How To Design And Produce A Good Hydraulic Seal?

Hydraulic seals are essential parts of hydraulic equipment, which isolate and contain hydraulic operating fluids and help prevent leakage at high pressure. These seals are vital in determining the efficiency and durability of hydraulic equipment or machinery, which is why their development is essential in several industries. This article explores how to design a hydraulic seal and the requirements for materials, types, manufacturing, and standard performance.

How to Design a Hydraulic Seal

Several parameters must be considered to produce a hydraulic seal to get the best efficiency and service life results. The major considerations include the operating conditions, the category of the hydraulic system, and the application goals. Below are some tips and procedures that are useful in designing a hydraulic seal:

1. Identify the Operating Environment

Working conditions are the first process to consider when designing a hydraulic seal. This involves the area of temperature variation, the pressure within the room, or even contact with certain chemicals and abrasives. All of these factors can dramatically affect the choice of materials and the details of the structure.

2. Choose the Right Materials

The choice of hydraulic seal materials must be done carefully because it influences the seal’s operating characteristics and durability. Materials that are commonly utilized in hydraulic seals include:

● Nitrile Rubber (NBR): Nitrile Rubber has been known to have a very high oil resistance and to handle temperature changes well.

● Polyurethane (PU): It provides high resistive wear and flexibility, which is good for use in movement areas.

● Fluoroelastomer (FKM) has very good chemical and high heat resistance, making it suitable for severely demanding conditions.

● Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE): Used for its low friction and high-temperature characteristics.

3. Determine the Seal Type

Hydraulic seal types are categorized into varying types depending on functionality and usage. The primary types include:

● Rod Seals: Reduce fluid leakage from the cylinder and help sustain pressure in the system.

● Piston Seals: Ensure the fluid does not pass through out of the piston cylinder without undergoing compression to enhance efficiency.

● Wiper Seals: Avoid contaminants getting to the hydraulic system.

● Static Seals: Containment is needed at the joints for static applications.

4. Design for Optimal Performance

Hydraulic seal design rules focus on aspects such as the dimensions of a seal, the state of its surface, and how the hydraulic seal is applied. This way, the seal geometry must correspond to the application and not be too tight or cause high friction. The surfaces of the members to be in contact with the seal should be smooth to reduce abrasion. Also, the correct installation is necessary to avoid harming the fence during assembly.

Read more about Hydraulic seals.

Producing a Hydraulic Seal

Hydraulic seal is manufactured by following certain production processes, including selecting the materials to be used, the manufacturing process to be employed, and quality control measures to be taken. Here is a step-by-step overview of the hydraulic seal production process:

1. Material Preparation

Constructing a hydraulic seal starts with obtaining the raw materials used to produce that seal. This entails choosing the correct polymers and additives depending on the design requirements. These are followed by processing the raw materials to form a single compound in its simplest homogeneous form.

2. Molding and Shaping

Subsequently, the prepared material is put through various processes that give the final product the required shape or form. This may include compression molding, injection molding, or even extrusion. All the methods are useful depending on the size and intensity of the seals that have been manufactured.

3. Curing and Finishing

After molding, the seals are cured to improve their mechanical characteristics. This entails using heat and pressure on the seals to make them as hard and flexible as required for the application to be served. After that, post-curing is done with trimming and finishing to thin down the material to a specific thickness to eliminate excessive material on the seals.

4. Quality Control and Testing

Hydraulic seal manufacturing is usually accompanied by the need to manage quality, which is an important aspect. Every seal is tested for hydraulic seal standard strength before it is passed for use in other applications. This includes dimensional inspections, material testing, and performance tests, mainly under some simulated operating conditions.

Hydraulic Seal Performance and Applications

Hydraulic seal performance is defined based on its capacity to sustain seal performance under different situations. Key performance attributes include:

● Leakage Prevention: A hydraulic seal is utilized to prevent leakage of required fluid and sustain requisite hydraulic pressure.

● Wear Resistance: Hydraulic seals should not deteriorate with time and should withstand the constant frictional forces and resistance to chemical and physical environments besides heat.

● Temperature Stability: The material of the seal should be able to withstand the expected temperature range of the system.

● Chemical Compatibility: Hydraulic seals must resist the fluids and the chemicals used in the particular application.

Hydraulic seal applications are in various sectors and fields, such as:

● Automotive: Applied in hydraulically operated brake systems, power steering, and car suspensions.

● Industrial Machinery: The high-pressure filters are commonly required by the hydraulic presses, pumps, and hydraulic cylinders.

● Aerospace: Applied in the aircraft landing gear, flight control surfaces, and some hydraulically powered actuators.

● Construction Equipment: Critical for excavators, loaders, and cranes.

Custom Hydraulic Seals

Often, more than stock hydraulic seals will be required; therefore, extra special attention must be paid to meet the particular demands of each application case. Special or modified hydraulic seals are developed to meet certain conditions for size variations to use different materials and specific performance requirements. Special applications call for custom hydraulic seals suitable for their applications in terms of performance and durability.

Hydraulic Seal Standards and Testing

It is crucial to follow the standards of hydraulic seals to maintain quality and efficiency in developing the product. These general standards include ISO, DIN, and ASTM hydraulic seal standards, which are required for material characteristics, dimensions, and tests. Hydraulic seal testing is a procedure in which the tested sealing’s performance is examined under various parameters, such as pressure, temperature, or chemical agents. Common tests include:

● Leakage Tests: Determine the seal's effectiveness to prevent fluid passage with pressure.

● Endurance Tests: Determine the durability of the seal’s wear resistance and the appropriate number of cycles for testing.

● Compatibility Tests: Compare the seal’s performance on various fluids and chemicals.

Hydraulic Seal Installation

Hydraulic seal installation should always be done as recommended to achieve the expected performance and longevity. Key installation tips include:

● Cleanliness: Make sure that none of the parts to be fixed are contaminated with any materials before they are assembled.

● Lubrication: Employ proper lubrication to decrease friction and avoid possible harm, especially when joining the parts.

● Alignment: The seal and mating parts should be aligned correctly to enhance durability and avoid uneven wearing and leakage.

● Tooling: The seal installed on the surface should not be damaged; therefore, the right equipment and methodology should be used. 

Introducing DMS Seals

DMS Seals is a well-established company specializing in hydraulic seals and providing other products and services for different industries. Several years of experience and the company’s focus on developing new products are the main factors that prove that DMS Seals is a reliable supplier of hydraulic seals.

Products and Services

DMS Seals stocks a wide range of hydraulic seals, including Rod Seals, Piston seals, Wiper seals, and Static seals. Their products contain high-quality materials and employ superior calibration and hi-tech technology.

The company offers standard and hydraulic seals developed to match the particular needs of different applications. Their team of professionals provides consulting services where they focus and understand a client’s individual needs and the issues they are facing before arriving at the best solution.

Quality and Standards

DMS Seals’ primary goal is to preserve and achieve the pinnacle of quality in all its products and services. They follow internationally recognized standards like ISO to ensure that their seals perform optimally and are highly reliable. Independent tests are conducted on each product to ensure their efficiency and durability to conform to the intended quality.

Expertise and Support

As a company that understands the concept and techniques of hydraulic seal design, manufacturing, and deployment, DMS Seals is extremely helpful to its clientele. They have a solid base of technical experience and business insight to provide information about the right materials for the job, design improvements, and installation procedures. Whether the client requires a zero-flange mechanical seal or a custom solution, DMS Seals aims to produce optimal work.

Conclusion

Choosing a hydraulic seal, its parts and manufacturing, and setting up performance standards involve the most essential aspects of the design and production. Based on the set standards and hydraulic seal design guidelines, it is possible to design seals that exhibit high performance and great resilience regardless of the application used. Discover how DMS SEALS can enhance your sealing systems with advanced technology and expertise. Contact us now to discuss your requirements and find out why we are a trusted leader in seal manufacturing.