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Designing Effective Low Closure Force Seals

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Austin Seal CO
Designing Effective Low Closure Force Seals

The purpose of every seal and gasket is to stop contained fluid from moving out by filling the uneven gap between two surfaces and forming a barrier. If the uneven surfaces or the gaps are larger, then a softer gasket suffices the purpose. For example, you can put a hard gasket between two machined pipe flanges because the faces of joints are tightened together. However, the gasket sealing used in electric applications should be softer because it would require bending when it’s latched. Therefore, a seal or gasket must be made of softer material so that it can fill the gap between two surfaces, and it must be strong enough to tolerate the lateral forces acting on it.

The first step towards making effective seals and gaskets is to pick the right material. A few other factors are also to be kept into consideration.  This article discusses factors for manufacturing quality low closure force seals.

1.      Selecting the Right Seal Material & Closure Force Requirements

To design a high-performance rubber seal, you must select the right material according to the closure force requirements. Therefore, you must first assess the application and determine the nature of the material it requires, whether a sponge or dense rubber material. The closing force you will need for the application will help you determine the material of the seal.

A sponge gasket is ideal for low closure force seals. The applications using low closing force include fiber optic junction boxes, simple door seals, outdoor electronic enclosures, and various other consumer products.  Those applications which require a higher closure force need a type of rubber seal. These applications can be those components that are bolted together in an industrial setting. In any case, the application type determines the selection of the best fit material.

2.      Selecting Seal Material and the Application’s Environment

The other important factor in selecting the right material for seals is the environment in which they will be used. This includes consideration of factors such as pressure, temperature, UV exposure, exposure to water or oil, and so on. At times you might want to select a particular material because of its tolerance and resistance to UV and/or ozone exposure. Just like that, if the seal is going to be exposed to water or moisture, you might want to pick a different kind of material that is not affected by hydraulic exposure. The same is the case with exposure to certain chemicals, acids, solvents, and so on.

3.      Selecting Seal Material and Attachment Requirements

Yet another factor for picking the seal material is to consider how the seal or gasket will be attached. Those materials which can be attached by compressing require a different material than those which can be attached using adhesives. The seals can be attached using nails, clips, staples, and so on. Normally such material is picked which can tolerate this process.

Austin Seals

The experienced and qualified staff at Austin Seals understands the needs and requirements of various industries. In all stages of the design and manufacturing process, our team makes sure to manufacture the perfect low closure force seals for you. To provide you the quickest path to first-time quality possible, we will design and manufacture your required seals in-house. To know more about low closure force seals made by Austin Seals, get in touch with us today, and let’s talk about your required seals.

 
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