Please see the following for the types of sealing devices for bearings.
How to Select the Right Bearing (Part 7): Components surrounding the bearing
The basic principle of an oil seal is fairly straightforward. It is installed adjacent to the bearing, with the flexible lip against the rotating shaft and the casing pressed into the housing to hold the seal in place. It’s important that the sealing lip is lubricated to prevent it from overheating as a result of any generated friction. It’s also crucial to understand which type of seal is appropriate for your particular machinery. Before selecting your seal, consider the environment, temperature, pressure and shaft speed of your machine, as well as the type of medium the seal will come into contact with during operation. These considerations will all determine the size, colour, and type of lip material or sealing element to choose, and whether it can be sealed in or sealed out.
Replacing a rocker or cam-cover gasket
Always start by making sure the oil seal is facing the right direction. The oil seal must be positioned with its spring to the side of the medium to be sealed. The oil seal must then be pressed into the bore. It must fit tightly (H8 in the groove is recommended). Use appropriate tools for this, such as an impact socket set, to ensure that the force is applied evenly during pressing. The oil seal must never be hammered into the bore with brute force, but eased in.
NBR, also known as nitrile rubber or nitrile, is the most popular material for an oil seal because of its good resistance to many oils and greases, such as mineral grease and hydraulic oil. Depending on their composition, synthetic oils and greases, such as those based on glycol, can damage NBR rubber materials. Depending on the amount of glycol, a PTFE lip seal may be the best choice. NBR is also unable to cope with contact with acids and solvents. The rubber is suitable for oil and grease at temperatures from -35 °C to 100 °C.
PTFE is special in that a pre-tensioned spring is not required. This is because the material returns to its original shape when heated, also known as the shape-memory polymers (SMPs) effect. These oil seals are also supplied as integrated parts, where it only needs to be installed as one component.
In addition to their resilience, neoprene foam gaskets also provide excellent sealing properties. The foam material is compressible, allowing the gaskets to conform to irregular surfaces and create a tight seal. This sealing capability makes neoprene foam gaskets an effective solution for preventing leaks and ensuring the integrity of equipment and machinery.
Figure 4: JTEKT oil seal features
Figure 14.1. Shaft seals (DuPont Dow Elastomers).
