Oil Seal Manufacturing: Processes and Considerations




5. TYPES OF FLUID: Numerous oil seals can interact with oils, fuels, grease, water and more. However, know exactly what type of fluid the rotary shaft seal will be in contact with will ensure the longevity of the seal and the machinery.
In conclusion, industrial oil seals and hub oil seals are essential components in industrial and automotive systems, contributing to the efficiency, performance, and reliability of machinery and equipment. Understanding the significance of these seals and the factors affecting the price of oil seals can guide informed decision-making when selecting these critical components for industrial applications.
Nitrile is the most widely used rubber (elastomer) and it’s recommended as the best for almost all standard applications. This is solely due to the fact that nitrile has some intrinsic properties, such as low cost and compatibility with most environments. Some of the general applications of nitrile are non-latex gloves, automotive transmission belts, footwear, gaskets, synthetic leather, hoses, o-rings, and oil seals.
From this kind of standard immersion testing, one would expect that bisphenol-cured VDF/HFP/TFE fluoroelastomers would not give good service life as oil seals. Similar tests with other elastomers, such as HNBR, silicone, and acrylic rubbers, show less loss of elongation. However, it is found that, in actual service, FKM shaft seals6 have much longer service life than seals of the other elastomers. In a Japanese study of FKM lip seals, rear crankshaft seals from high-mileage automobiles (70,000–280,000 mi ie, 110,000–450,000 km) were collected and examined. No serious oil leakage was found when the seals were removed from the engines. Some deposits were found around the seal lip and on the garter spring holding the lip against the shaft. No surface cracks were found on the seal lip, and only minor crazing on the crankcase side of the flexure portion of the seal in some samples. The seal compositions were not noted, but most were probably VDF/HFP/TFE elastomers with 68–69% fluorine content.
Next, apply a small amount of grease to the seal lip(s) and the area of the shaft in contact with the seal. When using a double-lip seal, fill the small cavity between the two lips with grease as well. This both protects the lips during initial installation and break-in, and also acts as another barrier keeping contaminants out. When installing rubber-coated seals, apply lubricant to the outside diameter as well. This will help prevent the seal from rebounding or backing out from its mounting place.
Stuff clean rags into the cylinder bores and all water and oil passages and bolt holes to catch scrapings and dirt.
Oil seals are always exposed to a lot of chemicals, both mild and harsh chemicals. The seals react by showing some signs like cracks, blisters, and discoloration especially when the chemical is harsh. This clearly shows that the chemical is not compatible with the seal, which goes as far as affecting its cross-link density (increase or decrease). When the cross-link density increases, the seal material becomes harder, but when it decreases, the seal material becomes softer.
Hub Oil Seal: Significance in Automotive and Industrial Applications
Oil seals, which are also known as rotary shaft seals, fluid seals or grease seals, play an important role in closing down the gaps between moving and stationary elements of mechanical equipment.
PTFE
The ignition spark plug is essentially a small device that is screwed into the cylinder head of the engine. It consists of a central electrode, an insulator, and a ground electrode. When the engine's piston compresses the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder, the spark plug creates a spark that ignites the mixture, causing combustion to occur.
Choosing the right oil seal
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