gylon®
- February 02, 2026
GYLON EPIX™ Distributes Load Evenly
GYLON EPIX™ is a newly developed family of PTFE gaskets. It is manufactured using a patented, profiled surface based on our proven Fawn, Off-White, and Blue GYLON® to create highly conformable materials for optimum sealing performance.
THE EPIX™ DIFFERENCE
GYLON EPIX™ and a traditional full face gasket were installed in a 3”-150# flat face flange at 120 ft.lbs. with pressure sensitive film. The film revealed that the traditional material saw heavier loading-near and around the bolts, and lighter loading at the points furthest from the bolts. The GYLON EPIX™ was able to distribute the load more evenly and prevent the low loading phenomenon.
The pressure sensitive film was then analyzed with special software that translate the various shades of red into a full color spectrum that provides a better visualization of the stresses that were developed on each of the gaskets. Again, while the traditional gasket saw areas of lower stress (green and blue areas), the hexagonal pattern in the GYLON EPIX™ concentrated and distributed the stress more evenly across the entire gasket.
- January 18, 2024
Enhancing the surface profile can improve sealing capabilities, extending the functionality of aging piping systems in chemical plants.
There are many aged and aging process plants in operation today. In fact, many of the processing plants for power, chemicals, oil, etc., have been in service for more than 50 years. And while the piping itself may remain intact, their bolted flange gasket joints and connections are becoming misaligned, corroded and damaged due to repeated handling, chemical
- October 11, 2022
Rare and Ultra-Pure Resources Present Unique Challenge to Finding Appropriate Low Temp Gasket
Modern technology often requires rare or ultra-pure materials that can only be handled or obtained within extreme environmental conditions. These same conditions present unique and hazardous difficulties when transporting or utilizing these resources. Resources such as liquid oxygen, nitrogen, or argon; all of which are classified as “industrial gases” are handled well below the normal temperature
- February 28, 2020
GYLON EPIX® is a family of gaskets that effectively seals a broader range of applications and is more forgiving during the installation process. It allows the end user to save valuable turn-around time, reduce re-work, and lower costs, helping them to finish ahead of schedule and under budget.
GYLON EPIX® features a hexagonal surface profile that provides the torque retention and blowout resistance of a thin gasket and the conformability of a thicker gasket. GYLON EPIX Style 3504 is a high performance, aluminosilicate microsphere filled PTFE sheet material designed for use in moderate concentrations of acids, and caustics, as well as hydrocarbons,
- December 13, 2019
Gylon Epix's patterned material provides enhanced compressibility for better sealing
Gaskets are ubiquitous components in a processing plant. Every flange, equipment joint and connection point will have some form of gasket to prevent fluids from compromising (i.e., leaking from) a process system. However, effective sealing can pose challenges. A new form of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) gasket, Gylon Epix, already has successfully addressed a number of persistent problems at plants.
- September 10, 2019
The search for the ideal Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) gasket has been elusive. Competing applications and workplace variables have led to the creation of myriad solutions, yet none that has proven fully adaptable and appropriate for universal adoption.
Garlock Sealing Technologies considered this to be a critical yet entirely solvable shortcoming. And it is against this backdrop that in 2016, they set out to compile a comprehensive list of attributes for the ideal PTFE gasket — a wish list, as it were — in order to build a better gasket.
Working with a third-party survey development company, Garlock developed an exhaustive questionnaire that probed every aspect and functionality of PTFE gaskets, testing and adjusting the questions until they had a workable, finalized version.
Using this final questionnaire, Garlock conducted extensive interviews at 15 major chemical processor companies, speaking with 20 engineers responsible for process operations, projects, maintenance and reliability. The goal was simple: to discover the ideal characteristics and their relative importance that engineers sought in a PTFE gasket.
After several months of data collection, Garlock analyzed the feedback and noted the most popular responses:
- 28% of respondents said that they struggled with how different gaskets required different compressive loads and how to ensure that those gaskets had been installed properly
- 21% expressed frustration with the creep properties of PTFE gaskets
- 21% desired a gasket that seals with less compressive load
- 14% expressed frustration at the installation inconsistencies of their fitters
- 14% expressed frustration with leaking, especially after a successful installation and start-up
From those answers, Garlock drew the following conclusions, representing the most desirable and essential PTFE gasket characteristics:
- Seal: Seals easily
- Installation and assembly: Forgiving of poor installation or assembly practices
- Forgiving: Forgiving of poor flange conditions
- Retention: Maintains a seal after installation
- Flexible: Can be used in a broad range of services to avoid user confusion and reduce inventory
Introducing: GYLON EPIX
Garlock used this feedback in developing a next generation PTFE gasket — GYLON EPIX. Featuring a hexagonal surface profile, GYLON EPIX offers superior compressibility and sealing for use in chemical processing environments. Its enhanced surface profile performs as well or better than existing 1/16″ or 1/8″ gaskets, allowing end-users and distributors to consolidate inventory, lower the risk of using incorrect gasket thicknesses and reduce stocking costs.
GYLON EPIX checks off the most desirable gasket attributes:
- Installation and assembly: Even distribution of the bolt load over the contacted area of the gasket during the assembly process
- Retention: Retention of the bolt load administered at assembly
- Seal: Efficient translation of bolt load to sealing performance
- Forgiving: The ability to perform in imperfect flanges and installation conditions
GYLON EPIX with its raised, hexagonal profile allows it to perform the job of both traditional 1/16” and 1/8” gaskets. It accomplishes this by combining the bolt retention of the former with the forgiveness for bad flange conditions of the latter, a truly innovative feature for PTFE sheet gasketing.
- July 17, 2019
Recent gasket failures in flanged joints of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) piping.
Problem
HDPE piping joints are typically thermal fusion welded joints, but flanges may also be used. When flanges are used, an HDPE flange adapter with a metal backing ring is fused to HDPE piping, as shown in Figure 1. The HDPE flange adapters are used to connect to other flanged fittings, such as valves, elbows, tees, etc., with gaskets inserted between the flanged fittings.
Incident Description
- March 26, 2019
Fried Snack Foods and GYLON® Style 3504 Gasket
The GYLON Style 3504 gasket is made of PTFE with aluminosilicate microspheres. It is designed for use in moderate concentrations of acids, caustics, hydrocarbons, refrigerants, and more.
It provides a tight seal, improved performance over conventional PTFE, reduced product loss and emissions, reduced creep relaxtion, excellent bolt torque retention, it doesn't burn, will not support bacterial growth, plus many more benefits.
INDUSTRY
Food Processing – Fried Snack Foods
CUSTOMER
A major diversified food & beverage manufacturer, with facilities located in all regions across the globe.
BACKGROUND
The customer had persistent problems when sealing hot oil applications on its bulk snack food fryers across several production sites. Build-up of polymerised vegetable oil on the flanges caused unsightly mess, maintenance complications, financial implications, and posed a significant fire risk.
CHALLENGES FACED
As well as ensuring that the sealing material was compliant to FDA and EN1935 standards, the challenge was to ensure that the gaskets would perform well under the difficult conditions presented by the high oil temperatures. Additionally, because the production line was also subject to regular and aggressive cleaning cycles, the gasket material was required to be compatible with other aggressive chemicals across a broad pH range.
- August 28, 2018
We recently added the GYLON EPIX™ - The Next Generation in PTFE Gasketing webinar to our website. The webinar discusses Garlock's revolutionary new gasketing material, with its patented hexagonal surface, which concentrates gasket stress, providing improved compressibility and bolt load retention, improving sealability and blowout resistance.
Below is the third and final section of the webinar, which
- August 07, 2018
We recently added the GYLON EPIX™ - The Next Generation in PTFE Gasketing webinar to our website. The webinar discusses Garlock's revolutionary new gasketing material, with its patented hexagonal surface, which concentrates gasket stress, providing improved compressibility and bolt load retention, improving sealability and blowout resistance.
Below is the second section of the webinar, which
