5 Reasons Why Your Business Needs FKM Oil Seal？
What Are the Key Benefits of Oil Seals?
Oil seals are vital to the daily operation of most factories and a wide range of industrial and commercial equipment. They are available in imperial and metric dimensions for both single- and double-lip design. Motors, Mechanical Hydraulic systems, pistons, and pumps utilize oil seals to protect internal components. Depending on the application, there are various material, size, and configuration options to best fit your needs. Learn more about oil seals, their composition, and the wide range of advantages they offer for your equipment.
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What Is an Oil Seal, and What Are Its Elements?
An oil seal has two tasks: Keeping the lubricant in and keeping dirt and contaminants out of rotating components. This separation must be accomplished between surfaces in relative motion, usually a shaft or bearing inner ring and a housing. With correct installation, oil seals can also prevent seal leakage and maintain the lubricity of a bearing to ensure that the rotary shaft and its bearings remain fully functional.
A typical oil seal consists of three common parts: an outer ring, the sealing element, and a spring. The exterior metal ring component provides strength and rigidity to the oil seal in the bore or recessed groove. Attached to that ring is the sealing element. This flexible interior component of the oil seal, the O-ring, prevents any fluid leaks between the shaft and housing. A spring ensures the constant pressure that deforms the O-ring, creating a reliable seal while maintaining radial force on the shaft.
Generally, oil seals vary in materials and types based on the corresponding application. Common materials include:
Nitrile Buna-N 70. NBR is compatible with numerous environmental conditions and is also relatively cost-efficient, which makes it one of the most popular and best-suited materials for the industry. Nitrile works well in the -30° to 250° F range and when exposed to anything from water and hydraulic fluids to gas, silicone, vegetable, or animal oils.
Fluoropolymer. FKMs, or Viton®, are perfect for high-temperature applications up to approximately 400° F. Additionally, they feature low compression characteristics. Seals of this material are highly resistant to solvents, gas, and petroleum or transmission oils, so they are a good fit for applications around these materials.
Silicone. Vinyl-methyl-silicones (VMQs) maintain performance in temperatures from -140° to 392° F. In addition, silicone is resistant to adverse weather conditions, light, and ozone. The healthcare and food industry sectors, as well as pneumatic and hydraulic systems, often use silicone.
Polyacrylate. Polyacrylate is a good combination of quality and cost benefits. It is highly resistant to oxidation and heated oil, withstanding temperatures from -25° F to 300° F. This material has applications in vehicle transmissions, shaft seals, O-rings, and more.
What Benefits Do Oil Seals Provide?
Oil seals can offer:
Low levels of friction. The lubrication within the seal ensures that the seal lip does not come into contact with the rotary shaft, eliminating the risk of burning or wear.
Compact size and lightweight. Oil seals possess a small and lightweight design, which belies their strong endurance capabilities.
Reliable, rugged performance. Even under harsh conditions or extreme temperatures, these durable components will maintain their seal.
Simple construction. Easy to handle and assemble, oil seals only take a matter of minutes to replace as technicians do not have to take a machine apart.
Versatility. Standard lip seals are best for applications within dry environments, or those lacking lubrication. Oil seals can act as an alternative with increased functionality.
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Why Should You Choose Emerson for Your Oil Seal Needs?
Choosing high-quality oil seals for your roller bearings, precision bearings, and more is an important decision, so at Emerson Bearing Company, we do more than manufacture oil seals. We draw from over 50 years of expertise in the area of bearings and bearing-related components so that our team can help you choose the right oil seals for your exact needs, regardless of the nature and complexity of your application. Should we not have a particular part in stock in our vast inventory, we also utilize a worldwide sourcing network to deliver on premium products. The Emerson team strives to provide a one-stop experience for our customers, from sourcing and budgeting to assistance in oil seal selection and timely delivery with same-day shipping options.
Our oil seals serve a wide array of industrial sectors both domestically and internationally, and we offer the following as part of our online product catalog:
We also believe very strongly in providing superior customer service and are here to support you 24 hours a day. Contact us to learn more about our oil seals and additional services.
Common Reasons for Industrial Oil Seal Failure and How to ...
In Part 2 of our focus on Oil Seals, we examine common reasons for industrial oil seal failure and what can be done to address such problems.
Industrial Oil Seals are used in various industrial applications. These seals help increase machine efficiency and productivity and help reduce maintenance time and costs. Depending on the type of seal, some can handle a wide temperature range.and have special properties such as resistance to abrasives, chemically compatible and having low wear. Oil Seals can be used in various industries such as chemical processing, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, general industry, hydrocarbon processing, and so on.
Like any other mechanical component, Industrial Oil Seals can also be susceptible to failure. Some of the top reasons that can lead to Industrial Oil Seal failure and how these can be solved are as follows:
1. Failure mode: Excessive Lip Wear
The lip edge is severely worn, and the worn surface appears dull and rough.
Image by NOK.
Cause: Insufficient Lubrication
This is due to insufficient lubrication, which has led to increased friction and as a result, abnormally high wear. The amount of lubricant applied was below the specified level and therefore, did not reach the sealing lip.
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Solution: Add lubricant up to the specified level before operating again.
2. Failure mode: Oil seal deformation
The oil seal is damaged causing lip deformation.
Image by NOK.
Cause: Inappropriate assembly
This problem can occur when the inside diameter of the Oil Seal is too small. The oil seal may also have been deformed due to an inappropriate assembly jig or wrong installation tools being used.
Solution: To fix this issue, use the right tools and improve the assembly jig.
3. Failure mode: Lip hardening
The lip wear band is smooth and glossy. The entire sealing lip is hardened and cracks appear.
Image by NOK.
Cause: Abnormally high temperature
This problem occurred because the oil temperature near the sealing lip exceeded the heat-resistance limits of the rubber.
Another reason could be that the oil temperature exceeded the design temperature limits due to application condition changes.
Solution: Investigate the cause of failure and take the necessary measures to prevent future temperature spikes.
If the oil temperature exceeds the design temperature limits, choose a seal with a better heat-resistant lip material, for example, changing from nitrile rubber (NBR) to acrylic rubber (ACM), or acrylic rubber (ACM) to fluorocarbon rubber (FKM).
Do take note that a change in lip material also means the oil resistance will be changed.
4. Failure mode: Collapse or tearing of sealing lip
The sealing lip gets scraped or collapsed or the flexible part is torn.
Cause: Improper shaft chamfer or incorrect tools being used during assembly. Another reason for this can be high pressure directed at the flexible part.
Solution: To fix this problem, chamfer the shaft to the correct size, choose the correct assembly tool, and apply grease to the chamfered area before assembly. Also, choose an oil seal suitable in handling high pressures. Proper material handling is also key.
5. Failure mode: Garter spring disconnected
One of the most critical problems that have been reported with regards to Industrial Oil Seals is that the garter springs out of the groove.
Cause: This can occur because 1) the chamfer does not have the correct angle or 2) it can be due to incorrect assembly with grooves that are not deep enough.
Solution: If your problem was because of 1), you may use a mounting sleeve, or properly chamfer the shaft. Apply grease to the chamfered area before assembly. For failure mode 2), you need to assembly the unit correctly by aligning the shaft and housing bore. If required, choose another design or use a spring with a smaller diameter.
Want to Learn More About Oil Seal?
SLS distributes a wide range of oil seals for a variety of industries. Our sealing solutions are specially tailored to your industry. Our engineers have expertise in recommending seals for the petrochemical, oil and gas, and manufacturing industries, among others. We partner with a range of brands like NOK, Garlock and Economos to provide our customers with the best selection available.
Are you interested in learning more about Polyurethane O Ring? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!