Category: Rubber O-Rings

5 Key Facts About Silicone Rubber O-Rings

o-ring failure

Silicone rubber O-rings are a type of mechanical seal used in a wide range of applications. Such O-rings are made from a type of silicone rubber, a synthetic rubber polymer regarded for its excellent mechanical properties that are specifically formulated to provide excellent sealing and resistance.

Category: Rubber O-Rings

Rubber Permeability: What You Should Know

What is the Best Gasket Material for Gasoline?

Rubber permeability, a crucial property of rubber compounds, denotes the rate at which molecules of specific gases, vapors, or liquids permeate a rubber material. Understanding the permeability of rubber is vital for assessing its suitability for applications such as O-rings, gaskets, and seals.

Category: Rubber O-Rings

How to Avoid Leaks in O-Ring Applications

checklist

Avoiding O-ring leaks in applications is necessary to maintain the integrity of mechanical systems. Compromised O-rings reduce efficiency, performance issues, and potential system failures. By preventing leaks, you ensure the system operates as intended and maintains functionality.

Category: Rubber O-Rings

How Does Temperature Affect O-Ring Function?

Assortment of ORing Sizes | high-temperature o-ring

A high-temperature O-ring consists of material that can function effectively at elevated temperatures. Damaged O-rings and related performance issues common to O-ring failure at high temperatures can be directly attributed to incorrect material for the application. Every type of elastomeric material used for O-rings has its own temperature limits to function effectively. Exceeding these limits… Read more »

Category: Rubber O-Rings

What Are Micro or Miniature O-Rings (and Why Are They Important?)

Wide Variety of Rubber O-Rings | o-ring material | micro o-rings

In sectors where precision is paramount, like engineering and manufacturing, micro o-rings, also known as miniature o-rings, play a pivotal role in success. These tiny, often overlooked components ensure seamless operations, acting as trustworthy barriers between pristine environments and the rest of the world. Although they are similar to other gaskets and o-rings, their size… Read more »

Category: Rubber O-Rings

Comparing O-Rings vs. Grommets: How They Work

What is a grommet used for? Though they may seem similar (as each is a ring-shaped rubber component), grommet uses are far different than what an o-ring is used for. Beyond their common shape and use of similar materials, they differ in design and utility. In other words, just because they look the same doesn’t… Read more »

Category: Rubber O-Rings

5 O-Ring Failure Causes and How to Troubleshoot Them

o-ring failure

O-ring failure can be damaging, expensive, and even deadly if someone gets injured by malfunctioning equipment. Fortunately, o-ring failure causes are well-known and can be prevented. In this blog, we’ll cover how to troubleshoot and prevent five of the most common causes of o-ring failure.

Category: Rubber O-Rings

How to Make an O-Ring Seal Better

engineer

Perhaps the most famous O-ring failure in history is that of the Challenger space shuttle, which ended the lives of seven NASA astronauts in January 1986. In the shuttle’s right rocket booster, a seal failed at the aft field joint that led to the spacecraft exploding. It was later found that the O-ring didn’t have… Read more »

Category: Rubber O-Rings

Gasket vs. O-Ring: Which Seal Should I Use?

O-Ring Materials | buna vs. viton

When it is time to replace a seal, knowing the differences between a gasket vs. o-ring is essential for the application to function as designed. Each type of mechanical seal is used in numerous applications ranging from engines, motors, machines, and pumps to cylinders, piping, valves, tools, equipment, and so on. Both gaskets and o-rings… Read more »

Category: Rubber O-Rings

3 Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Silicone O-Rings

oil refinery and petroleum industry

Considered an industry-standard, silicone O-rings hold excellent mechanical properties that perform in the most extreme conditions. Silicone materials, in general, are exceptionally versatile. The material is not only used in the fabrication of seals, gaskets, and O-rings, but in numerous other applications such as adhesives, lubricants, thermal and electrical insulation, and in medical devices, and… Read more »