Why You Should Consider Aluminum Seals For Your Manufacturing Facility

27 August 2015
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When you are building a manufacturing facility, you're going to find that your equipment often faces heavy demand. One of the most important components you'll invest in for your equipment is the right seals. After all, seals are a vital part of how your compressors and other machines operate. In order to have sufficient pressure in your compressors and manufacturing machines, you'll need seals that are strong enough to stand up to the demand you put on them without cracking, drying or otherwise failing. If you're looking for seals that are going to be able to hold up under even your most extreme production deadlines, aluminum seals may be the best way to go. Here's a look at what you should know about the seals you may need and why aluminum is a great option.

Types of Seals

  • Labyrinth: These seals are graduated, creating a series of steps along the sealed area. They're made to allow for higher differential pressure in the system, which can be particularly important for manufacturing machines with piston components. They're also beneficial for preventing leaks of air, nitrogen or similar gases.
  • Liquid Film Shaft: These seals feature a set of rings mounted on the ends of the shafts to prevent leakage. These rings are free-floating, so they move as needed to prevent leaks. They are particularly valuable for compressors and similar parts where it's vital that there be no leaks.
  • Dry Gas: Dry gas seals prevent contamination in the machine's cycles. They feature a stationary ring and a rotating ring. The rotating ring creates a force that drives the stationary ring away, creating a gap. These seals can be used without lubricating oil because gas provides the lubrication. If you have a compressor or manufacturing machine that uses carbon dioxide, this is a good seal to use.
  • Mechanical Oil: These seals require lubrication. They feature carbon rings that are continuously in contact with a rotating collar. This constant motion is why the lubrication is necessary. When you need secure, consistent shaft seals, these are typically the way to go.

Reasons for Aluminum

When it comes to choosing seals for any manufacturing environment, aluminum is one of the most common materials. The core features of aluminum seals make them an ideal choice for many of these applications. This metal has many advantages that other metals just can't offer, so it makes it a versatile choice that's also cost-effective. Here are some of the reasons to consider aluminum for your industrial seals.

  • Lightweight Material – Aluminum is a lightweight material, and it's lighter than most of the other metals out there. Since it's so lightweight, you can use it in almost any environment, including aerospace and other manufacturing operations. Not only does its weight make it a versatile choice, but it also makes it more affordable to ship.
  • Durable Metal – One of the things that makes aluminum really unique is the durability that it retains despite its lightweight nature. It not only holds up to a lot of wear and tear, but it isn't susceptible to damage from extreme temperatures. Unlike some metals that can become brittle or weak when the temperatures drop below freezing, aluminum will still stand strong.
  • Rust Resistant – Aluminum is resistant to rust and corrosion. If your manufacturing facility includes exposure to any kind of corrosive materials, you'll want to think about using aluminum for your seals to avoid the potential of corrosion damaging the seals and leading to leaks.
  • Not Magnetic – Since aluminum doesn't have any magnetic properties, it's a great choice if you're working in electrical manufacturing. When it's important that your machines are free of any magnetism, aluminum seals may be the best choice.
  • Versatile – You can create many different shapes and forms out of aluminum sheets. Since it's such a versatile metal, most of those shapes can be formed without having to cut and weld components. This means that you won't typically have seams to worry about in aluminum seals and other structures.

With the importance of the seals in your manufacturing equipment and the features that aluminum seals have to offer, you may want to consider replacing all of your seals with aluminum materials. Talk with a specialist and visit a site like http://www.phoenixspecialty.com/ to learn more about the options for commercially-available aluminum seals and even custom seals to fit your needs.