If you’re most people, you probably haven’t thought much about using lubricants on your machineries—unless they’re already making noticeable sounds.

But you don’t have to wait until your gears are all rusty and worn out before you use lubricants. In fact, it’s better to lubricate regularly the seal components of your machines.

Here’s why. Proper lubrication:

• Reduces friction and heating of moving parts
• Prevents premature wear and tear of seal components
• Maintains the integrity of machines and other industrial applications

Machineries operate better when the seal components are lubricated. There’s less resistance and chafing, so the parts last longer. Some seals are prone to cracking easily, but when they are properly lubricated, they don’t snap just as easily.

Are all lubricants the same?

Lubricant, oil, and grease. What’s the difference between the three?

People like to use those terms interchangeably, and they somewhat correct in doing so. But lubricant is an umbrella term for both grease and oil. For purposes of clarifying what a lube really is and what it does, let’s establish their differences.

The difference between the oil and grease lies in their application:

• If you have machines that operate at high temperatures and speed, use oil.
• If your machine operates at regular temperature and speed, use grease.

That’s the most basic explanation. But of course, there are specific types of lubricants for specific types of operations:

1. Penetrating Lubricant
This is a good choice if you’re dealing with rust on mechanical seals. This lube cuts through rust after a few hours. It comes in both spray and liquid type—your choice depends on the type of seal component you have and the severity of rusting.

2. Silicone Spray
If you are looking for a lubricant that makes the least mess, then a silicone spray is your friend. It is relatively good lubricant. It’s perfect for components that are prone to rusting as it offers a bit of waterproofing as well.

3. PTFE or Teflon Spray
PTFE is often associated with the trademark Teflon. Similar to a silicone spray, this also offers corrosion protection, so it’s best used as a lubricant for machineries that operate at high temperatures.

4. Dry Lube
Also called graphite lube, dry lube is best used on small parts. Unlike most liquid lubricants, dry lube does not gum up small components. It comes in powder form, but the spray form dries rather quickly and doesn’t affect the integrity of seal components.

5. Lithium or White Grease
White grease is best used on devices that work at high temperatures. It’s thicker than other lubricants, so it stays put no matter how much pressure is applied to seal components.

Keeping your seal components well lubricated prevents friction from ruining your machinery. Even if you don’t notice any obvious wear and tear, you should make lubricating small parts a habit to make them last longer.

Lubricants are not all the same in terms of viscosity and effectiveness. The kind of lubricant that you should use depends on what kind of application you have and on whether your apparatus works at high temperatures or not.

While lubricating extends the life of seal components, they will eventually require a replacement. Real Seal is a manufacturer of sealing products and other mechanical goods. Contact Real Seal to order replacement parts for your machinery.

When you think of rubber, elastic bands, car tires or pencil erasers come to mind. But this stretchy material actually finds its way into thousands of other products such as rubber stamps, waterproof shoes, surfing wetsuits, swimming caps, and hoses. Due to the material’s versatility, rubber applications are almost endless.

Rubber, a commonly used material for over 1000 years, originated from natural resources or chemical plants.

To help you identify the best materials to source for your business, contact Real Seal to create a customized solution and value for your business.

Natural Rubber

Natural rubber, made from a runny, milky white liquid called latex, is derived from certain plants such as dandelions. While there are over 200 plants in the world that can produce latex, over 99% of the world’s natural rubber is made from the latex that is derived from a tree species called Heva Brasilensis, also known as rubber tree.

Latex made from Heva Brasilensis is about one third water and one third rubber particles held in a form known as colloidal suspension. Natural rubber is made of thousands of basic C5H8 units (the monomer of isoprene) loosely joined to make long, tangled chains. These chains of molecules can be pulled apart and untangled and put back together if you release them, which is what makes rubber elastic.

Synthetic Rubber

Synthetic rubbers are made in chemical plants using petrochemicals. One of the first and best-known petrochemicals is neoprene. Neoprene is made by reacting together acetylene and hydrochloric acid.

Emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber, another synthetic rubber, is also widely used for making rubber, specifically vehicle tires.

How is Rubber Made?

Rubber made from rubber trees using a traditional process called rubber tapping, involves making a wide, V-shaped cut in the tree’s bark. As the latex drips out, it’s collected in a cup and the latex from many trees is then filtered, washed, and reacted with acid to make the particles of rubber coagulate. The rubber then makes its way into pressed slabs or sheets where it is then dried and ready for the next stages of production.

Unprocessed rubber, itself, is not useful. Unprocessed, it is brittle when cold and smelly and sticky when it warms up. Further processing is required to create a much more versatile material.

The first of which is known as mastication. Mastication machines “chew up” raw rubber using mechanical rollers and presses to make it softer and easier to work with. After the rubber has been masticated, extra chemical ingredients are mixed in to improve its properties. Then, the rubber is squashed into shape by rollers in a process called calendaring or squeezed through shaped holes to make hollow tubes in a process called extrusion. Lastly, the rubber is vulcanized (cooked) with sulfur and heated to 140°C (280°F).

Rubber Applications

Rubber is used in diverse ways in everyday items. With its strong, stretch, flexible, durable, and waterproof properties, you can find it in waterproof clothes and wellington boots, sticking plasters, and adhesives. You can also find it in vehicle tires for wheels of cars, bicycles and trucks.

In fact, rubber can be made either soft or hard to make everyday things from pencil erasers, birthday balloons, condoms, protective gloves, and paints. Harder materials are needed for tougher rubber applications such as roofing membranes, waterproof butyl liners in garden ponds and inflatable boats used by scuba divers. It’s strong flexible property also lends itself ideal for electrical cables, fiber-optic cables, and heat pipes.

Partner with Real Seal

Real Seal manufactures and distributes seal products and mechanical components with a strong focus on performance oriented rubber and plastic materials. We are a full-service supplier of sealing and mechanical components, operating in hundreds of industries both nationally and internationally.

Technology continues to expand and create the impossible to possible. Today, the potential of 3D printing is astounding. With a global technology spend to increase from $11 billion in 2015 to nearly $27 billion in 2019, the innovation of 3D printing is only in its infant stages.

The technology may not be talked about in mainstream media as much as it was a couple years ago, but it has undergone some significant changes and developments. Today, 3D printing plays a vital role in creating prototypes for use in the aerospace, automotive, engineering, and medical sectors.

3D printing has been described as a valuable part of every stage in the product development process, but has yet to make a break through here. But in the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, 3D printing shined bright.

What’s Trending in 3D Printing for 2017

Here’s a fun fact: Two-thirds of industrial manufacturing firms are already using 3D printing in their day-to-day operations. As it continues to evolve and emerge into each sector, it is evident that 3D printing is here to stay. Here are the trends that are emerging this year:

Better Software

For design and manufacturing to be more efficient, better software is needed to create the 3D object to be printed. But software alone does not suffice. Software and hardware need to work together to successfully create 3D printing and what the sector needs is one package for both subtractive and additive manufacturing.

One such product is Netfabb, a single portfolio that combines multiple manufacturing applications into one package. It uses a new file extension, 3MF, which has extensions for machine properties, lattice structures and more.

Smaller Products

3D printing doesn’t only produce large parts. While most of what we’ve seen are manufactured in big parts, it is evident that there is a need for the creation of small and compact parts. This is particularly true in medical and dental sectors, where 3D printing can produce millions of hearing aids, dental appliances or aligners and crowns.

The only setback here is pricing and costs. Small 3D parts are expensive to manufacture; however, this will change when more companies begin to adopt the use of technology to create their own prototypes and products, helping to regulate pricing.

Wider Applications

From prototypes to production, 3D printing is making a shift from small-run prototypes to end-use production parts. As the number of advancements around the technology develops, research and production teams are evaluating the feasibility of evolving their 3D application from prototypes to production.

One such advancement is in materials. Several resins and metal powders meet industrial requirements while delivering the part quality and production cost effectiveness needed to keep 3D printing competitive in the market. As we head into 2018, improvements in material availability and cost, continued 3D printer technology developments and more experience in design applications will all contribute to the wider application of 3D printing.

Partner with Real Seal

To help you identify the best materials to source for your 3D printing business, contact Real Seal to create a customized solution and value for your business.

Real Seal manufactures and distributes seal products and mechanical components with a strong focus on performance oriented rubber and plastic materials. We are a full-service supplier of sealing and mechanical components, operating in hundreds of industries both nationally and internationally.

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.

A Look at Engineered Mechanical Rubber Components

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.

How To Maintain Hydraulic Components

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.

An attitude of prevention is essential for protecting your O-rings. Learn more about four ways to prevent seal failure here.

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.