Saint Gobain Seals Group becomes one of the leaders in seal rings applications with their recent acquisition of LS Kunststofftechnologie GmbH, a German manufacturer of high-performance polymer components for the Automotive, Medical and Industrial markets.
LSK, Seal Ring
The German company’s expertise in this application is an added value to the Seals Group’s already established polymer product lines, especially for sites in Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, and Kontich, Belgium, where their polymers are manufactured.
Seal rings are found in different markets and applications where leakage is critical:
- LSK, Seal RingAutomotive – transmissions (AT, CVT, and DCT), differentials and gear boxes as well as air conditioning compressors
- Industrial – refrigeration compressors
- Oil & Gas – FPSO compressors (reciprocating compressors for the distribution of natural gas
Depending on working conditions (such as temperature, pressure, speed and chemicals involved), targeted leakage and volumes required, the Seals Group offers the following range of materials for this application:
- Rulon®, fluoropolymer compounds
- Meldin® HT, thermoplastic materials that are based on PPS, PEEK and PAI
- Meldin® 7000 series, thermoset polyimide materials
The above materials are being used more often to replace metal rings, providing lighter solutions that are in line with the current trend of reducing energy consumption and allowing greater design flexibility. Aside from seal rings, Saint-Gobain Seals Group also manufactures piston rings. Several key advantages of their seal rings and piston rings include:
- Significant reduction of friction losses
- Long life and low wear rates
- Reduced leakage on a consistent basis
- Thin wall capability
- Ease of assembly
- Cost-effectiveness (Rulon® stamped solutions, Meldin® HT Injection Molded parts and Meldin® 7000 DF components)
Not only is material selection important for the seal rings application but also the design where a crucial detail is the cut type. Saint Gobain Seals Group has extensive experience and knowledge to support its customers in choosing the most appropriate cut type for each application. There are several cut types available:
- Cut joint
- Hook joint
- Bios joing
- 2-Ljoint
- 2-T joing
To further support their customers, the company has invested in several seal ring test rigs, specifically designed for rotating movement and powertrain applications. Testing parameters were established to measure the type, temperature, pressure of lubricating oil, RPM and duration and the output data shows torque loss and oil leakage.
Contact Us for details of LS Kunststofftechnologie GmbH or visit www.ls-polytech.com