continuous molding technologyFluid power seals used in pneumatic cylinder systems represent some of the most overlooked, yet vital components in its construction and operation. Without these rubber seals – or if using inferior seals – the friction and leakage created by the process of using a pneumatic cylinder application could cause the equipment to catastrophically fail, risking severe damage and injury, and requiring great cost to repair or replace.

Gallagher Fluid Seals' partner, Precision Associates, has innovated to create our own unique and patented compounds for rubber pneumatic piston seals—suitable for all sorts of pneumatic applications. These U-Cups are designed to function with vastly lower breakaway and operating friction than any similar product in the marketplace.

What Are Pneumatic Cylinder Systems?

Utilizing compressed gas as a power source, mechanical pneumatic cylinders produce a reciprocating linear motion force. Like hydraulic cylinders, this force drives a piston in the required direction and the piston is usually a disc or cylinder. The corresponding rod transfers the force it creates to the object requiring movement. Engineers often choose pneumatic cylinders over other methods due to pneumatics being quieter, producing less waste, and requiring significantly less amounts of space for fluid storage.

Pneumatic cylinders can vary in configuration, but generally fit into one of three specific categories:

  1. Single-acting cylinders, which use the force of the compressed air to drive the piston in a single direction.
  2. Double-acting cylinders, which move in both extended and retracted strokes.
  3. Multi-stage telescopic cylinders, which can be either single or double acting.

Seals for Your Pneumatic Cylinder Systems

Precision Systems’ fluid power seals are ideal for use across a number of industries. For example, in the food and beverage industry, Precision Associates’ N-Dure™ Extended Wear Highly Saturated Nitriled ( HNBR) materials offer a variety of benefits, including a longer service life than standard Nitrile seals by three-to-five times.

In addition to extended wear resistance, the N-Dure™ compound’s internal lubrication allows systems to function at lower air pressures due to its extremely low breakaway and operating friction.

N-Dure™ offers several versatile configurations, including X-Rings, O-Rings, V-Rings, H-Rings, U-Cups, H-Wipers, Rod Wipers, and Precision Associates’ unique Multiseals.

Low temperature performance is another essential property required by the elastometric compounds protecting your machinery. The “brittle point” of a compound represents the temperature at which the material breaks upon impact. Temperature retraction is the temperature at which frozen rubber returns to an elastic state. For equipment that operates in frigid weather, Precision Associates’ B-Lo°™ Lo-Temp Rubber Compounds offers excellent temperature retraction and are tested to provide the best available brittle point.

Precision Associates also offers a full-range of twenty-five compounds specifically formulated to improve low temperature performance.

Improve Your Pneumatic Cylinder System

Knowing the value of high-quality compounds in your pneumatic cylinder system, it's important to choose a partner that can help solve complex issues. Whether you need enhanced wear resistance, improved low temperature performance, or require other specialized challenges, Precision Associates and Gallagher Fluid Seals can help find a customized material to suit your needs.


The original article was written by Precision Associates and can be found on their website here.

Gallagher Fluid Seals is an authorized distributor for Precision Associates. For custom sealing solutions or to find a material that might be a good fit for your application, contact.