precision associates

Fluid 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:

Gore, Precision Associates, and Parker Join the Fight Against Covid-19

What Gore is doing to help

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact communities around the world, Gore is working hard to identify ways in which they can apply their materials science expertise and production capabilities to help during this time of need.

Several initiatives are underway that bring together the knowledge, skills and capabilities from across Gore.

As an immediate and initial response to the personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage, Gore rapidly engineered prototype reusable mask covers to supplement clinicians’ primary face masks.

The effort went from a product concept to prototypes in less than one week. Gore currently has prototypes being evaluated at a limited number of U.S. facilities in COVID-19 outbreak hot spots.

Additionally, by providing their customers and other manufacturing companies with Gore's highly specialized component materials, they can use them to produce a variety of finished PPE items, such as:

• Protective medical gowns, using fabrics laminates from Gore's current inventory
• Universal filter cartridge prototypes for fixed masks that incorporate Gore's filtration materials intended to provide N95 particulate protection,
• Disposable N95 respirators, using Gore's filtration laminates

It is through these collaborations with those who have the technical capabilities and production capacity needed to produce the finished goods in volume that together, Gore and its partners truly are improving life.

Gore has even donated medical supplies and protective gear to healthcare workers in the communities in which their facilities are stationed. They've also extended a hand to provide engineering and prototyping support to address other urgent equipment needs at local hospitals.

What Precision Associates is doing to help

Precision Associates, Inc. has ramped up its production of several essential rubber components for ventilator manufacturer Ventec Life Systems. Ventec recently announced plans to partner with GM to increase the output of these crucial units in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Critical patients suffering from the virus have difficulty breathing and require ventilator assistance for life support. GM is now transforming one of its factories to begin assembling ventilators for Ventec in early April.

Food, Beverage, and Pharmaceutical Regulations

Stringent government regulations mandate that food, beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturers keep foreign material out of ingredients to ensure food and drug safety for consumers. Preventing foreign material from entering the processing stream is of the utmost concern but there must also be measures in place to detect contaminated product and quarantine it before distribution.

Component parts that are used in food and drug processing equipment can become damaged by improper installation and/or excessive shear experienced during operation that causes fragments of rubber, plastic, and metal to contaminate ingredients. Chemicals used for cleaning and sterilization of equipment can cause rubber seals to degrade, increasing

Tensile Strength | Ultimate Elongation | Modulus of Elasticity

Rubber Compound Data sheets usually display a number of physical properties as recorded from standard test methods. Among the most common are three measured on the Tensometer:

1. Tensile Strength (at break)
2. Ultimate Elongation
3. Modulus of Elasticity

The Test

The Tensometer stretches a specimen, or dumbbell, cut from a sheet of rubber, until it breaks. During the test, the force required and length of the gauged section are measured continuously. These measurements are used to calculate the various results, which considers the actual dimensions of the test specimen.

While Tensile Strength and Ultimate

Rubber seals are used in numerous industries to prevent the unwanted leakage of liquids and gases in various components such as pumps, valves, pipe fittings, and vacuum seals, to name only a few. However, all seals are not created equally. Rubber seal design consists of several elements to ensure that the seal delivers optimal performance in the given environment.

One of the most common types of industrial rubber seals, the O-ring, relies on mechanical compressive deformation to act as a barrier between mating surfaces, thus restricting the flow of fluid in predetermined areas. Several factors must, therefore, be taken into account in O-ring seal design to sustain the compressive force and maintain an effective seal.

Key Design Considerations

Rubber seals are available in a large number of material compositions, each with its own set of advantages and limitations. The selection of the appropriate material involves the consideration of specific factors including: