A gasket is often a fairly simple part, but in many cases, it serves a very important purpose, so taking the time to select the right gasket material is absolutely critical. Should you choose a material that is unable to withstand the conditions it is faced with, the costs of gasket failure can be considerably more than simply replacing the gasket. Gasket failure can have serious repercussions, from damaging machinery, drastically slowing down production, or even causing injury.
Read on for our advice on the key factors to consider for gasket material selection.
What are the gaskets for?
Whilst gaskets are primarily used for sealing, they can also be used for other purposes, including shock absorption, cushioning and anti-vibration protection. When selecting a suitable material from which to manufacture gaskets, it’s necessary to consider if it has the right characteristics to suit the application.
Depending on the purpose and application of your gaskets, there are various factors you must consider when choosing the most efficient material:
UV and Ozone
If you are selecting a suitable material for gasket seals that will be exposed to UV and Ozone, you will need to consider how the chosen material will withstand these factors. It’s important to choose a material that will not degrade when exposed to UV and Ozone, ensuring that the seal remains intact. Silicone and EPDM materials are an ideal gasket choice for applications where UV and Ozone exposure is frequent.
Extreme Temperatures
Temperature resistance is a key factor to consider when designing gaskets, particularly if the material will be subjected to extremely low or high temperatures, as well as extreme temperature fluctuations. It’s critical to choose a material that will maintain its shape even when faced with extreme temperatures. In addition to resisting UV and Ozone exposure, certain grades of Silicones also perform well when faced with extreme temperatures.
Water and Fluids
If gaskets will be exposed to water or other fluids, it’s important to choose materials that react well when exposed to moisture. Choose a material that is waterproof and non-absorbent to ensure the gasket continues to perform its function effectively. Neoprene and Silicone are commonly chosen for gaskets where resistance to moisture ingress is key.
Cushioning, Shock and Vibration
If the purpose of a gasket is to provide cushioning and protect components from potential damage caused by vibration and shock impact, the gasket material must be able to dampen any vibration and offer shock absorption. A material with a low compression set provides an ideal choice for cushioning and vibration absorption gaskets, as the material will quickly return to its original shape when impacted.
Silicone sponge materials including HT800 feature a compact cell structure and compression set that is ideally suited to cushioning, resisting impact and isolating vibration.
Poron® polyurethane foams provide good vibration damping, impact absorption and have excellent resistance to compression set, continue to perform and offer gasket integrity after constant and repeat deflection.
Chemicals
Gaskets in industrial and automotive sectors may face contact with a range of chemicals, along with fuels and oil. This is an important factor to consider, as certain materials will degrade quickly when exposed to abrasive chemicals, leading to gasket failure that could be extremely costly. EPDM rubber offers excellent resistance against a range of chemicals, and is regularly chosen for automotive applications where resistance to hydraulic oils is important.
Industry Standards for Gasket Material
A consideration that must not be forgotten when selecting materials for gasket manufacture, is that as well as featuring suitable characteristics to fulfil their purpose, gaskets must also meet necessary industry standards.
CB Frost provides a huge catalogue of materials to meet industry standards including specialist rail standards such as EN45545-2, NFF-16-101, BS6853:1999 and LUL safety standards.