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Oil Seals for Fast Shafts

Blue Diamond's ability to solve previously intractable problems by the development of fresh technologies is given substance in the Company's latest product - PTFE lip seals. Bonded inside a conventional elastomer oil seal body, the active element is a narrow lip of PTFE. It ensures good sealing and minimal friction. Friction is markedly lower for two main reasons. First, the configuration: the lip is narrow and makes only line contact with the shaft. Furthermore, the nature of the material : PTFE is well known for its low coefficient of friction against steel. But it is more than that.

As the shaft and seal move relative to each other, a minuscule amount of PTFE is transferred to the surface of the shaft, enough to fill microscopic surface asperities and soon leading to establishment of an ideal running surface.

The result is efficient sealing and long life. Careful design ensures controlled lip forces to withstand high pressures and exceptional shaft speeds, together with dry running capability. In Formula 1 racing car engines, seals of this type may run at up to 17,500 rpm, or 70 metres/second.

Ongoing research is being undertaken in the direction of miniaturisation. Since the vital component is an extremely narrow strip of PTFE, the question being raised in industrial application is whether the bulk of a conventional oil seal body is necessary.

Adequate support could be provided by something of a narrower profile as already well proven in racing applications. This equates to a smaller space envelope to provide the same performance for any given shaft size, giving the potential of weight and space saving in adjacent components.

Blue Diamond continues to push back the boundaries of sealing, with its aptitude for problem solving : identifying customer needs, choosing the right technologies and being prepared to design and manufacture bespoke components for most linear or rotary applications.