In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at O-rings, their purpose, how they are used and the materials that they are made of.
What is an O-ring?
An O-ring is an o-shaped mechanical gasket, made of elastomer material such as silicone or Nitrile. Also known as a ‘toric’ or ‘packing’ joint, an o-ring is designed to seal an assembly of two or more parts, fitting into a groove and subjected to large amounts of compression. O-rings are cheap and easy to manufacture with simple manufacturing requirements, making them widely used throughout many industries.
How do O-rings work?
As we said earlier, an o-ring’s function is to act as a seal between two or more parts in a mechanical assembly. They can be used in both static and dynamic applications where there is relative motion between the assembly and the o-ring itself. Dynamic examples of this can be hydraulic cylinder pistons or rotating pump shafts. Static examples include where vulcanized o-ring material has rendered it impermeable to gases and fluids, or where the o-ring is compressed to such a degree that there is zero clearance, creating a complete seal.
What are O-rings made of?
O-rings are manufactured from a number of materials, including Nitrile, silicone, natural rubber, Fluorosilicone, Neoprene, EPDM and FKM. However, Nitrile, Silicone and Neoprene are the most commonly used material in industry. O-rings are also available in a variety of shore hardnesses and colours.
At TYM, we stock suitable material for o-rings in many sizes and thicknesses. We can also make o-rings to your specifications and required tolerances. Colours such as red, brown, blue, white and others can also be specified. So if you want to find out more about the o-rings we stock at TYM, call us today.