The material you choose for your hydraulic seals affects their performance and longevity. In many cases, rubber seals are a good option. What are their benefits?

Durability

Hydraulic seals have to be strong enough to cope with working stresses. These seals might be put under pressure. If you don't choose the right material for the stresses of your application, then the seals either won't work or will break.

Rubber seals are flexible but robust. Rubber can absorb pressure forces and changes in shape. As long as you choose seals that fall within your pressure limits, your seals should perform consistently over time with minimum risk of failure or damage.

Temperature Resistance

Hydraulic seals are sometimes exposed to high or low temperatures. For example, a seal on an outdoor machine might have to cope with low temperatures in winter months. Or, a seal that sits on a machine that has hot fluids running through it will have to deal with heat on a regular basis.

Some seal materials aren't suitable for hotter or colder temperatures. They might melt if they get too hot or crack if they get too cold.

Rubber seals have good general temperature resistance. If your seals will be exposed to non-standard temperatures, then rubber is a reliable material. You can also use different types of rubber to meet extreme needs. For example, fluorocarbon rubbers perform well over a wide range of temperatures.

Compatibility With Hydraulic Fluids

As well as coping with pressure forces and temperature, your seals might also come into contact with hydraulic fluids. Don't assume that any hydraulic seal will work on your system.

You should ensure that the seals you buy won't be damaged by the fluids you use. If your hydraulic fluids contain additives, then these substances might also affect a seal's performance.

Rubber seals are often the safest bet here. You can use different types of rubber for different types of fluid exposure. So, you should be able to find a seal that will work with your system.

More Malleability

While many hydraulic seals have to match standard sizes, you sometimes need to create custom seals. If you need a larger, smaller, or oddly-shaped seal, then you might not find what you need in off-the-shelf products.

If you are custom-designing seals, then rubber is a good material to use. It is malleable and easy to manipulate into different shapes. It keeps its post-production shape.

To find out more, ask hydraulic seals suppliers about their rubber ranges. For more information on rubber hydraulic seals, contact a professional near you.