General-purpose Seal Technology

General-purpose seal technology

Description

Structure of oil seals and workings of each part

The following figure and table show the structure of oil seals and workings of each part, respectively.

Structure of oil seals and workings of each part

Name Workings of each part Lip Lip tip The lip tip has a wedge-shaped cross section and the function of sealing the fluid as it is pressed against the shaft surface. Seal lip The seal lip is made of a flexible elastomer, and designed to maintain stable sealing performance against vibration of machinery and pressure change of the sealed fluid. The spring maintains the force of the seal lip pressed against the shaft for a long time. Dust lip The dust lip is a supplemental lip without spring, and has the function of preventing the entry of dust. Fitting portion The fitting portion has the function of fixing the oil seal in the housing hole and preventing the leakage of the fluid from the contact surface between the outer circumferential surface of the oil seal and the inner circumferential surface of the housing or the entry of dust. The metallic ring has the function of securing the fitting force to fix the oil seal on the housing.

Main types, characteristics and related standards of oil seals

Shape Type Applications/characteristics JIS B2402 JASO F401 ISO 6194 SC SB For oil, no dust lip Type 1
Type 2 S SM TYPE1 TYPE2 TC TB For oil, with dust lip Type 4
Type 5 D DM TYPE3 TYPE4 VC VB For grease, no dust lip (G) (GM) G GM   KC KB For grease, with dust lip   P PM  

Materials used for oil seals

The following table shows main rubber materials, springs and metallic ring materials used for oil seals.

Main rubber material

Main material Characteristics of rubber material Operating temperature
(heat resistance) Material cost Nitrile rubber (NBR) ・ Material costs are low.
・ Offers versatility and most commonly used.
・ The operating temperature (heat resistance) is limited. ～100℃ Acrylic rubber (ACM) ・ Superior in heat resistance to nitrile rubber.
・ Resistance to brake fluid and fuel oil is inferior. ～130℃ Silicone rubber (VMQ) ・ Superior in heat resistance to acrylic rubber.
・ Has best cold resistance.(-60℃～)
・ Inferior in resistance to alkali and water. ～150℃ Fluororubber (FKM) ・ Has best heat resistance.
・ Most widely suitable for lubricating oils and fuel oils. ～180℃

Spring and metallic ring material

Fluid to be sealed＼
Spring and metallic ring material Spring Metallic ring Standard material Dedicated material Standard material Dedicated material JIS G3521 SW
Dedicated material
JIS G3522 SWP
（Piano wire） JIS G4309 SUS
(Stainless steel wire) JIS G3141 SPCC
(Cold-rolled steel sheets
and steel strips)
JIS G3131 SPHC
(Hot-rolled steel sheets
and steel strips) JIS G4305 SUS
（Cold-rolled stainless steel sheets)
JIS G4307 SUS
（Cold-rolled stainless steel strips) 304 316 304 316 Lubricating oil/grease ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Water × ○ ○ × ○ ○ Vapor × ○ ○ × ○ ○ Seawater × × ○ × × ○ Acid × × ○ × × ○ Alkali × ○ ○ × ○ ○

○： Usable　×： Not usable

Method of selecting oil seals

To make full use of the function of oil seals, selecting the most suitable shape and material for the use conditions is necessary. Generally, the following steps are followed:

Select the shape.

Select the lip material.

Select the metallic material.

Select the dimensions.

Since NOK offers a wide range of lineup that meets various requirements, please see our catalogs or contact the sales office nearest you.

Design of oil seal mounted portion

Since the shaft, housing shape, roughness, etc. influence the performance of oil seals, key points for general shaft and housing design are described below.

Key points for shaft and housing design

Mounted portion Design key points and recommended values Remarks (precautions) Shaft Material Use of carbon steel pipes for mechanical structures is recommended. Use of cast iron should be avoided as much as possible since pinholes may be generated. Hardness 30 HRC min.   Roughness and machining method ・ 0.32—0.1 μmRa and 2.5—0.8 μmRz are recommended.
・ Finish with a grinder or emery paper is recommended. If shaft machining marks have orientation, leakage may be caused. Chamfering Chamfer the shaft ends.   Housing Material Steel or cast iron is recommended. Use of light metal or resign should be avoided as much as possible since they are thermally expanded significantly. Inner circumferential surface roughness Outer metal: 3.2—0.4 μmRa, 12.5—1.6 μmRz Outer rubber: 3.2—1.6 μmRa, 12.5—6.3 μmRz When the inner circumferential surface roughness is large, a gap is created between the contact faces, causing leakage.

What is the function of a seal?

Types of seals

In general, there are two different types of seals:

Static seals, these do not move in relation to each other

Dynamic seals, these move past each other

At Lagersmit, we are specialised in dynamic (radial) seals for rotating shafts within ships, pumps and tidal turbines. The two most important functions of our shaft seals are:

Prevent water, dirt and dust from entering the installation

Prevent fluids (usually oil or grease) from leaking out of the installation and ending up in the environment

What is the function of an oil seal in an electrical pump?

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