Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a computerised modelling method for predicting how an object reacts to forces. This could be whether directly applied or generated by pressure, temperature effects or vibration.
What is hardware surface finish? Any surface can look (and even feel) perfectly smooth. However, look closely enough with high magnification and all surfaces will have a degree of fluctuation and a topography that looks similar to a mountain range or the surface of the moon. The roughness of a surface is generally linked to the … Continued
Elastomer rubbers look very similar – but are they all the same? With many different base groups and recipe formulations, there’s a huge range of elastomer materials suitable for applications with varying temperature ranges and chemical media compatibility. It’s critical to the seal performance to make the right choice. There are number of factors to consider, these include: … Continued
Tolerances are present in every man-made item. It is practically impossible to repeatedly manufacture something to an exact size or specification. In seal manufacturing, it’s important to understand which tolerances impact performance and by how much. This will ensure a system is optimized for overall performance, and whole-life product cost. Considerations for tolerances include the … Continued
How is it manufactured? A question we get asked in the seal design process, but perhaps not considered often enough. How a rubber seal is produced can affect a number of things; the cost, the material choice…even how a part should be designed. All of these can have a significant impact on the performance of … Continued
The foam in your armchair. The strap on your wristwatch. The wheels on a supermarket shopping trolley and beyond; Polyurethane certainly has a diverse range of uses since its invention almost 85 years ago. Aside from day-to-day products; it is also a highly capable and versatile sealing material – and an option that is often … Continued
In applications that require precise and rapid pressure responses, our diaphragms offer an engineered sealing solution for high performance valves and actuators. Why use diaphragms? Diaphragms provide excellent sealing results in multiple applications. For example: Valves, actuators, pumps, pressure & flow control, pressure switches/sensors, dispensing, metering, ventilation, and media separation applications. Valves and actuators controlling … Continued
Supply Plus Ltd designs, manufactures, supplies and distributes safety and fuel delivery equipment, with brands including AS Fire & Safety, Bayley and Collins Youldon. The application Our customer, Supply Plus approached us with a requirement for their 2” Swing joint power spindle. The outlet pipe from the fuel tank on delivery vehicles is fed into … Continued
Our customer manufactures wind sensors for a variety of applications in different environments. This seal application was within ultrasonic wind sensors designed for wind turbine control. The Application For optimal performance wind turbines need critical, consistent and reliable data on wind speed and wind direction measurements. Therefore we recommended special coated O-rings for this renewable … Continued
An existing customer (an automotive manufacturer) approached our engineers with an application where they were experiencing failures of a seal designed and manufactured by another rubber seal provider. The application This moulded gasket is used within a valve housing in an automotive application. The competitor gasket experienced failure at the “T-junction” areas of the seal. Our customer … Continued
An existing customer (an automotive manufacturer) approached our engineers with an application where they were experiencing failures of a seal designed and manufactured by another rubber seal provider.
This moulded gasket is used within a valve housing in an automotive application. The competitor gasket experienced failure at the “T-junction” areas of the seal. Our customer had experienced chronic failures of their existing moulded gasket design at high temperatures and high pressures.
The seal is required to perform under pulsating pressure of up to 50 Bar and temperatures of up to 150°C. Our engineers reviewed the existing gasket design and application conditions and recommended an increase in height of 0.40 mm. This was to increase the compression and improve the sealing function. Additional beads were also added to further stabilise the gasket in the groove.
Prototype parts were manufactured from a single cavity soft tool and sent to the customer for in-house testing and validation. The prototype gaskets very nearly passed testing but did not quite reach the 50 Bar pressure requirement at 150° C (42 Bar reached). This was still a great improvement on the performance of the customer’s original gasket.
Analysis of the customers test data and images of the tested parts, determined there were areas where the gasket was sliding in the groove and then shearing as the pressure pulsed. We resolved this issue by our engineers adding beads to the rear of the T-intersections of the gasket. This provided additional support and further stabilised the gasket at the high-pressure stress points in the groove, and reduced movement within the housing.
The number of additional beads added needed to be balanced carefully with calculations on groove fill. Further development captured the cleanliness requirements and altered radii on the beads.
The new design was approved, and the customer moved to production tooling stage and sample parts were produced to PPAP Level 3 for production.
More information about our mouldings & gaskets on the link HERE