PIF spoke to Martin's Rubber about how to restore rubber products

The experts at Martin’s Rubber understand how difficult it can be to restore rubber, whether this is due to heavy usage, incorrect specification, or design for the application in question, or even the gradual degrading effect of weather, so PIF spoke to Martin’s Rubber about how to restore rubber products to extend their shelf-life.

“Rubber, like many organic materials, have a definite shelf-life that varies dependent on the type of rubber, and external factors that can speed up the deterioration process”, explains Claire Clarke of Martin’s Rubber. Over time rubber parts deteriorate, until this eventually leads to the total failure of the rubber part which can, in turn, lead to potentially catastrophic consequences.

“Depending on the environment, this could mean a minor inconvenience, or become a seriously catastrophic event”, claims Claire.

Martin’s Rubber recommends rubber restoring techniques that, when used in conjunction with proper maintenance, can bring your rubber products from the brink of failure and be restored to full functionality.

What items do I need to restore rubber products?

“You can’t do a good job without the right tools! When restoring rubber seals, you can often get very good results by using a combination of easy to find household items - alongside a few specialist products”, says Claire. She goes on to explain that dependent on the extent of the restoration, you will need some or all of these:

• A dry cotton cloth
• A small bristle brush
• Abrasive file
• Coarse and fine graded Emery or Aluminium Oxide sanding cloth
• Diluted bleach (3 measure of water to every 1 of bleach), or a mild soap
• Protective gloves
• Protective floor coverings
• Almond oil
• Rubber solvent (we recommend Turpentine based products)
• A rubber condition (such as Sonar, Wurth, Meguiars)
• Cooking pot or saucepan (but you will not want to use this for cooking afterwards, so use an old one)
• Tongs

Claire from Martin’s Rubber explains a step-by-step process on how to restore your rubber products.

Step 1 - Preparation

First things first, clear off any debris from the item you want to restore, including any paraffin wax that may have leached out of the rubber, using the rubber solvent.

Step 2 - Scrub and Clean

Next, it’s a good idea to give the rubber seal a really good scrub to clean off excess dirt and prevent future wear and tear. For a lighter level of dirt, use warm water and mild soap. For heavier levels of dirt, mould or mildew, use the diluted bleach mix.

Step 3 - Rubber Conditioner

Using a different cloth to the one used earlier, rub the rubber conditioner thoroughly into the seal. Once it has been worked in and the rubber is completely saturated, wipe off the excess.

Step 4 - Remove damaged parts

Removing too much of the rubber seal will render it completely useless! But if the rubber seal isn’t heavily damaged, with just a few scuffs and minimal damage, it would be beneficial to use a file or abrasive emery cloth to generally buff off the damaged areas of rubber. Once you’ve removed the damaged sections, reapply the rubber conditioner for additional protection.

“If you only need to restore smaller, lightly weathered rubber seals, boil some water in the saucepan, add a small amount of soap and submerge the seal”, suggests Claire. She goes on to explain, “remove the seal using tongs and test its flexibility and condition every 5 minutes or so.” Using this method, the time taken to restore rubber can vary depending on the item, but it can be just as effective and much less labour intensive than the previous method.

Martin’s Rubber are experts at rubber manufacture, maintenance and development. Their hands-on technical expertise and flexibility at all stages of development, testing and manufacture ensure that Martin’s Rubber can consistently meet and exceed customer expectations. For more information, head over to their website.

Gaskets and seals don’t last forever. However, they are designed, or they should be, last for a considerable period. 

In this sense, it is vital to look at ways to preserve your gaskets in order to avoid any application downtime. 

Downtime that involves additional expense and inefficiencies to you. 

That’s why in this post, we look at some safeguarding measures that can be taken to achieve the longevity of your gaskets and seals and how your gasket manufacturer can help you. 

Types of gasket failure

 

Unfortunately, there are two types of gasket failure: 

Catastrophic failure – leading to instant leakage of your application. 

Gradual deterioration – leading to leakage occurring over time, causing small yet significant leaks and problems. 

Neither failure is a good sign for you or your production lines, and most gasket manufacturers like Specialist Sealing Products will work with customers to help provide the most suitable gasket and seal for the application intended to avoid such failures from occurring. 

Common factors affecting gasket failure

 

• Torque loss and stress relaxation

   

• Temperature

   

• Uneven pressure experienced at the joints

   

• Uneven flange surfaces

   

It’s essential to keep a record of all failures as well as the reasons behind these failures, allowing you to ascertain any trends or patterns which may be occurring. It also helps to provide the right corrective measures to prevent failures from happening again. 

In some cases, it’s not just about replacing the gasket but rather finding the root cause of the problem. 

How to avoid gasket failure

 

Gasket failure can be a major headache for all those involved. It can wreak havoc on processes and systems as well as leading to costly downtime for you and your production lines. 

Ultimately gasket failure can lead to a loss of productivity, it can be a significant drain on resources, and it has the potential to cause injury to personnel if not managed appropriately. 

These are just a handful of the main reasons why it’s important to continuously ensure the safe and efficient running of all your plant machinery. 

Preserving your gaskets

 

Below we’ve provided some of our top tips to help get the most out of your gaskets and seals. 

Check for quality

Cheap gaskets are usually cheap for a reason. Often cheaper gaskets use more inferior quality materials as well as being found to be poorly manufactured. 

Check the type of material used

Choosing the right filler material is vital to ensure its suitability within the intended application. Avoid dire consequences by opting for a gasket that is chemically compatible, and which works well in the required temperature exposure and fluctuations. 

Check installation

If a gasket is installed incorrectly, it will fail prematurely, linking it with downtime and replacement costs – both areas that you will want to avoid.

Find Out More Here!

Rubber gaskets and drying out

 

If you’re using rubber gaskets, it’s crucial to be aware that these types of seals can dry out. 

Typically found between the lid and the opening of a jar, for example, these rubbers are used to provide an airtight seal. 

However, when exposed to heat, sun, and even dirt, these seals can, and do, dry out. This then makes them brittle, with the increased risk of the seal cracking, hence losing their overall effectiveness. 

If you are using rubber seals, to help, we would recommend: 

• Storing your product/application inside wherever possible, avoiding heat and direct sunlight

   

• Cleaning seals when you begin to notice dirt appearing (hot soapy water and a clean cloth is ideal)

   

• Drying seals thoroughly before using them again

   

• Conditioning the seals using olive oil and a polishing cloth can help to increase the longevity of the seal

   

At Specialist Sealing Products, we don’t manufacture any inferior products. We use our experience, knowledge, and expertise to supply the right gasket for the job every time. 

Producing precision gaskets and joints is what we do best. Designing and manufacturing the highest quality seals all with laser precision, we work with companies and individuals all over the world, distributing the right gasket suited to the perfect application. 

For further information and advice on gasket and seal installation, speak to a member of our team on 01535 274 776 

Read the next article: The Evolution of Gasket Solutions

Rubber deterioration can happen due to a variety of factors, including heat, light, and other environmental factors. Its greatest impact is typically with rubber seals and o-rings. This blog will discuss common deterioration causes for rubber seals and steps to help prevent underlying issues.

What is Rubber Deterioration?

Elastomers are a natural or synthetic polymer that has elastic properties. Rubber is an example of an elastomer as rubber is stretchy. Rubber can deteriorate over time due to to the nature of the material. The most common causes of rubber deterioration include heat, exposure to light, and exposure to chemicals or even oxygen. Things like rubber seals and O-rings are susceptible to deterioration due to the molecular changes these factors cause. They can significantly impact the mechanical properties of the rubber seal, which results in shortened lifespan.

Causes of Deterioration

Heat, light, chemical exposure, and oxygen exposure cause physical and chemical changes to rubber seals. When exposed, the chain of molecules begins to break down. Heat has the effect of shortening the molecular chains which causes the material to stretch once cooled down. Light is referred to as UV degradation and can cause rubber to become hard, crack, and even fade. The ongoing contraction and expansion leads to major issues. Oxygen attacks the double bonds in rubber chains, which leads to deterioration.

Each of these issues causes damage to rubber seals, however, they can be prevented or avoided via correct preparation and planning. 

Rubber Deterioration Prevention Tips

Before rubber is manufactured, an analysis is completed to predict its response to conditions that cause strain or stress. With that, the end-user will still need to properly care for rubber seals to ensure they last. Once seals arrive on site, they need to be stored in a cool, dry, dark, and oxygen-free space. These are the most optimal conditions to store seals. It’s best to buy specialty seals in bulk to ensure they are all in the same or similar condition when utilized on equipment.

If seals on site show signs of deterioration, there are ways to revitalize them to bring them back to optimal condition. Following proper restoration techniques can uplift seals to a state where they can be used again. Below are the steps to do just that: 

• Clean the area around the rubber seal, including dirt, water, or any other debris. 

• Scrub off the excess grime or hardened debris. 

• Find an optimal conditioner for the type of seal you are hoping to revitalize. 

• Apply it to your rubber seal per the conditioner's instructions. 

• Rub off the damaged areas using a file and reapply the conditioner for optimal restoration.

For more information about restoring seals, or if you have a custom project you need assistance with, contact Gallagher Fluid Seals today.

This original article was featured on Real Seals Co.'s website and was modified for Gallagher's blog.