Oil seals are rotary shaft seals that close a gap between stationary and moving components and prevent lubricant to escape and thus stop contamination through the clearance. There are different types of oil seals that fit a different application and surroundings and are made out of different materials. The right material and type of oil seal is determined by the application and the medium that will be used with the oil seal.

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Norm design

The DIN standard specifies dimensions and requirements for materials, marking, use and installation of rotary shaft lip seals used for retaining fluid or grease in unpressurized equipment, or equipment with a low differential pressure, that has rotating shafts. DIN defines standards for rotary shaft lip type seals for automobiles.
 

The standard oil seal consists of a metal ring as the inner skeleton which provides the structural stability to the oil seal. The outer part is made of rubber or metal - based on the requirement and the application of the oil seal. The spring on the lip of the oil seal provides support to the lip and prevents the lubricant from leaking outside and also prevents contaminants from entering.

The oil seal consists of a metal ring as the inner skeleton which provides the structural stability to the oil seal. The outer part is made of rubber or metal - based on the requirement and the application of the oil seal. The spring on the lip of the oil seal provides support to the lip and prevents the lubricant from leaking outside and also prevents contaminants from entering.

Tip for greasing oil seals with dust lips: If oil seals with fixed dust lips are being used, the space between the sealing lip and the dust lip may also be filled entirely with grease. The medium to be sealed will dissipate the heat.

A garter spring is a coiled steel spring that is connected at each end to create a circular shape. It maintains the radial force exerted by the sealing lip around the shaft surface.

Types of oil seals

The most commonly used oil seals in most applications are rubber cased or metal cased oil seals.

Metal Cased Oil Seals

Metal-cased oil seals are used when installed to a housing bore made of the same material. This allows for equal contraction and expansion of the materials during operation, preventing leakage from occurring. Typically metal-cased seals are more cost efficient than rubber seals.

Rubber Cased Oil Seals

Rubber-cased oil seals are the most common oil seal execution, used when a metal-cased seal has the potential to fail (for example because of thermal expansion). Oil seals with a rubber case cannot rust, in contrast to oil seals with metal cases. Moreover, oil seals with a rubber case can seal a lightly damaged housing much better than metal cased oils seals. In high temperatures and high pressures, fast expanding rubber can provide a tight fit and more stable sealability.

The most commonly used type is type R. This type has a carbon steel insert and has rubber outside diameter. The rubber gives a good sealing capability, even when the housing is not fully in tolerance. The sealing lip with spring provides interference on the shaft for effective sealing. The outside diameter, with inner metal reinforcement case, allows press-fitting in the housing, with sufficient interference on the rubber to provide static sealing.

Oil Seal Buying Guide

Are you looking to keep your machinery free from any unwanted leakages but aren&#;t sure which rotary shaft seal is right for your needs? This guide will provide you with everything you need to know in order to select the right one for your application.

Oil seals, which are also known as rotary shaft seals, fluid seals or grease seals, play an important role in closing down the gaps between moving and stationary elements of mechanical equipment.

By preventing lubricants from escaping, they protect key components of machinery from being damaged by leaks of various fluids. Everything from car engines to assembly machines use these oil seals to remain free from any harmful interactions that can cause serious and expensive damage to any of their critical parts.

There are a wide range of oil seals to select from for any number of uses, so this guide will break down the most common seals to help you choose the right one for whatever piece of machinery you are working on.

What are rotary shaft seals?

Rotary shaft or oil seals are placed between moving and stationary pieces of machinery to ensure that contaminants, moisture, corrosive materials and abrasives do not damage the various components. They can also prevent unwanted mixing of fluids, including water and oil combining within a machine.

How are Oil Seals made?

First, an elastomer, most often nitrile, is vulcanised to a metal ring. This creates a stiffening effect that includes a specialised metal tension spring directly behind the sealing lip, keeping the oil seal firmly in place against the moving part.

Oil Seal Materials

There are many different materials used to manufacture oil seals.

Leather Oil Seals &#; Leather Seals, also known as Type L Oil Seals, are most common in components that are subject to dirt and poor lubrication. Since they come pre-lubricated and are able to absorb fluids, leather oil seals are able to provide sealing properties in conditions that synthetic rubber is unable to.

Synthetic Rubber Oil Seals &#; Styrene Butadiene Rubber oil seals, or just SBR oil seals, offer strong resistance to abrasions and lesions, making them an ideal seal for fast-moving machinery. With the ability to withstand extreme temperatures with its heat-aging qualities, they can be used in outdoor components. They are also seen as more cost-effective oil seals than natural rubber.

Nitrile Oil Seals &#; Nitrile oil seals, which is the commonly used term for acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber seals, is a very good general-purpose option due to the flexibility of use across a variety of components. The resistance is strong against fats, hot water, gasoline, mineral oils, grease and animal oils, making them the most often-used oil seals. They do not have a wide temperature range, making them a poor choice for machinery that can see extreme changes in temperature.

Viton Oil Seals &#; A synthetic rubber and fluoropolymer elastomer, Viton is used to make oil seals that provide resistance in both high temperature, up to 250°C and low compression set components. They also offer a high resistance to chemicals and abrasions, so they can be used in elements that regularly interact with petroleum and solvents.

Polyacrylate Oil Seals &#; Mostly selected for automotive and transmission uses, polyacrylate seals are able to withstand fuel, oil, ozone, sunlight and weather when used. With cars exposed to all these different fluids and elements, they are the perfect choice. However, they should not be used in low temperatures, as their flexibility weakens when cold.

Silicone Oil Seals &#; Designed to absorb lubricants in order to lessen wear and friction, silicone rotary shafts also offer high thermal resistance and a large temperature range. But, they do not handle abrasions well or interact with oxidized oils.

PTFE Oil Seals &#; A relatively new and exciting oil seal, the use of polytetrafluoroethylene means that they can withstand dry or unlubricated operations. With a massive thermal range of  -130ºC to +200ºC and a strong resistance to chemicals, they are considered to be the future of rotary shaft seals.

How to Choose the Right Oil Seal

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There are several key factors to consider when you are selecting the oil seals for your next project to ensure that you protect your machinery from immediate and long-term damage.

Pressure &#; Many oil seals can only withstand low-pressure applications, so understanding the compression set of your components is key.

Temperature &#; Just like pressure, the temperature that your oil seal will be operating in must be known so that you can choose one that can withstand the heat or cold. PTFE have the widest range of temperature, making them useful for machines who can see usage in extreme weather or elements.

Shaft Speed &#; Considering the speed that the shaft will be moving, the runout, the housing bore and the type of oil being sealed is vital to making sure you select an oil seal that will not suffer from abrasions or spiralling.

Fluid Types &#; Various oil seals are able to withstand interactions with oils, fuels, grease, water and more. Knowing what type of fluid the rotary shaft seal will be in constant contact with will ensure the longevity of the seal and surrounding components.

Lubricant Amount &#; Seals will always perform best when lubricated, however in some machines there are more likely to be dry spells. For these cases, selecting a leather or PTFE seal will be beneficial, as both can operate with less lubrication than others.

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.

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.

From holding pressure to preventing leakages to keeping out contaminates, industrial seals play a crucial role in the performance of your equipment. A seal&#;s service life and reliability can make all the difference in reducing friction, extending maintenance, and increasing sustainability. That&#;s why it&#;s important to understand the different types of seals and the industrial applications they&#;re most suited for when it comes to selecting the right sealing solution for your operation. In this article, we&#;ll walk you through seven different types of seals for power transmission, hydraulic, fluid handling, and custom-engineered applications. 

Power transmission seals are most often used for rotary applications that are intended to either seal the openings between a rotating and stationary component or two components in relative motion. The two different types of seals that are most commonly used in power transmission applications are radial shaft seals and axial shaft seals.

Radial Shaft Seals

Designed to protect bearings, keep lubricants in, and improve system reliability, radial shaft seals feature a sealing lip, metal case, and tensioning spring, as well as a dust lip. This seal type can be used for a range of applications from small, high-speed machine tools to large wind turbines. 

Axial Shaft Seals

Axial shaft seals are designed to seal axially against a counterface perpendicular to the shaft or pin and serve as a reliable secondary seal, while tolerating small misalignments. This seal type is best used in highly contaminated environments that are exposed to sand, soil, mud, and water.

Hydraulic seals are intended to separate or block liquid in reciprocating applications and can be molded or machined for different factors, such as working temperature, cylinder speed and operating pressure, medium, and more. They are used in machinery equipment and two different types of seals that are primarily used in these applications are piston seals and rod seals.

Piston Seals

 

Piston seals are typically single-acting seals, but are also available as double-acting seals. They ensure liquid doesn&#;t pass around the piston by pushing the piston down the cylinder, while allowing an oil film to minimize friction and wear. This seal type is often used in hydraulic presses and agricultural machinery.

Rod Seals

Rod seals serve to guard against outer contaminants by providing a thin lubrication film on the piston rod. Through a sliding motion between the cylinder head and piston rod, rod seals are able to maintain sealing contact. This seal type can be customized for use across a wide array of applications. 

Fluid handling seals come into direct contact with aggressive fluids and often have to meet some of the most stringent regulatory requirements. They are primarily used in the oil and gas industry and the food and beverage industry, with o-rings and back-ups rings and wiper seals acting as two different types of seals that are most commonly used.

O-Rings and Back-Up Rings

O-rings and back-up rings are frequently used as a static sealing element, as they seal through their own deformation between surfaces. Back-up rings help keep o-ring extrusions from getting into the clearance gap. This seal type is best used in applications that need to withstand temperature extremes and pressure differentials.

Wiper Seals

Wiper seals often pair with other sealing components for a tight fit to prevent contaminants from being transported into the hydraulic system with the reciprocating piston rod. This seal type is commonly used in applications for construction, mining, and agriculture.

For more customized solutions, manufacturers like SKF offer machined seals that can meet the unique needs of virtually any application. With the ability to produce solutions for any dimension or design, SKF&#;s innovative production system, SKF SEAL JET, provides a fast, flexible alternative to moulded seal production. Through extensive application engineering support and a wide selection of seal profiles and materials, SKF is able to provide on-demand manufacturing that ranges anywhere from a single seal to a low-volume series for fluid power, fluid handling, and power transmission applications. 

Look to SKF for These Different Types of Seals

With over 100 years of industrial application experience, SKF offers an unmatched understanding of the interaction between bearings, seals, and lubrication, as well as the dynamics of reciprocating systems. That&#;s why SKF has an industry-leading reputation for providing different types of seals made at the highest quality for virtually any application. SKF seals will help you improve the capability, durability, and performance of your equipment. 

Find Solutions for Different Types of Seals at IBT

IBT Industrial Solutions takes pride in our long history of providing exceptional bearing and sealing solutions for applications spanning all industries. With our deep knowledge and decades of expertise, we&#;re here to help you find the best parts for your application and environment.

For further guidance on selecting the right seals for your equipment, contact IBT&#;s Bearing and Power Transmission team today. Or if you know which products you&#;re looking for visit ShopIBT to purchase seals directly. 

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