From mechanical components to rubber materials, there are many different seal products available to suit many different mechanical needs. If you’re new to the industrial world, or if you’d just like to brush up on some of the various types and functions of mechanical seals, then you’ve come to the right place. This guide is designed to help you learn more about specialty seals and the variety of rubber and plastic solutions available for different mechanical applications.

At Real Seal, our industry experts are proud of our manufacturing efforts, and we want to help you learn more about the different seals we create. Take a look at the information below to help you understand what mechanical seals are, what they’re used for, and how you can buy them for your own industrial project.

What is a Mechanical Seal?

A mechanical seal can be defined as any product that is engineered to contain fluid in a specific area, where a shaft will rotate around housing or vice versa. A seal is responsible for keeping fluid in place, creating a pressurized pocket that will prevent the liquid from spilling out if a shaft or housing needs to rotate around it.

Mechanical Seal Design

Before mechanical seals were intuited, more traditional forms of seals would involve flat rope being packed around the shaft to keep fluids in place. However, over time the friction of the shaft can wear and tear over time, causing the fluid to leak more and more. There are too many pressure and cooling requirements for this more traditional form of sealing, which is also known as gland packing, then is worth it. That’s why mechanical seals were developed, to help combat this issue.

Basic mechanical seals have three sealing points:

● The Primary Seal – This is the part of the seal that remains mounted at all times, with a spring-loaded system that will detect any movements in the shaft due to misalignment.
● The Rotating Face – This sealing point is attached to the shaft using an O ring. It is sometimes static since it rotates with the shaft, but never on its own.
● The Stationary Face – This sealing point uses the static seal to lift itself to the pump housing, which can be sealed with a gasket or an O ring for stability.

Fluidity

Most mechanical seals use a fluid film to keep them properly lubricated. Usually the fluid is pumped, but it can come from an outside source as well. It is sometimes difficult to figure out how to allow lubricant to flow while also preventing the seal from leaking too much fluid. There is also the challenge of not allowing any contaminants to enter the sealed area.

The way this challenge is met is that the seals contain a gap between the two faces that will allow clean lubricant to enter through. This gap is small enough to prevent contaminants from getting in, making it the perfect solution to maintain the proper amount of fluidity with the seals.

Preventing Leakage

The most major purpose of mechanical and specialty seals is to prevent too much leakage from getting through. Visible seal leakage indicates a problem in the sealing system altogether.

Most mechanical seals come with a super-thin layer of fluid film, which keeps the seal faces in place as well as apart from one another. This tiny gap does cause some leaks, meaning that leaks are inevitable. However, the leakage is so consistently low, nearly microscopic, that it is never a problem at all. This is a far better solution than the gland packing days of yore.

Order Specialty Seals for Your Industrial Project ASAP

At Real Seal, we have a variety of mechanical and specialty seals at your disposal. We have been in the industry for over four decades, making us industry experts in all things seal. For more information, or to get in touch with one of our reliable professionals, you can contact us online or give us a call at (800) 542-6162 at your earliest convenience. We look forward to speaking with you!

Gasket makers are great to have around and are extremely reliable. They reduce leak paths, they are resistant to vibration, liquid, and temperature fluctuations. However, there are a few gasket mistakes commonly made, even by the pros, that can compromise a repair. If you avoid these mistakes, then your gaskets should be totally reliable. At Real Seal, we want to make sure our customers know how dedicated we are to provide them with the best service, the best seal products, and the best experience by avoiding these common gasket mistakes.

1. Using a gasket maker to replace a head gasket

   Modern gasket makers can replace some conventional, multi-material, formed gaskets, but they should not be used to replace a head gasket. 

2. Using the wrong type of gasket maker

   Gasket makers are specially made for specific applications, and these formulations are usable for a variety of requirements, from high temperatures to synthetic oil resistance to sensor compatibility. Trying to use one particular gasket maker for all of these application variations might result in an unreliable repair, so you need to make sure that the gasket maker you use is intended for the application you are using it for and meets your requirements. 

3. Over-applying gasket maker

   When you are gasketing, more does not equal better. Understanding the right amount to apply comes with experience, but a good rule of thumb is sticking to a bead thickness of roughly ⅛” to start. You do not need to apply a lot of product to get the ideal seal and applying too much product has the potential to cause the extra sealant to cause trouble like clogging. 

4. Applying an RTV or anaerobic gasket maker on an application that is subject to gasoline exposure

   It is important to really understand the limitations and abilities of the gasket maker you are using. Only gasket maker products that are solvent-based can withstand direct contact to gasoline, so if you use one that does not fall into this category, you are asking for trouble. Gas weakens lots of sealants, so if your assembled product will have direct exposure to gasoline, you need to stick to a solvent-based gasket maker. 

5. Attempting to fill a gap that is too large with an anaerobic gasket maker

   Gasket makers are designed to seal two close-fitting, machined-metal surfaces together. Anaerobic gasket makers are usually recommended for gaps that are tiny, tiny fractions of an inch. If you have a larger gap, then you should not be using an anaerobic gasket maker and should be using an RTV gasket maker. 

6. Returning to service before the gasket maker has had full time to cure

   All gasket makers need time to cure before you begin the assembly process and put everything back into service. If you do not wait for the appropriate amount of time, it can compromise the integrity of your new seal and undo all your work. RTV gasket makers have a curing time between two hours and 24 hours, while anaerobic gasket makers need roughly one hour to cure. Regardless, you should know how long you need to wait for your gasket maker to cure before you put your assembly back into service. 

7. Waiting too long to reassemble after gasket maker is applied

   Lots of mechanics will wait a bit to reassemble after using gasket material. In most cases, gasket makers work best when reassembled immediately while the material is still wet. Some even won’t cure until you’ve put the assembly together. Knowing your product is key, and not waiting for the gasket material to “skin over” is, too. 

8. Unfinished surface preparations

   To successfully form a gasket maker, your surfaces all need to be prepped so you are working with clean, bare metals. If you don’t clean off old materials, then it can compromise your entire assembly. 

9. Reassembling the product incorrectly

   If you rush the reassembly process, lots of common mistakes happen. Knowing your product, again, is key to making sure silly mistakes are avoided. Take your time, know what you’re doing, and understand your product. 

10. Using a gasket maker as a dressing on another gasket

    This is the most common gasketing error. Many mechanics will use an RTV gasket maker to bind a conventional or cut gasket in place during assembly and even use that gasket maker as a dressing by coating each side of the gasket. This is the wrong product for these applications because these formulations are too thick to use as a dressing. Misusing the product is common, so understanding what your product can do and what its limitations are is key.

Quality Seal Products

At Real Seal, we are here to help with any of your sealant needs. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to us today!