O-rings are vital to several industrial operations, and the technology behind them has been around since the beginning of World War II when the U.S. military needed a way to make sure their airplanes operated properly in harsh conditions.
O-rings themselves help your company improve its industrial processes. But what if there was a way to improve your O-rings to make your industrial machines operate more efficiently and with less downtime?
Discover five reasons why your O-rings need surface coatings on them in today’s blog from EZ Coating.
1. Friction Reduction
Friction is the enemy of your O-rings that seal moving parts. No matter how strong the silicone rubber is, friction from the metal as it moves the dynamic seal will eventually cause wear on an O-ring.
Surface coatings can help your O-rings last longer by reducing the coefficient of friction. When your static seals move more easily as the parts slide back and forth, less friction reduces the amount of stress on an O-ring’s structure. The key to an O-ring’s lifespan and longevity is structural integrity. Maintaining that integrity for as long as possible by reducing friction means less downtime and better performance of your parts.
2. Easier Installation
O-ring surface treatments can reduce the installation force on the component, which plays a vital role in the compression of the seal. The greater the compression, the greater force it takes to compress the seal in place.
O-rings, for which you need as little tolerances as possible, need to be installed properly. Applying too much installation force can alter the lifespan of your O-rings, causing a blowout or equipment failure before you expect it to.
3. Better Identification
Colors abound when it comes to O-ring surface treatments. Adding colors can help your team identify the fluids moving through a system more readily, particularly as they approach junction points, mixers, and valves.
When and if a piece of equipment breaks due to an O-ring, you can identify two similar-looking liquids more easily based on the O-ring colors provided by the surface treatment. You won’t confuse ethanol with water ever again.
4. Improved Abrasion Resistance
Abrasion is the number two enemy of O-rings, particularly with rubber. Abrasion occurs with a rubbing force that slowly removes bits of the surface over time when the O-ring contacts another surface.
You might see this happen when the O-ring is in place and another part rubs against it as part of a dynamic seal. Better abrasion resistance reduces the amount of silicone that is removed during every action of the seal.
5. Higher Chemical Resistance
Particularly when it comes to petroleum products and hydraulic fluid, O-rings face harsh environments on a regular basis. Whether you’re on an oil rig in the Gulf or have heavy equipment on a dig, O-rings can’t fail when the equipment is in the middle of a job.
Surface treatments that resist chemical intrusions for longer periods of time in acidic or alkaline environments can mean the difference between success on a project or lengthy delays.
Who can supply my company with O-ring surface treatments?
EZ Coating can deliver O-ring coatings that beat PTFE (Teflon) in several important factors, like the coefficient of friction and abrasion resistance, for your industrial equipment, heavy machinery, and manufacturing equipment.
Contact us for more information or if you need a test sample. We’ll respond within 24 hours.
