In heavy-duty industrial and mobile machinery, unplanned downtime rarely stems from catastrophic structural failure. More often, it starts with a weeping seal. When dynamic seals leak, the consequences ripple quickly - fluid loss, hardware damage, environmental contamination, and costly emergency…
In fluid power systems, rotary applications present some of the most aggressive physical challenges in mechanical engineering. Unlike linear reciprocating rods or static interfaces, rotating shafts generate continuous dynamic shear, concentrated frictional heat, and accelerated lip wear. When internal fluid…
A seal in food processing equipment must do more than prevent leaks. It must perform reliably while exposed to food ingredients, repeated cleaning, changing temperatures, and equipment movement. Selecting a suitable food-contact material is an essential starting point, but the…
When considering seal design for FDA seals specifically for food contact, there are 5 factors that must be considered: Operating Conditions This might sound obvious, but a seal designer may focus on different concerns than you with regard to the…
Autofrettage is a necessary step in the production process for pressure-retaining vessels in which enormously high pressure is used to plastically yield internal portions of the part to produce internal compressive residual stresses once the pressure is released. This process…
Seal Materials for FDA Seals Designed for Food Processing The predominant approach to FDA seals for the food industry has been to simply take a seal design for industrial applications and use materials that are approved for food contact. Yet, seals in…
As long as they are the same style and material, an oil seal is an oil seal. At least that is what most people think. Putting aside potential differences in material and concentrating just on actual geometry, this statement is…
What is PV? PV is simply Pressure x Velocity and is generally expressed in psi x fpm. How is it calculated? Pressure (psi) x Surface Velocity {shaft Ø (inches*.262) x rpm} (fpm) What does AHPS PV Rating mean? The AHPS…
This may seem counterintuitive, but if you are sealing a rotating shaft under pressure, the answer may well be that you do! The functioning of traditional non-pressurized radial lip seals is based on the formation of a sealing and…
The automatic vee packing has been around since the 1920’s, when duck-and-rubber tubing was used to seal steam engines. Over the years, its use has expanded to seal plungers and rod and piston bores in a wide range of hydraulic…
