Numerous industries utilise gaskets when it comes to filling the space between the surfaces of two or more objects and preventing them from experiencing any leakage. Some of the industries that use gaskets include chemical processing, oil & gas, power generation, mining, military, aerospace, filtration, food & beverage, and pharmaceutical. Due to the versatility and functionality of gaskets, a lot of equipment and products today are integrated with these hardware devices.

While gaskets can be versatile, not all of them are designed and made similar. Some are made from materials that are intended to withstand high temperatures, while others cannot tolerate extreme temperatures. Gaskets can likewise have either small or large dimensions. Given these differences, you must consider the following factors before buying some gaskets.

Gasket Dimensions

The dimensions of a gasket mainly rely on numerous basic elements. Some elements that revolve around the gasket dimensions include the total number and size of the bolts, thickness, pipe size, outer diameter, inner diameter, and bolt hole diameter. Some gaskets providers can supply and meet the needed dimensions of the gaskets, while others may only supply prefabricated ones.

Extreme Temperatures

As mentioned, not all gaskets are made to withstand extreme temperatures. Several gaskets can easily work under extremely high or low temperatures without deteriorating, while others do not. When choosing your gaskets, you must clearly determine the application temperature as well as its fluctuations so that they can be made from a material that can contract and expand without breaking.

Amount of Pressure

Another factor that must be determined when buying gaskets is the amount of pressure that will act and be subjected to them. The downward pressure that will be placed into the gaskets can easily help choose the suitable material for them. Additionally, the amount of pressure that comes from outside or inside a piece of equipment or pipe can be used as another basis for getting the correct gasket material.

Material Compatibility

While a gasket can easily withstand extreme temperature and pressure, it may easily get destroyed once its surface interacts with other components or materials. The combination of some materials must be considered to avoid buying gaskets that are not compatible with devices or equipment. The type of gas or liquid present on an application must also be determined when picking your gaskets.

Intended Applications

Gaskets can be classified according to their applications. First, gaskets can be used to separate liquids. Second, these hardware devices can be utilised in separating toxic gases from components that require protection from contamination and other similar effects. Finally, gaskets can be maximised to protect equipment from leakage or electromagnetic frequency interferences of equipment or component. Your gaskets must have the qualities that are intended to do a specific application.

Overall Service Life

With all these important factors, gaskets generally must have a long lifespan so they can provide effective sealing and other applications throughout their service life.

To obtain high-quality gaskets for your applications, just contact us at Gasketech. We offer economical yet technically advanced sealing materials that are suitable for most applications.

When it comes to sealing two mating surfaces, most industries would utilise gaskets in fulfilling the said process. Gaskets are designed to fill the gap and space between two objects. And as they are tightly sealed on a specific component or machine, they can effectively prevent any leakage issues even under high pressure and compressive loads. 

The selection of materials for manufacturing gaskets has become wider ever since the technology of creating them becomes available. Some gaskets today can boast non-metallic features and properties, while others can be either metallic or semi-metallic. Materials that can be maximised in creating and producing gaskets normally include stainless steel, aluminium, nickel, silicone, and neoprene.

One material that is now becoming popular in terms of gaskets is polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE. PTFE gaskets boast numerous features and benefits that make them popular in industrial assemblies right now.

Chemical Resistance

PTFE gaskets have become popular in terms of industrial assemblies and applications due to their excellent chemical resistance. To date, there are only a few chemicals that can directly attack and damage the PTFE material. Fortunately, these chemicals are not present in day-to-day applications, which is why these gaskets can be applied to applications that deal with both standard and aggressive chemicals.

Temperature Resistance

Another advantage of PTFE gaskets over other types of gaskets is that they can resist a wide range of temperatures. PTFE gaskets can easily withstand applications that have temperatures of up to 260 degrees Celsius. And given the range of temperatures that these gaskets can easily work on, they are normally applied on applications that can get truly hot without causing fire or melting.

Low Surface Friction

As mentioned, gaskets are intended to seal two surfaces together. Through PTFE gaskets’ low surface friction, they can easily be installed on these surfaces without obtaining damages. Acquiring low surface friction likewise allow PTFE gaskets to have less wear, tear, heat, and risk of fire. The coefficient of friction of PTFE gaskets is known to be the third lowest among gasket materials.

Guaranteed Longevity

Some gaskets are installed on components that must be used outdoors. Luckily, PTFE gaskets can easily withstand different weather elements. From ultraviolet rays to moisture, PTFE gaskets are guaranteed to last for a long time even under these mentioned elements. Instances of discolouration, embrittlement, and corrosion are likewise not common with PTFE gaskets.

Easy Maintenance

The surface of PTFE gaskets is non-stick, helping them get rid of dirt and other similar elements very quickly. The self-cleaning texture of PTFE gaskets allows them to be maintained easily without the need for any additional tools and solutions. The coating of these gaskets is also non-wetting, which can help them achieve clean surface all the time. To obtain your own PTFE gaskets for your applications, feel free to give us a call at Gasketech. We are a manufacturer and supplier of gaskets and sealing washers, extrusions, and mouldings for all industries. We are likewise ready to discuss sealing and leakage problems and the servicing and supply of gaskets for imported and local machinery working in local conditions.

Gaskets are meant to provide the proper sealing of two mating surfaces or components. Therefore, they must be installed optimally. With proper installation, the gaskets can easily prevent leakage on the involved components even under varying levels of compression. 

The installation of gaskets normally involves a thorough cleaning, inspection, alignment of flanges, lubrication, and many more. If you intend to install gaskets for your select components, here are some of the best practices that you should know and follow.

Proper Cleaning and Inspection

The flange surface must be free from any foreign material or gasket debris. Therefore, you must clean any material that can be found in the sealing face, flange serrations, fasteners, and others with a brass wire brush. Avoid the use of the grinder, hammer, and chisel in removing the foreign material.

As for the inspection, you must ensure that sealing face should not have any dents, dings, mars, or pitting that can cause some issues once the new gasket is installed. If there is a presence of these elements, then repairs might be required. But once it is already defective, then you must replace them right away. 

Confirming Gasket Properties

Before installing the gaskets, you must make sure that they have the correct dimensions for your specific applications. You must take note that the inner diameter of your gaskets should not be smaller than the flange’s inner diameter. If you want to simplify the centralisation of the gasket, then you may want to slightly cut the bolt holes. And just like your flange surfaces and other components, your gaskets must also be free from any defects and issues to ensure that they can be installed flawlessly.

Aligning the Flanges Correctly

An effective seal is only possible if the flanges are aligned properly. And with proper alignment of flanges, you can expect to obtain a uniform maximum gasket load that can create the best seal for your components and systems. One thing to remember when aligning the flanges is to avoid the use of a pry bar or screwdriver. Numerous tools can help in the linear and rotational alignment of flanges.

Installing the Gaskets Accordingly

Once the flanges are set and the gaskets are inspected, the gaskets can now be installed to the flanges. You can start the installation by inserting the gasket between the dry flanges and ensuring that it is centred between them. The use of joint compounds or release agents is not recommended for gasket installations unless state otherwise by the gasket manufacturer. Without any recommendation from the manufacturer, the application of joint compounds or release agents can easily cause chemical attacks on the gaskets, which can compromise their core properties and service life.

Lubricating Load Bearing Surfaces

Lubrication is integral to the functions of gaskets, which is why they must be lubricated optimally. Lubrication can help in both the assembly and disassembly of the gaskets. In choosing your lubricant, you must consider the temperature, particle type, and size. The use of high-quality lubricant can easily make the installation successful, especially when the bolt is tightened. The right way of applying lubricant is to spread it evenly to the thread, nut, and washer load-bearing surfaces. Alternatively, the lubricant must not be applied to the gasket or sealing surface.

Once these steps are followed, you can now install and tighten the bolts. You must, however, consult the gasket manufacturer to know the recommended torque values.

Food processing, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and other industries all utilise the capabilities of gaskets. Gaskets are mechanical seals that can cover the intersection and fill the space between two or more mating surfaces. They are typically made to be flexible so they can effectively withstand vibration, reduce noise, resist chemicals, and provide significant sealing.

Gaskets can be made from different materials. Some of these materials are paper, metal, and copper. Aside from these materials, these sealing components can also be manufactured out of sponge or foam. Sponge and foam are two distinct materials that may be similar in some ways. However, they also have key differences that make them suitable to select applications.

To know more about sponge and foam gasket, then here are some of their qualities and differences.

Sponge Gaskets

Sponge gasket materials are made by heat curing certain elements such as neoprene, nitrile, and silicone that would create a closed-cell sponge structure for their overall structure. Numerous compressible air pockets or bubbles are then formed through the expanding process. Manufacturers have the liberty to control the size and distribution of the pores. Nevertheless, their closed cellular structure allows these gaskets to absorb little moisture, withstand extreme temperatures, and resist ultraviolet light and ozone. It also provides gaskets with much-needed vibration isolation and shock resistance qualities.

What is unique about sponge gaskets is that their pores can conveniently affect their overall properties. Compressing sponge gaskets allows them to obtain a strong compression set resistance and superb compression recovery. Additionally, the closed cellular structure of these gaskets can easily block any movement of gases and liquids, making them ideal for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning sealing applications. And even the edge pores of these gaskets are cut and exposed, their body can still serve as a barrier against different surrounding elements.

Foam Gaskets

Unlike sponge gaskets, foam gaskets are known to possess an open cellular structure. The overall structure of foam gaskets comes from the carbon dioxide gas that is created by the chemical reaction in a liquid mixture. The open structure of foam gaskets may look like a mesh, giving these gaskets appropriate stiffness and rigidity. Still, the overall properties of foam gaskets would depend primarily on the type of polymer used. Some types of polymer that are used in creating foam gaskets include polyethylene, polyurethane, and polyvinyl chloride.

Aside from being stiff and rigid, foam gaskets also boast other qualities that make them recommended for a lot of applications. They have a superior barrier and bonding capabilities that are suitable for a wide array of industries such as automotive, medical, electronic, lighting, and many more. Some characteristics that make foam gaskets great for these industries include proper insulation, effective electrical absorption, fluid and noise restriction, and weather resistance. With shock or vibration applications, the best type of gaskets that one should choose would be foam gaskets with open cellular structure. If you need more information about sponge and foam gaskets, then feel free to contact us at Gasketech. We are a manufacturer and supplier of gaskets and sealing washers, extrusions, and mouldings for all industries.

Gaskets are mechanical seals that can fill the spaces between two or more surfaces and prevent them from any leakage incidents. These functionalities of the gaskets alone make them beneficial for a lot of commercial and industrial applications.

A lot of equipment and components that utilise gaskets are made from metals. However, several applications maximise non-metallic materials and devices. Gaskets intended for non-metallic applications must be able to resist pressure and prevent chemicals, fuels, and other substances from leaking in or flowing out. They must also resist corrosion, chemicals, and other elements that might damage them throughout their operations.

Fortunately, there are a lot of material options that can be used as gaskets for non-metallic applications. Most of these materials can effectively withstand the elements that have been previously mentioned.

Fibre

Fibre gaskets are mainly composed of natural cellulose that is infused with different types of materials such as rubber, insulating fibre, synthetic fibre, and vulcanised fibre. Fibre gaskets are suitable for non-metallic applications that have low to medium temperatures and pressures.  

Ethylene Propylene

One type of synthetic elastomer is known as ethylene propylene. This type of gaskets is recommended for applications revolving corrosive and hydraulic fluids. They can likewise work under severe weather conditions. This type of gaskets, however, is not suitable for applications that involve oils and fuels.

Mica

Mica gaskets are comprised of phlogopite mica paper that is waterproofed with a silicone binder. This type of gaskets is recognised for its good temperature resistance, making it suitable for high-temperature applications. Mica gaskets can be utilised in gas turbines and heat exchangers.

Nitrile

Another material that is part of the elastomer family is nitrile. Nitrile gaskets boast excellent resistance to petroleum products, hydrocarbons, and solvents. They can also effectively withstand tear and abrasion. Nitrile gaskets can be maximised by aerospace, military & defence, and petrochemical industries.

Neoprene

Neoprene gaskets are made from synthetic rubber that can be effective in applications involving water, oil, and other solvents. This type of gaskets is believed to be durable, flexible, resilient, and resistant to compression. They can likewise withstand combustion and extreme weather conditions. 

Polytetrafluoroethylene

Polytetrafluoroethylene is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene that can effectively resist chemicals and extreme temperatures. This type of gaskets is typically used in food processing, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, and electrical applications. 

Polyurethane

The material polyurethane is a type of polymer that can give superior load-bearing properties, wear resistance, and rebound capabilities. Gaskets out of this material can easily resist the damaging effects of oxygen, ozone, and grease, which makes them suitable for machine mounts and electrical equipment.

Silicone

Gaskets that are made from silicone are common today since they can effectively work under high temperatures. They likewise do not react with sunlight and ozone, making them great for outdoor use. Silicone gaskets are typically utilised in food processing and medical applications.

All these mentioned gaskets are great for non-metallic applications. For more information about non-metallic gaskets, just give us a call at Gasketech.