Daemar offers its tips for customers on choosing shaft seals

The components of a shaft seal

Businesses across Canada have turned to Daemar Inc. for an unparalleled diversity of essential components for industry since 1973. But the company is more than just a great supplier; it is a team of experts who offer highly useful information on these products – such as advice on choosing shaft seals.

A past blog entry on the Daemar website offers the company’s top tips on how to extend the lifespans of rotary shaft seals with careful selection.

Optimal levels of lubrication

Choosing shaft seals in an informed way has a strong influence over bearing longevity and reducing maintenance costs for gearboxes, pumps, and motors. Shaft seals retain system lubricants to allow operation with optimal levels of lubrication, and they stop contaminants from entering systems and causing bearings to fail. Customers should assess the demands of their production environments before selecting seals.

Critical factors to consider in choosing shaft seals, according to Daemar:

• contaminants in the work environment
• fluid compatibility with the lubricant and process liquid
• geometry of the shaft and housing bore
• operating temperature for the seal
• pressure
• shaft eccentricity and surface speed
• shaft hardness and surface finish
• type of shaft motion

The next step is to determine the specifications for the seal’s individual elements, based on application data. The shaft seal must create a seal between the rotary and stationary components, or between components in relative motion, in order to accomplish the desired goal of the application.

Material and design make up two more vital considerations in selecting shaft seals. Every component contributes to the overall effectiveness. Casing provides rigidity and structure, while creating a static seal with the bore, typically made of carbon steel, and the sealing lip and garter spring maintain a dynamic seal with the shaft. The most suitable elastomer according to the workplace assessment should be chosen, while the right spring and geometry in the lip can minimize friction and wear.

Following selection, the user should learn proper installation procedure to avoid seal failure. The shaft and bore must have lead-in chamfers and not have any sharp edges or burrs.

To learn more, contact Daemar.

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