines and practices. These types of seals are often used in the automotive and aerospace industries to fit the needs of specific types of engine components. Medical devices and the extraction of natural resources are other areas where these seals come into play quite frequently.

Gaskets

Gaskets are a type of customizable seal that are used to prevent leaks, contain pressure, and prevent contamination from foreign substances. They are designed to be resistant to extreme temperatures and corrosive substances and are of use in situations where machines may be subject to extreme conditions. Also, gaskets can be composed of many different materials depending on the nature of the project at hand.

O-Rings

Overall, O-rings are the most commonly used seal worldwide in industrial scenarios. O-rings are commonly found in engines, pumps, pipe joints, and more. O-rings are round, donut-shaped seals that are built to create a seal between two surfaces in an environment that experiences high amounts of pressure. One example of a situation where an O-ring would be utilized is the grooves in between two components of a pump.

How Do You Know Which Seal is Right For Your Project?

There are several factors to take into consideration when you are selecting a seal for your project. Some of the significant factors that you should consider include:

• Pressure: Oftentimes, the task of a seal is to control the pressure between two spaces. There can be a steep learning curve in terms of educating yourself about the ways that air pressure interacts with industrial machinery.
•  Temperature: Certain seals perform better in extreme temperatures than others. Determining whether or not your seal will be subjected to either extreme heat or extreme cold can help you decide what type of seal to select.
•  Fluids: Considering whether and what fluids are going to be present in your machinery can have a massive impact on your choice of a seal. In particular, the acidity and viscosity of the fluids that are present in your machinery can be influential in terms of the kind of seal that you select.  

Determining how influential these factors will be in your project can help you decide whether or not you should go with a gasket, O-ring, or custom seal. Discussing these factors with a trained professional can help you make a safe choice that will keep your industrial space safe and free of accidents.

The Best In the Business

Real Seal is dedicated to giving their customers the highest level of customer care and service available. If you have questions regarding your planned project and how you can effectively incorporate the various seal products, contact us today to set up an appointment.