- In the world of manufacturing and maintenance, the unassuming white rubber gasket plays a pivotal role in ensuring seamless operations across various industries. This humble component, characterized by its adaptable nature and reliable performance, is often taken for granted despite its significant contributions to modern infrastructure.
Oil seals come with various lip designs, each serving a unique purpose and suitable for different applications. Let’s discuss the most common industry-standard lip designs:
There is a British Standard laid down for the control of synthetic rubbers. BS 3574 (1989) helps to determine shelf life – for instance, Nitrile (NBR) and Polyacrylic (ACM) are Group ‘B’ rubbers and have a 7-year life, whilst Silicone (VMQ) and Fluoroelastomers (Viton®) are Group ‘C’ rubbers and have a 10-year shelf life. PTFE and Leather do not come into this category but like the others should be kept in the original packing for as long as possible away from direct light, dust, and humidity. Ozone, which can also be produced by battery-driven forklift trucks has a very bad effect on synthetic rubbers. Finally, protect the sealing lip – DO NOT hang the seals on nails, wire etc.