O-rings
- January 03, 2023
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This post is the third installment in a three-part series that describes the three main criteria for O-ring gland design: stretch, squeeze, and volume fill. These three related components must be balanced to create the ideal conditions for O-ring sealing.
Understanding the basics of volume fill
The final essential criterion for O-ring design is volume fill, also called gland fill. The compressed O-ring must have extra space within the groove without overfilling the groove. Volume fill is the O-ring volume divided by the gland volume.
- December 29, 2022
In the world of engineering, machinery, and mechanical systems, dust can be the difference between a reliable piece of equipment and disaster.
Dust can cause major damage to cylinder walls, rods, seals and other components inside of machinery. And if you’re not careful, dirt, mud, debris, and water can all cause damage as well.
These foreign contaminants are real problems for mechanical systems, especially as they build up in small quantities over time. A single particle of dust today may be no big deal. But a speck of dust per day will eventually become enough of a presence to cause serious issues, like friction, surface wear, and imperfect seal contact between surfaces.
These issues could compound until the mechanical system experiences a complete failure. And in some applications, like in automobiles and aircraft, failure is simply not an option.
Beyond those industries, many types of equipment need to stay clean on the inside, even when things get extremely messy
- December 15, 2022
Article re-posted with permission from Parker Hannifin Sealing & Shielding Team.
Original content can be found on Parker’s Blog.This post is the second installment in a three-part series that describes the three main criteria for O-ring gland design: stretch, squeeze and volume fill. These three related components must be balanced to create the ideal conditions for O-ring sealing.
Understanding the basics of compression
To form a robust seal, adequate compression or squeeze is a critical consideration. Compressing the seal energizes it, and the O-ring pushes back on the mating surfaces. This contact force between the O-ring and hardware creates a seal. Squeeze is calculated by the cross-section diameter minus the gland depth, all divided by the
- December 06, 2022
Article re-posted with permission from Parker Hannifin Sealing & Shielding Team.
Original content can be found on Parker’s Blog.This post is the first installment in a three-part series that describes the three main criteria for O-ring gland design: stretch, squeeze, and volume fill. These three related components must be balanced to create the ideal conditions for O-ring sealing.
Understanding the basics of stretch
A basic design principle often used as the starting point for O-ring grooves is stretch. One of the reasons elastomers are ideal materials for O-rings is because their elastic properties allow the O-ring to stretch around hardware and return to the original shape while within the material’s elastic deformation range.
The percent
- December 02, 2022
New GFS Tech Bulletins Now Available
Common O-Ring Elastomer Properties "Cheat Sheet"
While there are dozens of unique elastomers used for specific applications throughout the world, this GFS "elastomer cheat sheet" discusses the properties of the most common types of o-ring elastomers. If your equipment or product uses o-rings, it more-than-likely contains one of these nine elastomer types.
Learn about:
- Thermal properties of the nine most common o-ring elastomers
- Advantages and disadvantages of each elastomer
- Comparison of the properties/resistances of each o-ring elastomer
Surface Finish Ra Advantages and Disadvantages Tech Bulletin
As we continue the GFS series on Surface Finish, this next tech bulletin will help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of the most commonly used method of measuring surface finish: Ra
It monitors production and is a very stable and
- October 20, 2022
Channel Seals for Hydraulic and Pneumatic Systems
The Channel Seal (or Cap Seal, as it’s often referred to), was one of the earliest forms of Polymer or Teflon sealing in the seal industry.
The product is easily applied. It didn’t replace the O-ring, but instead offered improved life while reducing drag.
In doing so, hydraulic and pneumatic systems operated cooler and quieter, while improving overall performance of the product.
Evolution of the Channel Seal
Before the Channel Seal, the Backup ring was established. The first Backup rings started out as leather,
- October 14, 2022
O-Ring Failure Modes Tech Bulletin Now Available
Failure modes are the ways, or modes, in which something might fail. O-ring failure modes that contribute to equipment failure cost the customer time and money. A premature O-ring failure in service is often due to a combination of root causes and not merely a single failure mode.
The Gallagher Fluid Seals O-Ring Failure Mode Tech Bulletin will discuss the 8 most common types of failure modes for o-ring applications. They are:
- Compression set
- Extrusion & nibbling
- Spiral failure
- Explosive decompression
- September 20, 2022
Sealants are necessary in a variety of different facets of life to ensure the preservation of certain products or machinery. This is because sealant are substances that essentially block the passage of fluids or air through the surface, joints, or opening in certain materials, machinery, or piping. There are a wide variety of sealants depending on your needs. If you have heard of hermetic sealing and wondered, what is hermetic sealing, you are in the right place. Below you will find more information on what hermetic sealing is, it’s historical evolution, and what it is used for.
What is Hermetic Sealing?
Hermetic sealing is essentially a watertight and airtight sealant.
- September 08, 2022
Do you have an o-ring that you need to replace and you don’t know what size it is?
The official Parker O-ring measuring cone is the top solution for sizing o-rings when you are unsure of what size to order. Slide the o-ring down the cone to see what size is needed. Makes for easy measuring as the numbers are printed directly on the cone. The cone also has slits near the base. Insert the o-ring to determine the cross section.
- September 06, 2022
Stick-slip is a common phenomenon that can occur in seals due to uneven friction between objects sliding across each other.
This repetitive start-stop movement or vibration known as stick-slip can cause major issues and even failure of mechanical systems, including seals. However, proper seal design and knowing what to look for can help you avoid stick-slip in your machinery’s seals.
Here’s why stick-slip happens and how you can prevent this problem in your seals.
Stick-Slip in Everyday Life
Stick-slip is familiar experience for most of us
