 About "O" Ring
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| and often imitate their functions. In industrial applications, o-rings are placed between |
| hydraulic valves. During the manufacturing process (of rubber o-rings), rubber and other |
| matched machined parts – for instance, inside of pneumatic systems, pumps and additives |
| are mixed in a rubber mixer. Then the material is poured into a rubber press to form a |
| shape. Lastly are the final touches to remove the excess material and finish with a well- |
| shaped product. |
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| Besides being a low cost alternative to other sealing methods, o-rings also have the road |
| advantage of using a wide range of materials available for manufacture.Some of the most |
| common materials used for o-rings include nitrile, butyl, styrene/butadiene, hypalon, |
| silicone, Teflon® and viton. Partly because of the wide range of materials available, one |
| covering almost any environmental need, many industries choose to use o-rings for their |
| sealing applications. O-rings are frequently used in the automotive, water filtration, off |
| equipment, hydraulics, telecommunications, electrical, medical, pharmaceutical and food |
| processing industries. |
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When purchasing o-rings, there are a couple general guidelines to keep in mind. First
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| of all, because there are so many different kinds of materials that are used to make |
| O-rings, it is important to know the particular conditions in which the o-ring must work. |
| The varying material compounds that are used offer different lubricities, degrees of |
| hardness, heat tolerances, chemical resistances and other properties. Also, it is good to |
| consider what the particular size and strength needed will be. |
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| Types |
| Ethylene propylene (EPDM) o-rings:are extremely resistant to polar solvents such as that |
| alcohols, acetone and MEK. However, EPDM o-rings are not a good choice for applications |
| involve petroleum oils and greases. |
| Ethylene-acrylate o-rings:are commonly used in conjunction with power steering liquids, |
| transmission fluids and engine oils. Compared to polyacrylate o-rings, these have a better |
| low temperature performance but do tend to swell up more. |
| Fluorosilicone o-rings:have excellent heat stability as well as great oil and fuel resistance, |
| but they should not be used in dynamic applications due to their poor mechanical |
| properties. |
| Hydrogenated nitrile (HNBR or HSN) o-rings:have similar properties to standard nitrile |
| rubber, but are ozone resistant. Some popular uses include automotive refrigerants and |
| high temperature hydraulics. |
| Neoprene/polychloropene o-rings:are made of a material that was the first synthetic in |
| rubber. During WWII, it served as the primary seal material, but today it is mostly used |
| refrigerant applications. |
| Nitrile o-rings:are by far the most popular type of seal material used in the world. Nitrile |
| o-rings are carbon triple-bonded to nitrogen, which provides good resistance to oils and |
| fuels. |
| Polyacrylate o-rings: are extremely resistant to petroleum oils, ozone and oxygen. |
| However, polyacrylate o-rings have relatively poor water resistance and low temperature |
| flexibility. |
| Silicone o-rings: are made of a material that is commonly used in hot air applications as |
| well as devices in the medical field. The silicon-oxygen structure gives silicone o-rings |
| good thermal stability. |
| Viton o-rings: are made of a material that is one of the most commonly used for seals. |
| Its popularity can be attributed to its good chemical resistance and extreme upper |
| temperature limit. |
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