How to Protect O-Rings?

Grease for O-rings

Industrial devices, due to their complex construction, often require the use of seals to protect their individual components. One of the most essential are seals in the shape of a closed ring, called O-rings, which, under the pressure applied to them, tightly fill the protected space. In broad terms, it can be said that the use of O-rings increases the service life of individual parts of our machine, which translates into more efficient operation and performance. The equipment is therefore protected by O-rings, but are the O-rings themselves also protected?

O-rings How to Protect Them?

It turns out that, depending on the material from which the seals are made, they require a specific type of lubrication. There are many types of O-rings, and each of them has different resistance to temperature and to the environment in which it operates.

You can read more about why it's worth lubricating O-rings and what functions lubrication serves in our guide.

Let's be serious, and say openly that not everyone has to remember where they used which O-rings. Not everyone also has to distinguish them and remember what kind of lubrication they need. Fortunately, there is a reliable solution in the form of silicone grease, which will work perfectly for all types of O-rings sold by POWER RUBBER. 

Silicone grease

A huge advantage of silicone grease is its wide range of applications, which goes far beyond protecting O-rings. One of the main industries in which it is used is undoubtedly the automotive industry. It works perfectly as a lubricant for screws, locks, or hinges. Silicone grease also performs well in the energy and electrical engineering industries, especially on power enclosures operating in extreme temperatures. Moreover, it is a clean lubricant, which is why it is used in the paper and food industries. It protects not only rubber components (prevents cracking) and metal (reduces friction), but also wooden layers, creating an impermeable coating on them.

How to properly protect an O-ring from damage?

Proper protection of an O-ring requires taking into account the conditions in which it will operate. Lubricating the O-ring with an appropriate agent can reduce friction during installation and decrease the risk of damage to the sealing surface. However, one should always check the material compatibility of the lubricant with the elastomer and consider the operating temperature and the type of working medium with which the O-ring will come into contact. Proper O-ring installation is also important, because incorrect seating, twisting, or damage during fitting can lead to loss of sealing. In the longer term, the condition of the seal is also affected by the aging of the elastomer and the operating conditions.

Longer service life? Opt for quality

There will probably be those who will refrain from purchasing silicone grease because of the price, as it is somewhat more expensive than other greases used for similar purposes. It should therefore be emphasized once again that currently it is impossible to find a more universal protective preparation, especially in the case of rubber O-rings. In this case the saying "if something is for everything, it's for nothing" will not apply, because the list of beneficial properties of silicone grease is very long. We have already listed, among others, versatility of application, cleanliness, minimizing friction and a fairly wide temperature range. Furthermore, it should be remembered that silicone greases are extremely durable, do not react with dust, are non-stick and do not become sticky. This means that, in addition to excellent durability parameters, they are also very convenient for long-term use.

Make the right decisions

The choice of lubricant to protect O-rings and the decision whether O-rings should be lubricated at all lie with our esteemed customers. However, we believe that the facts about silicone greases cited in this article will convince at least some that it is worth investing in your equipment and its condition.

We hope that our customers have the knowledge to answer the question: O-rings How to Protect Them?

Contact us by phone at: +48 22 292 40 24 or +48 505 16 03 03, or by email (Power|PowerRubber.com| style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 91, 171); border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(0, 91, 171); text-align: justify;"|Power|PowerRubber.com) or via our contact form.