In today's post, we'll look at the proper way to install gaskets.
In the past, we've used this blog to discuss the hidden cost of gasket failure. While gaskets represent a fraction of the cost of the machines or systems in which they are installed, the consequences of a failure can range from nuisance leaks to catastrophic failure.
And with that failure comes damage to equipment, lost production time, non-compliance penalties, along with loss of customer confidence and even the threat of litigation.
In that article we said that 68% of gasket failures were due to insufficient load, stemming from improper installation, misapplication, poor flange design and/or bolt selection, and rotated flanges. Today, we'll look at the first section of that list.