Critical to the function of just about any hydraulic application is the seal. Hydraulic seals serve a number of functions, the most important of which involves preventing fluid leakage while withstanding temperature extremes, high pressures and transverse forces.

Hydraulic seals include piston seals, rod seals, wear rings, scrapers, o-rings, quad-rings, static seals and rotary seals.

• The purpose of the piston seal is to seal in fluid, halting its flow to the piston. This results in the build-up of pressure on one of the piston’s sides.
• Rod seals are the external seals that halt cylinder leakage.
• Wear rings serve to guide both the piston rod and the piston in the cylinder, thereby eliminating metal-on-metal contact.
• The purpose of the scraper is to prohibit cylinder damage by denying access to dangerous contaminants.
• Considered one of the most widely used seals, O-rings are appropriate for both dynamic and static applications, sealing all media.
• Quad-rings are often considered a variation on the traditional O-ring. With its X-shaped cross section, this seal is ideal for both static and dynamic applications.
• Static seals are ideal for sealing applications that do not require movement between sealing surfaces.
• Rotary seals, on the other hand, are used in applications where components are rotating or oscillating.

A breakdown in of any of these units will culminate in inevitable harm to machinery.

Figure 1: A rod seal, a wear ring, a piston seal and a scraper. Source: Seals-Shop

Figure 2: An O-ring, Quad-Ring®, Desktop seal and rotary seal. Source: Seals-Shop

Considering the toll on hydraulic seals in hydraulic applications, avoiding hydraulic seal damage becomes a critical matter of selecting the right seal for the right application.

Found in applications ranging from off-highway vehicles, machine tools, trucks and injection molding machines, hydraulic seals need to fit the application and environment for their intended uses.

Here are considerations for making such a determination and, consequently, avoiding hydraulic seal damage.

Different pressure demands will govern different applications. In order to select the right seal, the pressure limit of the application needs to be evident. When considering the pressure needs of the machinery, the first factor to consider is the megapascal (MPa) pressure unit necessary.

Without reliable, quality parts, the cylinder will only be capable of inferior performance, not to mention a shorter service life. That is why hardware is critical to the function of hydraulic systems. A good rule of thumb in selecting a seal is to remember that the better the hardware, the better the seal.

Component design will significantly affect the selection of seals. Governing those design decisions are considerations such as necessary speed, efficiency and compliance with standards and reliability. Knowledge of the installation dimensions also informs the seal selection process.

Some questions to ask when making a seal selection with the goal of avoiding future seal damage:

• Can the seals combat contamination?
• Are the seals low-friction?
• Can the seals be assembled with ease?
• Will the seals be easy to maintain?
• How will the seals perform against temperature extremes and media?
• Are the seals compliant with industry standards?

Seals-Shop, with its variety of seals made from high-quality materials such as Zurcon® or Turcon®, can help make the right seal selection. Seals-Shop offers a variety of hydraulic seals that are durable and that rely on only a minimal amount of maintenance. Additionally, because the seals are compact, they can be installed with ease.

Let Seals-Shop help find the ideal seal for any application using their convenient Product Finder. Need installation help? Each product description in our online shop includes an easy-to-follow diagram detailing the installation steps for each specific seal — just another way that we can help you avoid costly seal damage.

About Seals-Shop

Seals-Shop, the official online shop of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, offers a wide range of hydraulic, pneumatic and mechanical sealing products for a variety of applications. For more information, see our product portfolio.

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