Preformed Seals-advantages Of Engineering With Elastomer Materials

By Author: Neal Thompson
Total Articles: 3
Comment this article

     Elastomers are a unique family of materials which offer many engineering advantages.  Although many of the applications for elastomers are universally clear (vehicle tires, hose, inflatables, shoes), the opportunities to use elastomeric materials to improve engineering is almost limitless.

Sealing – while many sealing applications are obvious (like the rubber washer on the fitting for your garden hose or the static preformed seals around the oil filter on your car), many are not.  High performance electronics, for example, have very critical sealing needs both for keeping high purity fluids in and contaminants out (without compromising the purity of the fluid).  Wing slots, which allow for hydraulic components to manipulate flaps and stabilizers, must be sealed to exclude debris and contaminants from penetrating the sensitive controls.  Seals used in pressurized gas applications are engineered ...
... to not only provide a positive packing seal, but to also regulate the flow of gas with deflection under pressure.  Seal in frozen food production control the flow of food into the polystyrene trays, but also allow for the necessary heat transfer to seal the Mylar film over the top of the polystyrene trays.

Electrical and Thermal Insulation –the unique properties of elastomeric materials allow for electrical and thermal insulation in a wide range of applications.  Hydrogen fuel cell technology, which harnesses the electrical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, must be insulated both electrically and thermally in order to get maximum efficiency from the system.  The elastomeric material also must seal the flow of gasses on multiple layers in order to get maximum efficiency.  Silicone rubber is used to insulate and weatherize the insulators that connect power lines to the towers and poles, while other rubber materials are formulated specifically with conductive properties in order to create the desired reduction or control in current.

Sound and Vibration Insulation – elastomeric materials can be formulated with low densities to absorb sound and vibration with relatively low material volume, and are regularly used in automotive interior and exterior applications to prevent metallic and rigid plastic components from making contact.  Huge strides have been made in the sound deadening technologies to keep car interiors insulated from any outside noise, and similar materials are used to mount multiple speaker systems in order to provide the best possible sound reproduction.  Mass produced closed cell foam rubber is now being calendared for the flooring in split level homes in order to deaden the sound from reaching lower floors.  Many polymer types have been chemically engineered specifically for vibration dampening, and are able to absorb remarkable amounts of vibrational energy.

Impact absorption and deflection – polyurethane elastomers are normally chosen for their superior physical toughness to stand up to impact absorption, and are regularly used in high impact nailing systems and riveting equipment.  Abrasive media, such as paper and metallic components are often better served to use a tough elastomer material rather than metallic, as the wear properties are better, and they are normally less expensive for assembly lines and high speed sorting equipment such as used by the Postal Service.

General Aesthetics – the deflective properties of elastomers make them preferred for grips, handles, knobs, buttons, and other interface parts due to the unique “feel” of the elastomers.  The engineering of these materials now allows for bright colors, and the molding process makes it relatively easy to texture the surface of molded parts.

     These only cover some of the base engineering advantages of elastomeric materials – contact Real Seal engineering to discuss your application… we have supported thousands of design projects with successful results.

For more details please click here.