May. 08, 2023
Also known as grease seals, rotary shaft seals, or fluid seals, oil seals play a pivotal role in mechanical equipment. They are often overlooked because they are a small part of the machine, but when these oil seals fail, the consequences can be huge, like seal leakages that are costly to fix.
From assembly machines to car engines, oil seals prevent any harmful damage from occurring, which is why you must choose the right oil seal with the highest quality. There are many kinds of oil seals, all of which have several uses.
This article will guide you through the most common factors you should look for when buying oil seals to help you choose the right one for the machinery you’re working on.
Improper installation and poor-quality oil seals are some of the reasons that pieces of machinery get damaged. When choosing an oil seal, consider the following factors.
The temperature range of the seal elastomer should match the temperature range of where you’ll install the seal. For example, high-temperature and high-pressure environments need more durable rubber, like Viton. If the oil seal is exposed to extreme temperatures outside of the elastomer’s range, the sealing lip may harden, break, and crack.
The oil seal’s material matters, as it can determine how well it performs depending on its use. Sealing elements can come in leather, silicone, synthetic rubber, Viton, nitrile, and polyacrylate. Nitrile is good for general purposes, as it’s flexible and resistant against oils, hot water, and gasoline. However, it doesn’t do well in extremely high temperatures. Meanwhile, silicone oil seals lessen wear and tear by absorbing lubricants. They have a wide temperature range and high thermal resistance, too.
Understanding the compression requirements of your components is important. Most ordinary oil seals are designed for very low-pressure applications (about 8 psi or less). If the intended application has high pressure, you should consider choosing an oil seal ideal for high pressure or changing to a pressure-free structure.
The oil seal shouldn’t suffer from spiraling or abrasions. As such, you should consider the maximum allowable shaft speed, runout, type of oil seal material, type of fluid being sealed, and housing bore and shaft concentricity before buying an oil seal.
Close shaft and bore tolerances should be present if you want the best seal performance. It would be best to consider the shaft’s vibration, eccentricity, and end play.
You must align bore and shaft centers because misalignment can shorten the oil seal’s life cycle due to the excessive wear concentrated on only one side of the sealing lip.
It would be best if you kept runout to a minimum. When the center of rotation moves, it’s usually caused by a shaft whip or bearing wobble. When you add misalignment, then you’ll face a greater problem. Contrary to common practice, installing flexible couplings won’t correct misalignment, which is why you need the right oil seal to prevent all these issues from arising.
The quality of the oil seal affects its service life. The higher the quality, the longer the lifespan, reducing wear and tear and increasing your ROI through lower maintenance costs. While wear and tear issues are inevitable, you should mitigate them by using materials that last long. Here, the first step to ensuring quality oil seals is purchasing from a reputable oil seal supplier.
When shafts have a Rockwell (RC) hardness of 30 or more, you can expect the oil seal to have a longer seal life. For shafts exposed to more abrasive contamination, your oil seal should handle RC 60.
You can tell that you have effective sealing if the shaft surface finish is in excellent condition. Sealing performance is greatly influenced by the spiral lead and the direction of the finish tool marks.
You’ll get the best sealing results when the shafts are ground or polished with concentric (no spiral lead) finish marks. If the shaft can’t help but have spiral finish leads, they should lead toward the fluid when the shaft rotates.
Oil or lubricants play a significant role in improving the oil seal’s performance. You should choose a lubricant compatible with the seal lip elastomer material and the right viscosity for the application. Incompatible lubrication can result in the wearing out of the oil seal.
An example of a lubricant you can use is Permatex Anti-Seize Lubricant, a highly refined blend of graphite, aluminum, and copper lubricants.
Oil seals come in various sizes, styles, and materials. Hence, it can be challenging to pick the right type for your needs. Use the factors above to guide you throughout your oil seal selection process. If you’re looking for top-of-the-line oil seals, Simplex is a premier distributor of oil seals and premium industrial and engineering parts in the Philippines. Visit our shop today to get started!
Carlo Atienza is an Online Sales Officer for Simplex, a leading distributor of rubber sealing products. While managing marketing campaigns, Carlo aims to write articles that educate readers on the benefits and hidden wonders of industrial parts and engineering products.
The lifespan will really depend on a lot of factors. First off if you keep your bike clean and dirt off the top of the seal they will last longer. Also, change your fluid out on a regular basis and that will extend the life of them. If you ride in the cold you might see a reduction in their life due to them getting stiff and the oil being more viscous which will raise pressure inside the forks which can cause seal damage. All in all I am not too sure that there is a hard fast number at which they will need replacing.
The expected lifespan of a mechanical seal can vary widely depending on factors such as the type of seal, the operating conditions, the nature of the fluids being handled, and the quality of installation and maintenance.
Generally, a mechanical seal can last anywhere from a few months to several years. In some cases, seals may need to be replaced more frequently, especially in applications involving corrosive or abrasive fluids or where there is a high degree of wear and tear.
Proper installation, operation, and maintenance can help extend the life of a mechanical seal. Factors such as proper alignment, correct lubrication, and appropriate monitoring can help identify and address issues that may affect the seal’s performance and lifespan. Regular inspection and replacement of worn or damaged parts can also help prevent premature failure.
In general, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for maintenance and replacement intervals to ensure optimal performance and longevity of the mechanical seal.
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