Blog
- October 04, 2023
Vesconite for Cleaning Chemicals
Vesconite’s ability to withstand various chemicals has been proven in an ultrasonic cleaning application, where bushings made from the chemically-resistant material were fitted to an ultrasonic cleaning machine designed to handle 170,000 parts per day.
The bushings were fitted to the transport cages on the conveyor.
They were immersed in the cleaning liquid, which acted as the only lubrication, and were in contact with the swarf from the cleaning process.
Ultrasonic cleaners are typically used to clean complex parts
- September 29, 2023
V-Packing / Chevron Packing
V-Packings, also called V-Stacks or chevron packings, have been around for decades, and represent one of the earliest advanced sealing designs. While existing long before PTFE spring-energized seals came into being, they are still used in a variety of industries today.
Our partners at Eclipse Engineering design and manufacture their fair share of custom V-packings out of various materials every year. V-Packings offer a simple yet effective design principle.
A series of nested “V’s” are arranged in a gland where the points of the V’s serve as the sealing contact points in the hardware. They are designed in such a way that if the stack is compressed axially, the V behind will expand the radial cross-sectional width of the V in front of it. This will provide the needed energy to force the contacting sealing points into the hardware surfaces.
Compression force is usually provided by a packing nut in the hardware. The more the stack is compressed,
- September 26, 2023
Garlock ABRA-SHIELD™ Expansion Joints
Garlock launched of ABRA-SHIELD™ in 2018, an expansion joint material designed for abrasion resistance and sustainability in demanding high temperature operating conditions.
As the newest addition to Garlock’s family of abrasion resistant expansion joint materials, ABRA-SHIELD™ joined ABRA-LINE® and Natural Rubber to provide a variety of liners that cater to increased abrasion protection. ABRA-SHIELD™ will be an option for use with a number of expansion joint products that Garlock offers – including styles 204, 206, 7250, 8400 and 9394. These expansion joints also provide high levels of protection from stress, misalignment, vibration, noise, shock and corrosion.
- September 21, 2023
CNC Machining Seals with a Haas Automation Machine
CNC machining, which stands for Computer Numerical Control, is a manufacturing process in which pre-programmed computer software dictates the movement of tools and machinery.
The process can be used to control a range of complex machinery, from grinders and lathes to mills and CNC routers.
But in our case, Gallagher is utilizing this process to cut both custom and standard seal profiles for our customers.
CNC machining seals can be great for rapid prototyping or small production runs.
- September 20, 2023
Material certifications, seal geometry and even seal color must also be factored in to allow for maximized seal life, minimized risk and reduced total cost of ownership for both the seal and the rotating equipment.
The most challenging operational environments for sealing mixers, agitators and pumps are often found in the food and pharmaceutical industries. When designing, selecting, or implementing a dynamic seal into operation in the food and pharma space, it is crucial to consider all the physical challenges the seal may face to ensure sealing success. Further, material certifications, seal geometry, and even seal color must also be factored in to allow for maximized seal life, minimized risk and reduced total cost of ownership for both the seal and the rotating equipment.
In this article, we will highlight some of the common environments found within these industries, discuss how the operating conditions affect seal design and selection, and finally, share some
- September 15, 2023
Gallagher Fluid Seals is a Parker Distributor is proud to be proud to be one of the few premier distributors to qualify as a “Parker Seal Technology Center (STC)”.
Silicone Material and Processing for Life Sciences
This is the last of a three-part article series about silicone processing operations for life science applications. In the first article, we shared the versatility and unique qualities of silicone as the medical device material of choice. In part two, we covered the different methods of manufacture for medical silicone components and devices. This article discusses how design for manufacturability (DFM) aids in selecting the right manufacturing process for your medical device application.
As a full-service solutions provider, Parker CSS Division’s Life Science Business Unit provides design for manufacturability services and offers highly responsive assembly and testing of medical instrumentation — from simple electromechanical devices
- September 13, 2023
Sealing Expertise for Solar Energy
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies announced they developed special, innovative seals that are in high demand for solar energy facilities.
Optimal Seals for the Optimal Price
The groove profile in the customer‘s plastic application proved to be a challenge for the seal’s design. Available tolerances and specific installation spaces had to be taken into account. “We were looking for the right material as we proceeded with calculations and simulations,” recalled Ralf Schmid, Senior Vice President, Special Sealing Division at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. In the end, the company’s expertise in engineering and materials won the day – all the more because the sealing rings were designed for an operating life of 30 years. “We developed the optimal product at the optimal cost, eliminating the customer’s concerns relating to a critical
- September 07, 2023
Seals are small components that have a big function. At their most essential purpose, they keep fluid in and debris out. Failure to do this can lead to costly machine destruction, and even endanger the lives of people working around these machines. Preventing seal failure is very important on many different levels.
What Seals Are Up Against
Many factors can cause a seal failure. Being aware of these factors will help you in preventing an avoidable failure. Seals are under constant pressure because of the liquid or gas being contained. Typically, the seals in pipes or machinery have some type of matter within transferred at high velocities. This is a huge part of what they were designed to do, but too much or too little pressure could wear down the seals.
In addition, extreme temperatures can cause the seal to become brittle. A mixture of extreme temperatures and pressure is a recipe for cracking and leaking. Also, debris can contaminate the integrity of the seal. Even
- September 06, 2023
Four-foot diameter lantern rings solve corrosion issues at Hoover Dam hydro plant
When engineers at Hoover Dam determined that the original cast iron lantern rings built into some of its turbines needed to be replaced, they were looking for a solution to help them overcome the corrosion issues they experienced with the cast iron.
The maintenance team also faced another challenge. The Colorado River serves as a water source for the Hoover Dam hydropower station, and the water in this area is commonly referred to as “hard water” due to its high mineral content, specifically high levels of calcium and magnesium ions. Aluminium lantern rings that were first tried as a replacement, were corroded by chemical reactions with the minerals in the water.
- September 01, 2023
KLINGER® QUANTUM
Unique gasket material with the highest flexibility at high temperatures
KLINGER® Quantum is the first fiber reinforced gasket material in the world that is exclusively HNBR-bound. Together with a unique production process developed specifically for the purpose, this material can be used at higher temperatures and with a much wider range of media than any other fiber reinforced gasket material that is currently available.
This material is suitable for use in oils, water, steam, gases, salt solutions, fuels, alcohols, weak organic and inorganic acids, hydrocarbons, lubricants and refrigerants. KLINGER Quantum is manufactured with a high-quality fiber and filler compound reinforced with a high temperature resistant HNBR matrix.