Ways to Measure and Choose Oil Seals for Industrial Applications

Oil seals are used in several industrial applications to protect shafts and bearings from oil, grease, contamination, and dirt. They comprise an outer and an inner circular rings. The outer ring or disk is made of metal, while the inner one is made of rubber and hence is flexible. It is stuck onto the outer ring with the help of a chemical adhesive. There are oil seals with single lip as well double lips. The sizes of these seals depend on application requirement, and hence it is measure the inner and outer diameters, width, and so on. Also, it is crucial to choose the right type of oil seal for every application. This post discusses the way to measure and choose the oil seal for your application.

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How to Choose the Right Oil Seal Type?

You may have to choose or identify the oil seal type in case of either a new equipment fitment or as a replacement for the damaged one. Here are a few pointers to identify the right seal type.

• Primarily, there are single lip and double lip oil seals. The single lip is the immersed at the bottom for which the inner diameter needs to be considered.
• Double lip oil seals have an extra lip at the top which protects from external contamination, dirt, and so on.
• Pressing along the line of the inner diameter at the top may help determine whether the oil seal is single lip or double lip.
• Check the code of the lip seal given by the manufacturer or look for a reference guide for further information regarding the oil seal type. This is because there are several types of single lip as well as double lip seals with varied configurations such as type A, B, or C single lip and type BO, ADL, double lip, and so on.
• Type B seals have their outer diameter made of metal, while in case of type A it is made of rubber. In type C, there is reinforced metal added for structural stability. Likewise, there are several types of materials and their permutations and combinations.
• All of these oil seals based on their materials have specific physical and chemical properties, and accordingly find applications in diverse industries. For instance, type C single lip offers structural stability and hence finds use in heavy engineering. Type A made of rubber has amazing resistance to heat, chemicals, and so on. Hence, they find application in industries where there is exposure to chemicals, abrasion, and elevated temperatures.
• Before you choose the type of oil seal, it is essential to measure it, which is discussed in the next section.

How to Measure Oil Seals?

Oil seals are typically used as seals in moving parts that prevent friction as well as mixing of liquids or other elements. The oil seeps between the lip and shaft and that lifts up the lip. This creates the required gap between the lip and shaft as they should never come in contact with each other. This is basic working mechanism of oil seals. When replacing these oil seals, it is essential to measure them since they have different dimensions based on the application they are fitted in. Here are some pointers regarding their measurement.

• While visual inspection may offer some clue, it may not be accurate. Hence, measuring the inner and outer diameter with the help of calipers is important.
• Their measurement is much like O-rings, wherein, height, lip, type, inner and outer diameter are important factors. Material is also a factor to be considered although it cannot be measured.
• Take at least three readings, preferably with a Vernier caliper. Consider the average reading if there is negligible difference among the values.
• Measure the bearings and also consider the gaps.

Related Post

If you want to buy automotive oil seals or industrial oil seals these identification pointers may be useful. However, ensure you source them from reliable manufacturers and suppliers that can ensure leak proof seals. If you are looking for food or pharmaceutical applications, ensure the industrial oil seals are FDA approved. SSP Manufacturing Inc. has a market presence of more than three decades and offer premium quality custom oil seals for a number of industrial applications.

Replacing a critical component can be difficult to get right, especially if you do not have the original machine specifications. Thankfully, there are a few ways to identify oil seals; from their design, size and material. As there are hundreds of different oil seals available on the market, this guide will cover the four most common design types. Typically available with either a single or double lip, in Nitrile or Viton Rubber Material.

Oil Seal Single Lip vs Double Lip

Firstly, the oil seals covered in this guide classify the single lip as the inner diameter at the bottom of the component. The single lip is vital to the function of the seal by containing the oil, grease or lubricant. The only difference between a single and double lip is the additional rubber lip on the top of the oil seal which helps prevent dust or dirt from coming close to the shaft. Identifying the oil seal lip can be misinterpreted with a visual inspection alone. For or this reason, you should press along the inner diameter at the top of the seal, if you feel a ridge with a slight movement or give it is highly likely you have a double lipped oil seal.

Industry retailers use unique codes to identify oil seals worldwide. The most common lip style designations are 21 (single lip) and 23 (double lip), please read our Oil Seal Cross Reference Guide for more detailed information.

For more information, please visit oil seal suppliers.

Identify Oil Seal Design

1. Type A - Rubber Covered Lip Seals

Fully covered outer diameter for excellent sealing. This oil seal is fully enclosed in a rubber material and is the most widely used type of oil seal. Great resistance to thermal cycling, temperatures and different chemical resistance.

2. Type B - Metal Outer Diameter Oil Seals

Economic metal outer diameter for standard applications. This is an economical oil seal where the metal is exposed on one side and offers a closer fitting between the oil seal and housing or bore. Due to this, it has limited use with sealing thin liquids or gases.

3. Type C - Reinforced Metal Insert Oil Seals

The same design as type B with an additional inner case for greater structural rigidity. This type of oil seal is typically used in heavy-duty engineering machinery or large diameter sized seals

4. Type F - Stainless Steel Garter Spring

The same design as type A with corrosion protected metal case and stainless-steel garter spring. Suitable for use with a wide range of fuels and chemicals.

Identify Oil Seal Material

Nitrile or NBR is black in colour, whereas, Viton or FKM is usually a brownish colour. To understand the main comparisons between the two compounds read our Nitrile vs. Viton article.

How to Measure Oil Seals

Finally, Polymax part codes follow the same pattern as our O-rings - inner diameter, outer diameter and height. This is different from the industry-standard convention, whereby imperial oil seals follow - outer diameter, inner diameter and height.

We hope the information in this article helps you identify the correct oil seal for your application. If you have any queries feel free to call one of our sales engineers on 01420 482862. Polymax stock over 6,000 oil seals available to buy online, browse our oil seal selection today.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of u type rubber oil seal prices china. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.