Hydraulic Seals/
Rubber Seals
Rubber seals are specially-shaped rubber tools that are used to contain the contents of a container or enclosure or to prevent the contamination of that enclosure. In the context of hydraulic seals, rubber seals are used as hydraulic cylinder seals; they prevent the leakage of hydraulic fluid from cylinders, and they prevent the contamination of those cylinders by dirt and other hazards. Also, in order to prevent wear from friction, hydraulic machines have a gap between the rotating shaft and the housing. Rubber seals are used in order to prevent hydraulic fluid from leaking from this gap. A very wide variety of industrial, commercial and even consumer products make use of rubber hydraulic cylinder seals. In industrial contexts, rubber seals are important parts of industrial process equipment and heavy machinery. Rubber oil seals, for example, help keep the hydraulic cylinders used in large press machines from becoming contaminated or losing their pressurization. Most rubber seals are made of resilient synthetic rubber materials; one of the most popular of these materials is Teflon. Teflon seals are valued because of their corrosion and heat resistance as well as their strength and elasticity.
Rubber seals are available in all kinds of shapes, sizes and compositions. Oil seals can be fitted with a single or double lip. Double lip oil rings are designed to prevent corrosion and to keep out dirt and dust. Some oil seals are spring-loaded to maintain contact between the seal lip and the shaft. Lip seals, in comparison, are versatile, high-performance seals used for uniform, low-pressure applications. Mechanical seals are intended for applications in which a rotating shaft and its housing are under a state of extreme stress, including a combination of high pressure, temperature and speed. Rubber seals are used to join mechanisms together in order to prevent leakage and to aid in compression. Rubber seals can be made of a variety of natural and synthetic rubber products and can be reinforced with metal cores. The metal case provides rigidity and strength to the seal. Rubber seals can be used in many other applications, in addition to their role in hydraulic machines.