ISO 9001 and How it is Essential to Quality Seals and Components
You might be wondering: What is ISO 9001? The ISO website defines it as a standard for a quality management system. This allows businesses to run more efficiently, as well as improve customer satisfaction. Real Seal is registered ISO 9001 and this article will be focusing on how ISO 9001’s eight quality management principles are essential to quality seals and components.
1: Customer Focus
Any producer of a product depends on its customers. Striving to meet every customer’s needs, whether it be a newly designed solution or one that already exists, quality seals and components should be what the customer needs. The ability to create custom solutions is a necessity in the world of manufacturing components.
The seals and mechanical components Real Seal manufactures and distributes are of the highest quality, and ISO 9001 ensures a focus on not only meeting a customer’s expectations, but exceeding them.
2: Leadership
Any company without effective leadership will inevitably fail. ISO 9001 emphasizes that leaders establish unity in an organization, creating an environment where everyone can reach their full potential.
When creating essential parts such as seals and other mechanical components, it is key that the machinery of a company is as effective as its parts. Otherwise, an inferior product is created. Through ISO 9001, a company can become effective in focusing their direction, leading to a superior product.
3: Involvement of People
Recognizing that all levels of workers in an organization are just as essential to its quality as the top management further ensures a quality product. To appreciate those that do the most basic tasks ensures quality of work. In the manufacturing of quality seals and components, not only are the top chemists important, but also the technical staff and customer service. A complete experience is required by the customer, not only of the physical products, but also the relationship. If communication breaks down, that is just as detrimental as a part being degraded. Every part of an organization is important, just as every part in a machine is important. One loose screw, or weak seal, can cause a catastrophe.
4: Process Approach
To get the results desired, all parts of a production must be treated as a step-by-step process. This ensures a uniform quality in products. When seals and components are manufactured to a specification, it is imperative that they all work the same way. In order to make sure that each piece is identical, the process by which those same pieces are made should also be identical. When a customer orders a specific O ring, it should be exactly what they want.
5: System Approach to Management
These processes as individuals may seem separate at first, but that often isn’t the case. An organization needs to recognize which processes are linked together. Some processes may use similar assets and could create a bottleneck in production, so assuring that the flow of these processes is optimal improves efficiency, ultimately saving money, which is passed on to the consumer.
6: Continual Improvement
It is never okay to be content with performance, whether it is the parts manufactured or how an organization runs. Stagnation is the first step in decline. ISO 9001 ensures that not only are seals and components continually optimized, but also how they are managed and produced. This makes for a superior product with equally attractive economics.
7: Factual Approach to Decision Making
Data and information are the driving factors in creating the best possible seals and components. To merely claim something functions the way it does or using an appeal to emotion is a totally ineffective approach to the science of manufacturing. Real Seal performs routine PPAP data analysis and reporting, and a fully equipped laboratory ensures a fact-based approach to analyzing products.
8: Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relationships
As a supplier to other businesses, Real Seal has a deep understanding of this principle. Not only do we seek beneficial relationships with our own suppliers, extending that same relationship to our clients is paramount. It is a boon to both parties in a transaction if they are able to forge a long-term relationship, learning to understand needs and building trust. This principle also emphasizes a high-quality product that the customer will come back for in the future.
Quality Seals and Components
Real Seal’s ISO 9001 registration binds them to these principles. So, if you require quality seals and components, it is essential to find a manufacturer following a proven quality management system. Contact Real Seal for all your seal and component needs.
The Difference Between Thermoset and Thermoplastic Materials
Each application will have its own unique circumstances and requirements. For some, the ability to resist abrasion will be the top priority, while another might need a material that can resist extreme temperatures.
Choosing the right material for your application will be an involved process that takes every factor into consideration. In order to select the right one, you will need to understand the properties of the material you are selecting. That’s why we are going to take the time today to distinguish between the two biggest categories of elastomers: thermoset and thermoplastic.
Thermoset Materials
Thermoset materials simply refer to those plastics which will cure (or harden) into a certain shape once a sufficient amount of heat is applied. This heating process is called curing or vulcanization, and it is meant to improve the physical property of a certain material by exposing it to heat or some other catalyst which can set off a chain reaction within the material.
Before undergoing vulcanization, a thermoset material consists of small, unlinked molecules called monomers. But during the vulcanization process, these monomers develop permanent connections with each other called cross-links.
These cross-links will form long molecular chains which give the material a much more rigid three-dimensional structure. Once vulcanization is complete, the material can no longer be remelted or process the way it was prior to vulcanization. For this reason, thermoset materials are relied on for high temperature applications like electronics and appliances.
Thermoset materials possess a number of advantages over thermoplastic materials, including superior mechanical properties, chemical resistance, heat resistance, and structural integrity. They generally have a much lower material cost and are much easier to process.
Common thermoset materials include polyurethane and silicone. Polyurethane is well-noted for having the highest tensile strength (i.e. resistance to tear and abrasion) of any plastic. Silicone, on the other hand, is well-regarded for its ability to resist compression set, flames, and extreme temperatures.
Thermoplastics
Thermoplastic materials typically come in a pellet form which becomes soft, fluid, and pliable after vulcanization. The vulcanization process for thermoplastics involves placing the material in a heated cavity. After a time, the thermoplastics are removed and placed in a cool mold, where they harden into the shape of that mold.
Thermoplastics are incapable of forming the strong cross-links found in thermoset materials. As such, thermoplastics do not have the same kind of strength or structural integrity which thermoset materials possess. However, this also means that a thermoplastic material may return to its original form after being exposed to heat. Thermoplastic materials can do this multiple times, since they only undergo physical changes during vulcanization, rather than chemical. The number of times this can be done is limited due to the damage the material sustains in its vulnerable, molten state.
Most thermoplastic materials will possess high strength, shrink resistance, and are capable of bending. They are found in everything from plastic bags to high-stress mechanical parts.
Thermoplastic Elastomers
Sometimes, an application requires a material with a range of properties too wide for either thermoset or thermoplastic materials to handle on their own. This led to the development of another type of plastic. Thermoplastic elastomers (or TPEs) are materials which combine the strength of a thermoset material with the processing advantages possessed by thermoplastic materials. They are primarily made of hard phases, with softer phases dispersed throughout. These soft phases consist of cured thermoset particles, while the hard phase consists of a thermoplastic. Though their versatility is unmatched, it also comes at a much higher price.
Whatever You Need: Thermoset, Thermoplastic, or TPE
No matter whether you need the strength of a thermoset material, the bending ability of a thermoplastic, or a unique application that requires both, Real Seal will have a material that will fit the needs of your application.
Give us a call today, and our full-time chemist will help you choose a material using his expertise and experience to produce the perfect component for your application.
Rubber is a very common material used in a wide variety of industries, including the automotive, mining, and electrical industries. If you work in one of these fields, you know just how integral rubber is to the machines and other tools that you work with.
That’s why you need Real Seal, one of the industry’s best seal and rubber component suppliers. We can produce components to suit your needs, no matter what they may be. Here are just a few examples of the many components we can produce.
Elastomer Diaphragms
Elastomer diaphragms are flexible barriers designed to prevent fluid exchange between two separate chambers. They cover the gap between a moving member and a stationary member, and are often found in gas or heating systems.
We can produce static or dynamic diaphragms, depending on your application. A static diaphragm can separate two fluids with little to no motion or pressure differential. We can also produce dynamic diaphragms if you need force or pressure to be transferred between the members.
Rubber Balls
Rubber balls are a special type of seal that may be useful for your application if you need something that will prevent leaks, resist dirt, and minimize noise. Rubber balls are precision ground in order to produce the superior sealing surface you need. They are primarily found in a check valve to seal against hydraulic fluid, water, or air. Our rubber balls come in a wide variety of durometers for you to choose from.
Rubber Waterstops
Concrete structures are highly dependent on the waterstops which join them in order to remain watertight. They are very important water treatment plans, reservoirs, locks, and dams. The waterstop you choose will be dependent on a number of factors including the joint type and joint movement, hydrostatic pressure, and chemical exposure. Whether you need swelling, non-swelling, or a chemically resistant waterstop, Real Seal can supply you with the parts you need.
Silicone Hoses and Tubes
Silicone hoses and tubes are often found in a wide variety of applications, including respiratory devices, peristaltic pumps, fluid handling devices, and high purity water and process systems. They are particularly valuable in the medical, food, and drug industries for their odorless, tasteless, and non-toxic qualities. They can also a resist a wide variety of temperatures, from as low as -65°F all the up to 440°F. Real Seal can produce silicone hoses and tubes with a high level of purity.
Idler Discs
We can also produce idler discs used in conveyors, including impact discs, bull nose discs, and return discs. Our discs are designed for maximum abrasion resistance, and may also be produced with materials that withstand fire and static. No matter whether your application mines coal, sugar, or grain, we’ll have an idler disc suitable for you.
Many More
Some of the other parts we can produce for you include:
Bushing boots
Insulating sleeves
Belt cleaner cushions
Rubber couplings
Pipe gaskets
Valves
Washers
Rubber thresholds
Bearing pads
Calendared sheet rubber
Rollers
Pipe Gaskets
Of course, our specialty lies with seals and O-rings. Take a look at one of our blog posts on O-ring materials if you are interested in producing O-rings for your application. We encourage you to check back regularly for more information on O-rings, seals, and rubber components.
The Best Supplier for your Mechanical Rubber Components
Real Seal is one of the best rubber suppliers in the industry, combining the efficiency of a large supplier with the customer service expected from a smaller one. With our injection and compression molding systems, we’ll produce the parts you need in a way that is both cost-effective and timely. Plus, if you have any questions, our full-time chemist and technical staff are available to address your concerns. Give us a call today, and we’ll get started on your components right away.
Producing Maximum Efficiency with Mechanical Lubricants
Over time, systems used throughout various industries have been growing in complexity in order to meet the demands of customers. In order to meet this demand, mechanical lubricants have become a crucial part of achieving maximum efficiency from the system. In order to choose the right lubricant, a number of factors must be considered.
Choosing a Fluid
The viscosity of the oil will be your biggest concern. At low temperatures, excessive viscosity will result in poor mechanical efficiency, difficulty in starting, and wear. As the oil temperature increases, viscosity decreases. This results in lower volumetric efficiency (inefficiency in converting hydraulic energy back to mechanical energy), overheating, and wear. In order to decide on the proper viscosity level, consider the following:
Maximum startup viscosity under load.
Range of optimum operating viscosity.
Maximum and minimum operating viscosity.
Selecting the optimum viscosity will produce the most efficient pump performance at standard operation temperatures. In other words, you will minimize lost time, energy, and fuel costs for your operator.
You should consider Maximum Efficiency Hydraulic Fluid (MEHF), which has become the new performance standard for hydraulic fluids. They will enable any hydraulic pump to deliver increased power at much lower energy levels.
Pump Efficiency
The overall reliability of your system will depend on two measures of your system’s efficiency: volumetric efficiency, and hydromechanical efficiency. The latter refers to the frictional losses of a hydraulic component and how much energy is required to generate fluid flow. It is related to flow losses and the degree to which internal leakage occurs.
These two properties will be highly dependent on the viscosity of your lubricant. As hydromechanical efficiency decreases, fluid viscosity increases since there will be a much higher resistance to flow. Conversely, volumetric efficiency increases as fluid viscosity increases since there will be less internal leakage. Both volumetric efficiency and hydromechanical efficiency must be considered simultaneously.
Cavitation, Wear, and Overheating
At low temperatures, a high viscosity will negatively affect the mechanical efficiency of a hydraulic system, resulting in reduced system performance, lubricant starvation, and cavitation. Cavitation is particularly dangerous, since it can cause metal fatigue and spalling (breaking into smaller pieces), which will leave abrasive metal particles in your system’s fluid. This is why pump manufacturers specify the maximum viscosity for your system.
A lubricant is meant leave a lubricating film to reduce wear on moving pump parts. Its effectiveness will depend on the viscosity, sliding speeds and loads, and fluid stability. Once the temperature increases to a certain level, the film will thin and rupture, exposing the system to metal-on-metal contact. As a result, there will be wear within the pump and heat within the fluid will increase. Since the wear will be centered on areas essential to volumetric efficiency, the pump will need to work much harder to achieve the proper flow. Inadequate viscosity will result in higher temperatures within the fluid, accelerating wear and increasing internal leakage.
Fluid Selection
The NFPA has a viscosity grade selection system which is based on recommendations from leading hydraulic pump manufacturers. The most common viscosity grades are ISO 32, 46, and 68. Machinery Lubrication came to the following conclusions after comparing the performance of these three ISO grades:
“The high VI oils that meet the MEHF performance level definition contributed to significantly lower hydromechanical losses at temperatures lower than 40°C. The gain in hydromechanical efficiency can exceed 50 percent at start-up temperature, resulting in lower energy consumption, shorter warm-up times and reduced wear.
At temperatures of 80°C and 100°C, calculations made for a series of vane pumps showed that the high VI oils deliver a higher flow rate and a better overall efficiency. This translates into higher equipment productivity, as well as significantly lower operating costs for the equipment user due to lower fuel consumption. Energy and fuel savings up to 20 percent can be expected under standard operating conditions when MEHF-type oils are used. Higher productivity gains and savings can be achieved at peak operating temperatures.
The cost savings associated with the use of maximum efficiency hydraulic fluids in a single vane pump are approximately $400 per year per pump. This advantage could be expected to result in approximately $50,000 savings annually for a medium-sized equipment fleet.”
Please take a look at the full article for more information on choosing lubricants for your system.
Seals for Maximum Efficiency
If you want to get the most out of your hydraulic system, you will need a custom-built seal that will meet every requirement your application demands. Real Seal can help you produce that perfect seal with the expertise of our full-time chemist, and our experience producing thousands and thousands of seals every year. Give us a call and we’ll help you get started.
While you could buy seals made with the size and materials of industry standards, its performance simply won’t hold up. Whether you have a static or a dynamic application, each one has its own unique needs and circumstances. Wouldn’t you rather create the perfect solution to your problem, rather than finding a product that only approximately fills the needs of your application?
That’s why you should have your seals custom built: you’ll be able to go through each step of the production with your application in mind.
Size
No matter how big or large your application, Real Seal has the solution. We can produce parts anywhere between 0.50” to 27” in diameter. Our state-of-the-art machinery will produce parts with the exact dimensions you need.
Manufacturing Processes
Each manufacturing process has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on the needs of the application. Real Seal’s manufacturing process balances injection molding and compression or transfer molding.
By combining the three manufacturing processes above, Real Seal can produce just about any seal for any application:
Injection molding is considered the most cost-effective molding process, suitable for high-volume productions of small products that require tight tolerances and little finishing. The process involves feeding material into a press, which is warmed and injected into a mold. The process is extremely precise, since the pressure temperature and speed at which the material enters the mold can all be controlled. This cost-effective process can produce parts quickly.
Compression molding is best suited for low-to-medium production volumes and larger parts which do not require the tightest tolerances or perfect finishes. The rubber is pre-heated, and then inserted into a mold by a press where it is held until it is cured. It produces more intricate products with fewer knit lines. Other benefits include: fast production, low tooling costs, and the ability to produce high durometer materials.
Transfer molding uses a press and mold much like compression molding. But unlike compression molding, transfer molding uses a piston to force a material through a passage into the mold cavity. This method can produce very complex components with tight tolerances at a high production rate. It can also handle larger products. Unfortunately, these benefits come with a much higher production cost.
Material
One of the most important choices you will make for your seal is the material it is made of. There are a wide variety of materials to choose from, each with their own unique properties. If you haven’t determined the right material for your application, the performance of your application and the seals themselves have likely been suffering as a result. In some applications, the performance of the seal material can make or break the entire system.
Some of the materials you will have to choose from include the following:
Nitrile is the most widely used elastomer in the seal industry due to its ability to resist petroleum products and is compounded for use in temperatures ranging from -22°F to 212°F. Since it is a copolymer consisting of butadiene and acrylonitrile, they can be added in different proportions in order to give the product the properties needed for the application. For example, it may result in improved performance within a specified temperature range.
Ethylene-propylene compounds are typically combined with a third monomer to produce EPDM. They are often found as seals in brake systems, as well as applications with hot water or steam. It is resistant to mild acids, detergents, alkalis, silicone oils and greases, ketones, and alcohols. They do not perform well with petroleum oils, mineral oil, di-ester lubricants or fuel.
Other common materials include:
Hydrogenated Nitrile (HNBR)
Fluorocarbon (FKM)
Neoprene/Chloroprene (CR)
Polyacrylate (ACM)
Polyurethane (AU) (EU)
Helping You Produce the Seals You Need
There are so many different factors to consider in seal production, and just one misstep with any of them can negatively impact the performance and longevity of your seal. That’s why Real Seal has its own full-time chemist and support staff to analyze your situation, and produce a seal that meets your needs. With our experience producing thousands of seals, you can be sure that you’ll have a seal that performs to your standards. Give us a call to get started today.
O-rings are among the most versatile, dependable, and inexpensive seals available. O-Rings provide a number of unique advantages over other seals, including:
A circular cross-section with a minimal surface area, enhancing their resistance to abrasion, fluids, adverse environments, and mechanical damage.
This cross-section also makes them adaptable to various types of squeeze, including axial, radial, and angular.
They seal in both directions.
They fit into confined spaces without bulky, adjustable, or expensive support structures.
Easy to maintain: there are no bolts to re-tighten.
For these reasons, O-rings are the best choice for a wide variety of applications.
Static Seal
A static seal application refers to a gland in which there is very little motion between the parts of the gland which come in contact with the O-ring. Small amounts of motion – such as thermal expansion, vibration, bolt stretch, and O-ring response to fluid pressure – do not change the definition of a static application. Static applications are divided into two types based on the direction of squeeze applied to the O-ring cross-section: axial and radial. In some cases, both types of squeeze are present, though this is not recommended since it prevents the O-ring from expanding.
Static Axial Seals
A static axial seal applies pressure on the top and bottom of an O-ring. Static axial seals are most often used in face seal applications. Another common type of application in this category involves an O-ring on the face of one part of a structure, which closes on another structure. As the structures close on each another, a sealing action compresses the O-ring between the mating surfaces.
Static Radial Seals
In a static radial seal, there is squeeze between the inside diameter and outside diameter of the O-ring. Common static radial seals include cap seals and plug seals. Although seals are best left on one side of the seal, O-rings are versatile enough to work in grooves of many different shapes and directions of squeeze. One example is a crush seal, in which the O-ring is installed on a triangular gland with very little space surrounding it.
Due to potential damage during installation, as well as the potential for warping in the metal gland, this application is only used where cost and ease of machining are the most important factors.
Dynamic Seals
Dynamic sealing applications involve relative movement between the parts of the gland. O-rings in these applications must be able to withstand the friction caused by the sliding action against the gland. This factor makes dynamic seal applications somewhat more difficult to design. In many dynamic sealing applications, O-rings are subjected to radical squeeze, reciprocating intermittent or continuous motion, or intermittent rotary or oscillating motion.
Reciprocating Seals
In a reciprocating seal application, a back and forth motion along the shaft axis between the inner and outer elements of the gland occurs in what is called a piston and rod seal.
Oscillating Seals
The inner and outer members of a gland move in an arc around the axis of a shaft in alternating directions (typically at an intermittent rate). They are most often found in faucet valves, but may be found in any other types of valves since they are simple to design and reduce costs.
Other Dynamic Seals
O-rings can be used in any application where data used for reciprocating or oscillating seals do not apply. Their versatility allows them to be used in many rotary applications where either the inner and outer members of the gland continuously turn around the axis of the shaft.
Rotary Applications
Rotary seals involve an inner and outer member of a sealing element turning around a shaft axis in one direction. The name applies to any application where the rotation is reversible, but not when the motion is intermittent (such an application is an oscillating seal). In such an application, heat from friction is continuously generated in one place. Thus, the main concern in a rotary application is using a seal which can withstand high temperatures and to reduce heat buildup as much as possible.
Other Applications
Rubber seals can be used in many other applications not listed here, including seat seals, pneumatic seals, and vacuum seals.
Whether you need a seal for a simple static application, or a more durable seal for a rotary application, Real Seal will have a rubber seal suitable for your application. We are also one of the few seal suppliers that have a full-time chemist to answer any questions you might have, and ensure that you have the perfect seal for your application. Don’t hesitate to give us a call today.
No matter what type of application you have or who you work for, having a system that will run well for as long as possible should be one of your top concerns.
A backup ring is just one of the many little things you can do to help keep your system running smoothly for as long as possible, along with these other methods. But you might be wondering, just how does it work? There are a few ways a backup ring could improve your system performance and longevity.
Extrusion
O-Rings experience a lot of stress, causing them to wear down in various ways. One of the biggest causes of an O-Ring failure is extrusion, particularly in hydraulic rod and piston seals. Extrusion occurs when the internal pressure of an application becomes too great, causing the O-Ring to extrude – or stick out – into the clearance gap. This extruded or extended portion of the O-Ring will wear down quickly, reducing the amount of material in the O-Ring. After a short period, extrusion results in seal failure.
According to Daemar, some of the common causes of extrusion include:
Excessive clearances.
Pressure exceeding system design.
An O-Ring with an insufficient durometer for the application.
Degradation of the O-ring due to system fluid.
Irregular clearance gaps caused by eccentricity.
Increased clearance gaps due to excessive system pressure.
Improper machining of O-ring gland.
Wrong O-ring size installed, resulting in an excessively filled groove.
You should inspect your O-rings for signs of extrusion. Examine the edges of your O-rings on the low pressure or downstream side to see if it appears chewed or chipped. If extrusion has caused your O-ring to fail, you should see small pieces missing from the low pressure or downstream side. In some cases, 50% of the O-ring may have been lost already before the leakage has been found.
Preventing Extrusion
There are three ways to combat extrusion. The first is to reduce the clearances in order to lower the extrusion gap. Unfortunately, this is not practical due to the high expenses involved.
It would be much cheaper to instead raise the durometer of the O-ring. An O-ring with a higher durometer would have a much higher resistance to extrusion, but would also bring two other problems with it: namely, the limited availability of higher durometer materials, and that these materials are not as effective in low pressure applications.
Backup Ring
This brings us to the third option: backup rings. Rather than acting as a replacement for your installed O-rings (as its name suggests), a backup ring is actually meant to work in tandem with the O-Rings you have already installed. Backup rings are typically made of materials with high durometers and resistance to extrusion, including nitrile, Viton (FFKM), or PTFE.
The backup ring is installed between the O-ring and the extrusion gap. The addition of a backup ring will improve the pressure resistance of the O-ring, and prevent it from being forced into the clearance gap, reducing the chances of extrusion and premature seal failure. Depending on the direction of the pressure, you may even be able to install two backup rings. This will provide added protection against extrusion and O-ring failure.
Choosing a Backup Ring
You will have a number of options to choose from to cater an O-ring for your application. They come in two styles: a flat, washer-like style, or a contoured face which provides greater grip and support on the O-ring.
They may also have a solid or spiraled construction. A spiraled construction is made of overlapping rings, providing several different contact levels against the shaft. They provide greater support over solid construction backup rings.
Buy Your Backup Rings From an Industry Leader
From humble beginnings as an O-ring distributor in 1970, Real Seal has grown to become a full-service O-ring supplier and industry leader. Real Seal is not only one of the most technologically advanced O-ring suppliers today; we are also one of the few organizations with a fully-equipped laboratory as well as a full-time chemist and technical staff. This allows Real Seal to meet design challenges special material formulations in a way that no other company can. Don’t wait: give us a call and we’ll provide you with backup rings made to your exact specifications as soon as possible.
Proper maintenance of a hydraulic pump is crucial for reaching maximum pump efficiency. Every component is reliant on another, so if just one component is damaged, the others will be damaged as well. Regular maintenance is necessary to prevent damage from occurring or getting worse.
Contaminants and Moisture
Prevention is the best way to properly maintain a hydraulic system. This means taking the steps necessary to keep contaminants out of the system (…if not, the performance of your system will suffer due to a number of factors):
Clean the area around dipsticks, fill plugs, and hydraulic filters before removing them to check or change hydraulic fluid. Make sure that hydraulic fluid containers are tightly sealed when stored. Pour the fluid directly into the system.
Change the fluid and filter after the first 50 hours of use. The manufacturing process may allow contaminants to enter the hydraulic system. Changing the fluid after 50 hours will eliminate these contaminants. From there, change the hydraulic fluid and filter at regular intervals according to the directions in the owner’s manual.
Check the oil before each use. Ensure that the fluid is in good condition, and that fluid levels are at a sufficient level. If the fluid is foamy or milky, there could be a leak where air is entering your system, causing jerky and slow hydraulic operation. Insufficient levels of oil will cause severe damage to the pumps.
Air within the system carries moisture. When the system cools down following an operation, the moisture will condense and mix with the hydraulic fluid, resulting in the milky appearance mentioned previously. Test for water by pouring a 1/8 cup of hydraulic fluid into a metal can, then heat it with a propane torch. If you hear popping or crackling, the fluid has water and must be changed immediately.
Check the temperature of the hydraulic fluid often, for signs like the oil being too hot to touch, or a burning smell. These symptoms point to a problem with the cooling system or pressure level. Inspect the hydraulic oil cooler or reservoir, making sure that they are clean. Remove dirt and other debris inhibiting airflow surrounding them. If the fluid is too hot for an extended period, the fluid will break down and won’t be able to lubricate properly.
Pumps
Pumps should be inspected for obvious external wear and damage, as well as cavitation. Cavitation occurs when the the pump does not receive the necessary amount of fluid from the reservoir. Follow these steps every 50 hours:
Listen to the pump while the hydraulics are in operation. Rattling or a sound similar to marbles or rocks bouncing around the pump is a sign of cavitation. Shut the system down immediately if you hear either of these sounds.
Check the fluid level and filter if they are limiting or restricting the flow.
Examine for previous modifications to the reservoir, inlet lines, or pump. Alterations to these components will affect the pump inlet flow.
Leaks, bends, pinching, and other discontinuities will restrict the flow. Regularly clean your system’s strainer if you have one.
Cylinders and Motors
Cylinders have seals and rings which may be damaged by excess pressure and contaminants in the fluid. Check that your hydraulic fluid is clean, and inspect where the cylinder rods move in and out of their housing for leaks. Cylinders should not have dings, dents, and other kinds of damage, which will allow fluid and pressure to escape.
O-rings are susceptible to a variety of elements, including UV rays, temperature, and humidity, so they must be stored in a very particular way. Real Seal has covered proper O-ring storage here.
Valves
Valves may be abraded or may leak internally, which will result in low hydraulic pressure. Contaminants may become lodged in the valves and restrict the flow. Maintain clean hydraulic fluid to ensure properly-functioning valves.
Other Components
Hoses, lines, fittings, and couplers must be inspected for damage. Hoses and lines may be dented from falling tools, contact with other equipment, and a number of other factors. Lines should be inspected for cracking, cuts, or dents, which will restrict the flow or leak pressure. Hoses may be damaged in the same ways, in addition to overheating, extended wear, and defective manufacturing. Hoses may also be internally damaged, causing pieces to contaminate the system.
Buy Your Hose Components From an Industry Leader
Purchasing quality components will help prevent damage and the need for repairs. Contact Real Seal, and our team of experts—including an in-house chemist and technical staff—will help you purchase the right seals and components to keep your hydraulic system running smoothly.
Ensuring that a centrifugal pump is running as efficiently as possible requires extensive knowledge of what makes an efficient system, and what factors create efficiency. These five articles are essential for any user of centrifugal pumps.
1. What Is Efficiency?
Efficiency in a machines is defined as how well it converts energy from one form to another. For example, if a machine receives one unit of energy and outputs a half-unit of energy, the efficiency of that machine would be 50%. Unfortunately, the English system of measurements makes efficiency calculations more complex than this example. Read more about efficiency and the use of constraints here.
Metal wear rings can actually produce a substantial decrease in efficiency, even when they are reduced to the minimum clearance. Unfortunately, metal rings cannot experience a clearance reduction below the minimum without the risk of pump seizure. Read more about how metal wear rings limit pump efficiency here.
In radial machinery as well as other applications, a volute is meant to transfer flow from an annular cross section to an exit pipe. Or, a volute might be reversed in a turbine; there are many variations on how this part is used. Read more about the many uses of a volute here.
For even more information about pumps and their components, speak to the experts at Real Seal.
If you want to drastically improve the efficiency of your pump and reduce maintenance, the first thing to do is change your approach to maintaining your pump. Focus not just on the specialized equipment your plant uses, but on the pipes, valves, and other pieces which are crucial for the plant’s operation.
Did you know that the most common source of wasted energy in pumping systems has to do with seals that weren’t properly sized for their applications? This causes throttling of the pump’s flow, and reduces efficiency. Pumps run in this way also produce higher levels of vibration, which will cause unnecessary damage and reduce the longevity of the seals significantly.
Where does seal failure begin?
While improvements in mechanical seal design have drastically improved their lifespan, using seals outside of their intended environment will cause them to fall short of these estimates. Oftentimes, the problem is that the pump has been used outside of its desired application range. By taking the time to ensure that the entire system is working properly, and fixing problems at their source, you can reach the best efficiency point (BES) and extend the life of your seals.
Root Causes
If a premature mechanical seal failure occurs, there are several common root causes which should be investigated to reach optimal performance for the whole system. In most cases, sealing devices are are being used in an off-design operation. This can cause excess vibrations transmitted throughout the pump, and damages the seals installed in the system.
Avoid these root causes of seal failure
Excessive vibration in the seal chamber cavitation, internal re-circulation, or asymmetrical wear.
Cavitation refers to the vaporization of the fluid and fluid film in the seal chamber.
Temperature increases in the seal chamber under low-flow conditions will cause vaporization of the fluid in the seal chamber.
Insufficient cooling flow from mechanical seal support system.
Critical Seal Components
The mating pair of seal rings is the most sensitive to vibration and insufficient lubrication. Choose these rings carefully based on the conditions of the sealed environment, including the temperature and surface pressures involved. These conditions can change quickly when the seal is exposed to vibration or lacks the sufficient lubrication. Sealing systems try to compensate for changing interface conditions, but off design pump operations may damage the seal if it is forced into a setting it was not intended for. Be wary of more subtle damage which may result from leakage at the seal interface. The cause of this may be unrelated to the material of the seal or its design.
By taking a more involved approach in the subsystems of your pump, you can save money on seal maintenance and improve its overall efficiency. To purchase mechanical seals and other gaskets, visit Real Seal.
