Case Study: GYLON® 3504 BIO-PRO®

GYLON® BIO-PRO® seals provide a safe and durable solution for protecting the integrity of food and pharmaceutical processing media. Its modified and restructured PTFE material is pre-formed and stress controlled for all standard TRI-CLAMP connections. It is dimensionally stable and resists intrusion.

The following case study can be downloaded in its entirety from Garlock's website.

INDUSTRY

Pharmaceutical OEM - Autoclaves and Sterilizers

CUSTOMER

Since 1949, DeLama S.p.A. has grown to become one of the most well-known and qualified manufacturers of sterilization equipment, supplying major customers all over the world from its base in Italy. DeLama’s design and construction standards usually exceed the customers’ equipment requirements with the main purpose to protect their investments in critical industries such as pharmaceutical, Bio-Processing, Medical Devices and Food Production.

BACKGROUND

Before working with Garlock, DeLama used virgin PTFE sanitary gaskets in all of their hygienic couplings. However, due to high content of saturated steam used in these systems, the gaskets were undergoing physical deformation and increased porosity. The result was rapid seal degradation with average performance life falling well shorter than DeLama’s typical 18 months recommended replacement periods.

CHALLENGES FACED

As a global supplier it was vital for DeLama to ensure that all of their construction materials met the full suite of compliance standards, including FDA and EN1935. Additionally the challenge was to ensure that the gaskets would perform well under the constant and difficult conditions presented by steam and high temperatures, so that the warranty period could be supported to meet customers’ expectations.

OPERATING CONDITIONS

1. Media: Saturated Steam
2. Size: 0.5“ to 2.5“ (12.7mm to 63.5 mm)
3. Temperature: 305‘F (152°C)
4.Pressure: Full vacuum to 60psig (0.0 to 4 Bar)

SOLUTION AND BENEFITS

Garlock’s global credibility was combined with local sales expertise in Italy to enable in-depth discussion and collaboration directly with the DeLama engineering team. By understanding the challenging application as well as the critical end-use customers, it was determined that the best solution was to implement GYLON BIO-PRO® sanitary gaskets for Tri-Clamp connections. The GYLON® style 3504 material of construction delivers the required level of compliance to industry standards, and the modified PTFE structure ensures compatibility to the temperature, pressure and mechanical demands of sterilization and autoclave processes. As a result, DeLama and their customers have experienced significant increase in seal life time from <18 months to more than 5 years, and GYLON BIO-PRO® is now specified as the standard solution in all of their hygienic couplings.

Gallagher is your source for all of your Garlock sealing needs.  If you have further questions regarding the GYLON® 3504 BIO-PRO®, or any other Garlock products, please do not hesitate to contact us.  Our engineering department is always ready to help you design a sealing solution to your toughest application!