Guide rings are a great solution for glands and pistons because they provide excellent protection in case of contact between metal and metal. Guide rings and belts are the perfect solution for hydraulic and pneumatic actuators, but not only – they are also great for various industrial machines and equipment used in many industries.
Guide rings – where are they most often used?
Guide rings are primarily used as seals in hydraulic cylinders, as components for gland seals and piston seals. What are these three elements?
Hydraulic cylinders (also known as hydraulic cylinders or hydrostatic motors) are components used in various hydraulic systems of heavy construction vehicles and smaller machines (such as hydraulic presses, agricultural machinery, metallurgical mills). Their main task is to turn energy into motion, under the pressure produced by the liquid (which is usually a concentrated oil). One might even be tempted to say that if it weren’t for them, no machines we know so far would have fulfilled their role.
The gland is an element that allows cables to be carried out inside the device in a safe manner. It is the rings leading to the seal that protect potentially abrasions that would break the cables.
A piston is a moving element that moves in a cylinder. The role of the guide rings here is to seal the connection between the cylinder and the piston.
Why use guide rings?
There are many methods of sealing. For a long time, manufacturers of machines and various devices realize that the use of seals allows for longer use of their equipment, which is not only economical, but also better affects the image of the company. Using rings as seals is another good step in this direction. Why?
The main advantage of seal rings is their low abrasion. Thanks to this, the product can be used for a long time, without worrying about its frequent replacement. Also noteworthy is the important advantage, which is self-lubrication or self-lubrication. This prevents the element from drying out and leading to friction that could be dangerous. Further advantages of such seals are the lack of sticking and locking, and consequently the smooth operation of the sealed parts. In addition, the rings do not dry out.
The use of this type of seals prevents scratches of metal parts, their obliteration, but ensures impeccable functioning.
You can meet with many types of guide rings, especially with the difference in the material from which they are made. A functional solution is the production of these seals from PTFE, which is popular in many Polish houses teflon.
PTFE – what is it and what are its advantages?
Teflon is a material that was created already in the first half of the twentieth century. Its name itself was reserved in 1956. by DuPont, which only has the right to use that trade name because Teflon has become their trademark. PTFE is the material that is best known for covering the surface of pans and pots that most people use every day in their homes. How does this work for sealing?
Poly(tetrafluoroethylene), because this is the development of the abbreviation PTFE and the chemical name of teflon, has many advantages, which have been used precisely in many seals. First of all, it is characterized by low free surface energy, and therefore has a very low coefficient of friction and very good lubricating properties, so that no impurities adhere to it (which is often a positive feature in many households, when using teflon-coated pans). In addition, it is characterized by extremely high chemical resistance. Teflon almost does not react with anything, nor does it dissolve in anything. It is even resistant to concentrated hydrofluoric acid – to the extent that it is held in containers made of PTFE. It does not even process the royal water that is used to process gold, platinum or other precious metals. Teflon is not afraid of high temperatures, against which it remains thermally stable, and in addition it is a great electrical insulator.
Teflon is such a good material that it was initially used by the military – in systems operating under high pressure and with intense friction.
What makes Teflon such a great material and that the seals made of it are a reliable and proven product? The whole secret lies in the construction of its molecule. It consists of a really large number of chains that contain carbon atoms associated with fluorine atoms. It is these bonds that are so strong and so energetically engaging that teflon molecules simply do not connect to any other atoms.
Therefore, seals made of this material are a guarantee of product quality.
