Do you know how to avoid seal failure?

Do you know how to avoid Seal failure?

Seals can sometimes be overlooked by designers and engineers as an unremarkable component. Insufficient attention was paid to user training or selection of installation tools, resulting in seals being damaged or not installed correctly during installation.

Here are some common causes of seal failures and suggestions on how to avoid them. Let's take a look.

01. Improper installation

If the installation of the seal in the cylinder is difficult, a special installation tool with lead-in chamfer is required. Also make sure that there are no sharp corners in the seal groove that could damage the seal.

Another common cause of seal failure: Install the seal in the wrong direction. It is therefore crucial to use the correct installation tool to prevent the seal from being installed in the wrong direction and the risk that the seal may be damaged during installation.

02. Extrusion problem

This type of seal failure is more familiar to designers, where overloaded pressure levels can cause seals to break and squeeze into hardware gaps.

This problem can be avoided by using a back-up ring or changing the seal material from elastomer to thermoplastic.

03. Compression deformation

Low pressure leakage is a sign of reduced elasticity of the seal, commonly referred to as compression set.

Rubber and polymer seals are more prone to this. Seal preventive maintenance should be added or replaced with a material less susceptible to compression set.