Whichever industry you are in, manufacturing poses potential hazards to both people and the quality of the goods you may be producing. Ensuring a long-lasting lifespan for this equipment guarantees a smooth-running operation with minimal error and maximum efficiency. The key to expanding this lifespan is thorough and attentive maintenance.
Rust
Corrosion due to rust is responsible for millions of dollars lost for different companies every year. Iron and steel are some of the most common materials used in industrial machinery, and when the structural integrity of this equipment is compromised by moisture and oxidation, it can drastically hinder its effectiveness.
When metal is exposed to moisture and oxygen, it forms an oxide that, over time, flakes away the surface of the metal. This eventually weakens the structure it’s on and, left untreated, will lead to failure. Aside from moisture, the presence of heat and salt also expedite the corrosion process. To avoid this harmful process, it is critical to keep your machinery as far away as possible from water and moisture to avoid oxidation.
Leaks
At first glance, leaking fluid can be a minor annoyance. Repeated monitoring can be easily dismissed and chalked up to routine wear and tear. However, over time these seemingly habitual maintenance needs can lead to much more significant problems down the road. You’ll first want to not only locate the site of the leak but identify the source. Next, the cause of the leak must be determined and recorded in the appropriate data bases for continued improvement.
It’s imperative that these leaks are completely repaired in a timely manner, to prevent further damage. Products such as O-rings offer easy-to-implement and cheap solutions, offering water-tight seals to leaks in certain machinery.
For more information on a variety of engineered rubber and plastic sealants, machinery devices, laboratory testing, and design engineering, contact Real Seal. Our organization is geared to meet the more fragmented aspects of industry today.
Industrial manufacturers are being tasked with offering consumers more choice, a wider latitude of performance criteria, and greater economic restraints. As American industry continues to evolve to meet the demands of today’s consumers and the challenges of international competition, Real Seal continues to provide solutions and create value.
Unless you’re dealing with water, the solutions that are being sealed within systems are either acidic or basic. Either one can wreak havoc on a seal made of the wrong material type. For acidic solutions, a weak seal can cause a dangerous situation that can damage property and harm employees, this is where acid-resistant o-rings come into play.
Knowing what types of seals are best for these operations is imperative to protecting your assets and your employees. Not only are acids dangerous when touched, the fumes can often be just as harmful to both people and materials. Avoid making the mistake of choosing a material that is weak to acid. Here is a list of materials that can be used in operations involving acidic solutions:
Fluorocarbon Rubber
Fluorocarbon Rubber, or FKM, is best for applications requiring both chemical and heat resistance up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, in addition to the acid resistant quality. There are even FDA grades available for food and beverage applications. A lot of food products are acidic, such as sodas, juices, and other fruit products.
Specialty fluorocarbons allow for a large range of resistances to various forces and chemical properties. If your application includes extremely acidic solutions, then these may be your best option. Customization is often a key concern for applications in the current industry trends as each operation has such unique and specific needs for their operation to run at the highest possible efficiency. Specialty materials allow for the most flexibility and can be designed by experts to fit your application.
EPDM
Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer, or EPDM, is resistant to weathering, ozone, water, and steam, as well as the acid resistance needed for these operations. Compounds cured with peroxide have excellent compression set resistance. So, if you are looking for a material that can retain its shape under high levels of pressure and is resistant to most acids, EPDM may be the way to go. Often it’s a combination of harsh factors that destroy a seal, so knowing if it is acid-resistant is merely the first step. High-pressure operations aren’t uncommon, and when you need a compound that resists acid and deformation, EPDM should be considered.
Materials to Avoid
A lot of materials are able to handle lower acidity fairly well. However, there are certain materials that are very bad at handling acids and will degrade quickly under this kind of stress. Knowing these materials is just as important as knowing ones that are good for acid-resistance.
Silicone is an extremely common material for o-rings and is not good at resisting acids. While you may want to use silicone because of its low cost and good set resistance, it is a poor choice if the solutions you are sealing are acidic. Urethane is another material that should be avoided in operations using acids. Certain rubbers have a mild resistance to acids in static applications, but high acidity is very corrosive to most rubbers.
Selecting the Right Seal for Your Operation
Acidity is merely one factor that should be considered when choosing the right seal for your operation. Other factors in combination with acid can make the process of finding the right seal complicated and potentially dangerous and expensive.
When you are choosing the o-rings for your systems, consulting with an expert in the industry, and buying seals from a reliable manufacturer are essential to your success. Real Seal has been in the industry for decades, creating and finding solutions for a massive range of applications. Contact Real Seal today to ensure your company’s success!
As a seal degrades and becomes defective, it becomes imperative that you inspect it to find out the reason for its failure. Sometimes, it’s reasonable for a seal to fail, as these are parts being exposed to extreme conditions and may suffer some kind of abnormal strain during an operational mechanical failure.
On the other hand, if a seal fails within its normal operating ranges and before expected, then you may have cause for concern. You may be using the wrong kind of seal or material and future failures can be avoided by replacing the seal with a better fit. Here are some signs to watch for:
Distorted Material
If the seal you are using feels or appears sticky, swollen, or is disintegrating you are probably using the wrong kind of material. The chemicals that the seal is interfacing with are degrading the material through a chemical reaction. Depending on whether you consulted an expert or chose the seal yourself, you may want to either consult an expert or switch to a more knowledgeable supplier. Knowing which material your seal should consist of is a major part in selecting the right seal for your operation.
Heat Related Issues
Heat can affect different materials in a wide range of ways; not just melting. The most obvious signs of heat being the cause of your defective seal are: charring, burning, or melting appearance. Hardening is another possible sign of excessive heat, the elastomer is essentially being baked. If the operation is outputting the expected amount of heat, then it is best to switch to a more heat tolerant material. Ensure that no additional friction is being generated, as this is a common source of excess heat. If all factors are accounted for, there are many materials with higher heat resistance than what you may be using.
Physical Damage
Pressure and friction are major factors when identifying defects in your seal. If a seal has become flattened, it’s very likely the pressure being exerted upon the seal is too great. Harder seals may crack when under too much pressure. In operations with extreme pressure, a material that is able to retain its shape while not cracking or fracturing is the ideal.
Decompression can cause an explosive outwards force, possibly tearing off the seal.
Friction will tear, rip, or shred the seal if it isn’t hard enough. Seal hardness can also damage machinery if it is too hard, causing damage to the surfaces they are sealing or putting additional strain on moving parts. The additional friction may also be caused by the coarseness of the fluid the seal is keeping in, which may cause physical damage to the seal.
Cutting and slicing can also occur when the mechanical parts the seal is touching are too sharp. A harder material may be required for these types of applications.
Manufacturing Defects
Perhaps the hardest to detect and most costly cause of seal failure and defects is improper manufacturing. Outsourced material and manufacturing can be less effective than more specialized companies. If the seals you are receiving have visible defects such as large seams, cracking, blistering, or other warping effects, then the seals are low quality.
Not all defects will be so obvious. If your operation is working within expected ranges and the material should hold up to these ranges, your manufacturer may be at fault. Seals are such an important aspect of any operation, ensuring safety and efficiency is paramount. When your seals break regularly, it can cause lost time, product, and money.
Using an expert in the field can ensure that you are using the correct seal for your operation. Real Seal is a veteran in the sealing industry with decades of experience. If your seals are defective, underperforming, or less economical than desired, contact Real Seal today for a consultation.
The number one concern of every manufacturing operation should be safety, taking precedent over all else. If safety isn’t prioritized, any profits gained by skimped costs will be lost and exceeded by worker’s compensation, reduced moral, efficiency, and time. Ensuring that your workers have the proper equipment and know the protocol when working in potentially dangerous situations will save you from potential losses.
Train Your Workers on Safety
It can’t be assumed any new employees, even industry veterans, are going to be aware of your safety protocols innately. Make sure that they go through extensive hands-on training for any potentially dangerous situations that can occur in their time working for the company. As new safety protocols are updated and put into place, make sure that every employee is aware of said changes. Often, it’s not enough to merely tell your workers these kinds of changes, drilling them on the changes through demonstrations and supervision reinforces the necessity for safety.
Sometimes, workers will cut corners when it comes to safety to meet tough deadlines or when they are fatigued. Ensure that your employees are aware that safety is the highest priority.
Personal Protection Equipment
In manufacturing and other industrial work situations, protection is a must. Hardhats for any place that may have falling objects, respirators for dust and other airborne irritants, and proper attire are just a few of these must-have protections. If employees may be coming into contact with toxic chemicals that can be absorbed by skin, have them wear gloves and long-sleeves. Eyewear should be worn at all times in these situations, as well.
Loose clothing, jewelry, and long hair can all become serious injury and death hazards. Implement a dress code preventing such issues from arising. Requiring the right kind of well fitting, durable clothes or even providing them in the form of uniforms can be a boon to the safety of your employees and the company. Give workers a place to put away jewelry and distracting devices such as cellphones when they are working in dangerous areas; small personal lockers can work wonders. Finally, for employees with long hair, require them to wear it in a bun or some other close-fitting style to put the extra hair out of harm’s way.
Follow Guidelines
OSHA and other agencies that create standards and regulations for industries should always be followed. These protocols and requirements should be taken seriously and never treated as a cost, but rather a necessity. This is imperative not only because it keeps your workers safe, which should be a top priority, but it also protects you from being fined or facing a costly lawsuit.
Keeping your Machinery Safe
The workers themselves aren’t the only factors to consider. Machinery should also be properly fitted to provide the safest environments possible. Keep all parts of the machine up to date and in good condition. If any piece is showing signs of wear, replace it. Waiting could spell disaster for both the machine and your workers.
Some parts of the machine will need to be replaced more regularly than others. Seals are an important part of most operations that require somewhat frequent replacement. These seals hold in toxic chemicals and fumes, protecting your workers from the dangerous materials. Even a water leak from a broken seal can become a safety hazard. Slipping and falling can be just as serious as coming into contact with a dangerous fluid.
How Real Seal Can Help
Making sure that all of your sealing products are the highest quality and correctly chosen for your operation can have an astounding affect on the safety in your work environment. Real Seal’s decades of service to the manufacturing industry have made them a leader in their field. Contact Real Seal today to ensure that the safety of your operation is top notch and won’t become a loss-leader!
Nearly all operations require seals, but each application has its own challenges and factors to be considered when choosing the right o-ring. Vacuum and high-temperature environments have unique challenges, where choosing the right design and material are essential to maintaining seal integrity. Here are a few things to consider for each application type:
Vacuum
In order to maintain the pressure required for a vacuum, o-rings are used to close off any air from entering through spaces in joints. While an application being a vacuum is only one factor when deciding which seal is required, it does have its own unique requirements. Usually, the o-ring is coated with a low-vapor pressure grease. This grease coating can improve the sealing effect and flushness of the seal to its sealing surface.
O-rings in vacuum applications must be solid and be able to maintain their structure without cracks, holes, or weakening. As the ring degrades, so does the pressure inside the sealed system, reducing the effectiveness of the vacuum. In these types of operations, it’s also imperative for the o-ring to be able to keep out any possible contaminants that might be sucked in by the vacuum, which can cause a host of issues depending on the specific operation.
The vacuum itself will also increase the damage done to the seal as it is in itself a force acting on the material. So, a seal that can withstand the constant pressure of a vacuum is essential to an efficient operation.
High-Temperature Applications
Temperature is a more common concern for sealing operations. Movement, friction, vibration, and direct heating all contribute to the operating temperature of a given application. So, in order to know how hot an operation will get, it really must be tested within the entire system as the compounded effect can be much larger than expected of a specific part of the system.
There is a wide range of materials that can stand higher temperature ranges, so considering the other factors, as well, are important. When an o-ring is heated, it may change the properties of the seal, making it more susceptible to deformation. Having a seal that can withstand all these factors acting upon it is imperative.
Silicone rubber is a material with an extremely high heat tolerance of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. If the needs of your operation aren’t so extreme, something like nitrile (250 degrees Fahrenheit) or polyurethane rubber (300 degrees Fahrenheit) may also serve the needs.
Typical
While there isn’t really a “typical” sealing operation as all factors need to be considered, the challenges are reduced when vacuum sealing or high-temperature operations aren’t an issue. Some other things to consider when choosing what kind of seal will work best include: chemical composition of the product, amount of action and force acting on the seal, friction, environment, and water. Whether an application is static or dynamic (moving) is also a huge influence on what kind of seal is necessary. All of these factors can weaken the wrong type of seal, so knowing the full range is imperative. No variable should go unchecked against the properties of a seal and what it is weak to.
Finding the Right Seal
Finding the right seal for your application can be hard. This process is even more difficult when high-temperature and vacuum-sealed operations are involved. When choosing a seal, it’s best that you consult an expert. Real Seal have the expertise to guide you to the right seal or even design a new seal to fit your needs.
They have worked with a variety of industries and companies over the decades, making them unparalleled veterans in the sealing industry. Contact Real Seal today to ensure your seals don’t fail!
Figuring out the physical dimensions and design of a seal is a challenging process, but the material is just as important. Selecting the wrong sealing material can lead to leakage or even more catastrophic failure. Some materials are impermeable to certain liquids and vapors, while others will let them slip through microscopic pores.
If you’re looking for a seal, make sure to select the right material based upon its properties and the forces acting upon it. Here are some things to remember when trying to figure out which seal material is right for your application.
Temperature Tolerance
One of the most common issues that applications must deal with includes high heat applications. Friction, direct heating, vibration, and other forces contribute to the heating of a seal. It’s often not enough to just know the standard operating range of one part of a process, as an entire range of other factors can come into play once the whole operation is connected and putting strain on a seal.
Some materials to consider when deciding on a seal in a high heat application include:
Fluorocarbon, which has a range of up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, is a common choice for such operations.
Silicone, which has a range of 500 degrees Fahrenheit; however, it has a lower physical strength than some other materials.
Low temperature applications have their own risks, as well. Melting isn’t the only temperature-related problem that seals not designed for a particular environment can be affected by. When seals that aren’t designed for cold temperatures are put in these conditions, they can become brittle and freeze, eventually breaking, cracking, or fracturing.
Silicone is a good choice for extremely cold temperatures, as it is able to handle extreme cold reaching as low as -175 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remember that when choosing a material based on its ability to withstand temperature, it should be able to handle the highest ranges an operation can reach. If the industrial application is cyclical, then it should be fine with every range of factors, not just the most constant environmental conditions.
Chemical Compatibility
Most seals are used to keep in, or out, certain products. Whether it’s liquid, vapor, or a kind of slurry, the chemical composition of the material the seal is made of and how it handles these products needs to be taken into account. Some chemicals will be abrasive to the seal, wearing it down physically. Other products will react chemically with certain industrial sealing materials, causing the seal to weaken and eventually break. If the wrong seal is chosen it may also allow the product or its byproducts to escape, causing loss of efficiency and money.
Not only is it important to take into account the products and byproducts a seal is keeping in, the surrounding environment can be equally problematic. If the operation is outside, underwater, or in an area where the seal may come into contact with other products, then these factors should be taken just as seriously as those directly in the application. A seal that can’t handle water won’t be any help to a system outside in a rainy area.
Silicone, for example, is resistant to high-aniline point oils and is excellent for these applications, but on the other hand it is weak to steam.
Physical Properties
In dynamic applications where a seal is against a moving part or may be moved itself, the physical properties of a material become vital. If a seal is too rigid or hard in an application with a lot of movement, then it may break or even damage the machinery itself. On the other hand, in static applications a flexible is probably unnecessary, allowing for a harder material seal to be used if it is better for the application or more economical.
Making the Right Industrial Seal Material Choice
When it comes to the final decision of what material your seal will be, it’s important to consult an expert to prevent seal failure, which can be expensive and time-consuming to fix. Testing the seal or having a provider that has dealt with similar applications before and can recommend the right material is key. Real Seal is a leader in the sealing industry, with over 30 years of experience. Contact Real Seal today to find the right industrial seal material for your operation.
Knowing whether or not to seal your application is relatively simple. Knowing how to seal can be a challenge in certain operations depending on the environment and product being sealed. Here are a list of reasons of why an operation needs to be sealed and its benefits:
Does Your Operation Leak?
The simplest way to tell if you should seal your machines and operations is to check if there is any kind of fluid leakage, even if the only leakage is sanitary room temperature water that can cost money over time. Sealing any kind of benign leak is a matter of cost-benefit analysis. If the cost of a seal and replacing it as it wears down is higher than the money saved when the leak is nontoxic and not a slipping hazard, then don’t seal it. Realistically, those situations are extremely few and far between.
Most leaks will cost money over the long and even short term. Loss of product is often an easy way to ruin profitability. While your product may be benign, it can still become a health hazard if ingested through particulates in the air. The possibility of a slipping fall is also very real and can cause a worker’s compensation situation.
The leakage may also wear down the machines by causing rust, erosion, or additional friction in any moving parts.
Are Fumes a Problem?
Fluid isn’t the only thing that escapes through gaps in machinery. Fumes can be even deadlier, being invisible or slow-acting in their toxicity. Many products now require zero-emissions due to environmental regulations. Short term savings are not worth pursuing over potential fines or worker health issues. The toxicity of the emitted vapors is not the only factor to consider. Temperature can be an issue, as well. Extremely hot or cold air escaping machines can be dangerous to workers and the machines themselves.
Do Pressure and Heat Need to be Maintained?
Some operations require that their product be kept under certain pressure conditions. If a machine isn’t sealed properly, the pressure level will drop and may even cause a rupture if fluid or air escapes too quickly. If an application requires the escape of pressure, seals can be made to compensate for this need.
The same can be said for temperature. A seal can ensure that heat doesn’t escape or enter through a space in the machine, helping to regulate temperature.
Is There Friction?
When metal rubs against metal it wears down, vibrates, and damages machinery. So, even if there isn’t product loss or the escape of dangerous material, it may be necessary to seal joints. Dislocation and misalignment of machines can cause catastrophic damage and failure. Even just vibrations can cause these same issues over time. Seals can act as a buffer and dampener for these forces, saving the machinery from damage.
Is Contamination a Concern?
Fluids, solids, and vapors escaping aren’t the only concern. The inverse can also be just as big of a problem; invasive particles or liquids can wreak havoc on an operation. Contamination can cause massive loss of product, making the entire operation shut down so it can be cleansed from the systems. These contaminants can also damage the machines themselves. Keeping out material is often just as important as keeping it in.
Still Unsure?
Are you still unsure whether your application requires seals? Before moving forward you should be one hundred percent certain if you are going without seals. If you need help deciding how to seal, or whether you need to seal, consulting an expert is the right decision. Contact Real Seal today to discuss all your sealing needs.
When deciding what kind of seal is best for a given application, it’s best to choose one that will last the longest. It’s impossible to tell exactly how long a seal will last, but knowing what forces wear down seals – and the materials that best stand up to such forces – will ensure that your seals have the longest life possible.
Sometimes it’s possible to extrapolate a general idea of how long a seal might last based on similar applications, although this is only educated speculation. The only way to find out how long a certain seal will last for sure is to put it into a specific application and measure how long it takes for the seals to fail, plus averaging it out over time. The high end of this spectrum tends to be around three years, with some extremely hostile operations being much shorter. Allowing a seal to run until it fails can lead to catastrophic consequences, major failure, and loss of product. It’s imperative to err on the side of caution when it comes to replacing seals.
Shelf life is another story. Most seals have an expected shelf life that can be much more accurate than application life duration estimates. Higher quality seals will degrade much slower over time than cheap knock-offs. Rubbers tend to have a shelf life of around fifteen years. Fluorocarbons and silicone have much longer shelf lives, degrading much slower than any timeline relevant to business.
The most common reasons and forces that act upon seals leading to failure and shorter lifespans are much more readily available and preventable than guessing a given seal’s life span in a certain application.
Initial Failure
If a seal fails much quicker than expected, chances are the wrong seal was chosen. When selecting a seal, it’s imperative that the correct material is chosen. Many of the fluids seals must contain within their systems are corrosive or reactive to certain seal materials, causing the seals to weaken much faster than they should. This is not the only reason for a quick failure. It also me be the wrong shape, size, or design for the application. If a seal is designed for static applications and put into a dynamic operation, it will fail much faster than intended. This is why it is so important to have an expert on seals guide you through the selection process, as these failures can be extremely costly due to the loss of product, damaged machinery, and lost time.
Random Failure
A random failure typically happens when the conditions surrounding a seal change. The most common cause of this failure is a kind of mechanical or procedural failure that precipitates a large amount of strain on the seal. A rapid increase in pressure, temperature, or physical force on the seal could all be a cause. These issues are more of a mechanical problem than a sealing problem; unless these changes are routine and expected, then the seal must be able to withstand both ranges of force.
These types of failures can also be caused by environmental factors. If the place in which the machine is located is exposed to the elements, then a change in seasons or weather can have a large impact on a seal’s ability to withstand the forces acting upon it.
Wear Failure
A seal that degrades over time in a predictable way is the aim of all operations. If a seal has a relatively predictable lifetime, then it can be replaced to prevent failure and there is no loss outside of the small amount of time it takes to change the seal.
Finding the Right Seal
All of this comes down to finding the best seal for your application. Heat, pressure, chemical composition, and other factors all play a role in how long a seal might last, so it’s best to have an expert who knows how to compensate for the myriad forces acting on a seal. Real Seal is an expert in the sealing business and will be able to point you to or design the seal that has the best potential for a long lifespan in your application. Contact Real Seal today to find the right seal for your operations.
When choosing the right sealing device for your operation, it’s imperative to select one made of the right material and designed to prevent the kind of contamination, leakage, or wear that may be present. Gaskets are simply a type of flat mechanical seal which prevents leakage or contamination while simultaneously undergoing compression. Most ideal gaskets are made of deformable materials that can withstand such warping and return to their desired form without too much lasting change. Rubber is a perfect answer for such applications.
Liquid Sealing Gaskets
One of the most common uses for a gasket is to prevent leakage. Liquid sealing gaskets may also be gaskets designed to keep liquid from entering into an unwanted space. A large range of rubbers are impermeable and resistant to different liquids. When deciding the material of the gasket you employ, it’s necessary to account for the chemical properties of the materials your gasket will be coming into contact with. A wrong choice can lead to a broken seal.
These types of gaskets are often found in transformers and other electrical applications where oil, water, or other liquids need to be maintained and not allowed to leak outside or to other parts of the electronic equipment.
Environmental Sealing Gasket
These types of gaskets are mostly used in outdoor applications or in areas with a lot of debris and possibility for contamination. Environmental sealing gaskets often protect against dust, sand, rain, and other external dangers. These kinds of gaskets can often be found in outdoor operations.
Anti-Friction and Vibration Gaskets
Gaskets not only keep material in or out of an operation, but they can also be a vital piece of physical protection for machinery. In applications with a large amount of vibration or friction, a gasket serves as a sort of buffer between the two moving parts, taking the brunt of the force and diverting it away from the fragile and expensive machines. These gaskets must be able to retain their shape after being deformed, making rubber gaskets a good choice in the right applications.
Types of Rubber
As previously stated, the type of rubber can be just as important as the design of the gasket. There is a massive array of rubber and the kinds of applications they can be used in. Each material type has its advantages and disadvantages with one being right for most operations and the unique stresses that the application will put on the seal.
Nitrile rubber is perhaps the most commonly used type of rubber in the sealing industry. It’s durable and won’t easily crack. The standard temperature range is -25F to 250F, but these ranges can be extended based on the grade of the rubber.
Polyurethan rubber is one of the most durable forms of rubber, able to withstand a large amount of wear without the integrity of the seal suffering. The temperature range of polyurethane is higher and lower than nitrile. This type of rubber is also resistant to a range of chemicals including: petroleum oils, fuels, oxygen, and ozone.
Silicon rubber gaskets are great for extreme temperature applications with a range of -175F to 500F based on the compounding of the rubber. Silicon is rubber resistant, which is frequently a much sought after property. The downside is that it isn’t as resilient against physical damage due to friction or tearing.
This is far and away not a complete list of possible rubber materials used in gaskets, so if the properties don’t seem to fit your needs there is a rubber out there for your operation. Nearly any kind of application can use a rubber gasket that calls for this kind of seal design.
Selecting the Right Gasket
Perhaps one of the most important steps in selecting a gasket is consulting an expert that can guide you to the right material. The wrong gasket seal can lead to a catastrophic failure leading to lost money and time, as well as causing safety concerns. Consulting the experts at Real Seal will make this process stress-free and you can ensure that your application is being properly sealed. Contact Real Seal today for all your rubber gasket needs.
Whether you’re prototyping, producing, or mass producing, tooling is one of the most important steps in setting up your manufacturing operation. Tooling is simply the process by which manufacturers obtain the components their machines need in order to operate and produce their desired end product. The ways that tooling impacts a manufacturing operation are numerous and far-reaching. Not only is the tooling of your own manufacturing important, but also of the tools themselves that will be a part of your own operation. It’s necessary to have components that have been tooled to specifications, have high quality, and will perform under stress.
Potential Effects of Tooling
The end result of your operation’s tooling is going to affect every aspect of the business and its success. If an operation has been improperly tooled, then it will inevitably have a less efficient running cost, slowing things down. When an improperly tooled machine fails, it can have disastrous consequences, not limited to time lost, loss of product, and potential hazard to employees or customers.
When an operation has been tooled correctly it will work at maximum efficiency, but that isn’t the only benefit. Any manufacturing that has the best components will have a superior product. Contamination and imperfections will occur in manufacturing businesses that haven’t properly tooled their machines. The components that affect the process don’t just include the more prominent parts of the machine that do the most work towards creating the end part. For example: seals have a massive impact on the efficiency and safety of an operation. Preventing both contamination and loss of product, seals play an integral role in nearly all manufacturing machine tooling.
Tooling Methods
One of the most important aspects of tooling is how these components are themselves created and designed. Tooling can be extremely expensive in the early stages of prototyping if you are doing the process entirely from scratch. Luckily, manufacturers of components such as Real Seal have adapted to the needs of today’s market with new tooling methods based upon altering existing molds to fit the needs of new applications.
One such method is injection molding which takes molds usually made of metal and injects the material that a component will consist of. Using inserts in these already designed molds allows for customization for the needs of a specific application. So, instead of having to create an entirely new mold, which can be cost prohibitive and crippling to smaller startups, an existing mold is adjusted to work for a new manufacturing operation.
Compression/Transfer molding is another process by which tooling is done. In this method liquid is forced from a “pot” that holds the correct amount of material for a mold into said mold. This process is designed for the economics of prototyping and allows for adjusting until the final design is reached.
When cost is an issue then it’s vital to consider cost when deciding how to tool a manufacturing operation. A smaller, more nimble company such as Real Seal will be able to adjust to the demands of more specific operations than large scale mass producers of component. Plus, once you need to scale up, they have that capacity as well.
Use an Expert
The long term consequences of tooling for manufacturing operations demands that your tooling is done correctly and efficiently. When an operation is improperly tooled, it will lose money through a variety of avenues. Consulting an expert in tooling is one of the smartest decisions to be made when tooling a manufacturing operation. Contact Real Seal today to ensure that your machines are tooled properly and economically.
