Usage and Benefits O-ring Design Calculator

Did you know that O-rings were invented as far back as 1937 and are useful even today? Let’s take a look at this simple and highly needed mechanical part. An O-ring is a circular ring which seals connection in different industrial applications. Normally, polyurethane, silicone, neoprene, nitrile rubber or fluorocarbon is used to manufacture these rings. The main purpose is to ensure a perfect and tight seal between two objects either in the motionless or movable joint. In the case of a movable joint O-ring has to be lubricated.

O-rings don't cost much, easy to manufacture, dependable and relatively simple to mount. Hence they are widely used in manufacturing and mechanical industry. They have the capability to withstand very high pressure. So they are used in applications which should leak or lose pressure. For different tasks, different types of O-rings are manufactured using different materials. However, ensure that this ring is compatible with its use. For instance, silicon O-rings demonstrates superior weathering properties along with high level of ozone resistance.

What is an O-ring Design Calculator?

An O-ring design calculator contains many useful features such as the calculation of the following apsects:

• O-ring dimensions required in a specific groove.

• Performance of both or any combination of O-ring and groove.

You can save a substantial amount of time and effort calculating and designing O-ring grooves. You can evaluate the O-ring sealing performance by considering parameters such as O-ring compression, free groove volume, O-ring inner diameter stretch and other technical factors. Nowadays, state-of-the-art software provides you the capacity to precisely compute O-ring dimensions just by entering installation specification as per your application needs. They help in axial sealing, inner and outer radial sealing. Currently sophisticated O-ring design calculator apps are available for users of Android and iOS mobiles and tablets.

What are the Benefits of O-rings?

• Easy to use, compact and light in weight.

• Have a high percentage of reusability. Other comparable parts such as non-elastic flat seals and crush-type gaskets have a relatively low percentage in this area.

• It's designed to last as long as the application or device in which it is installed.

• These rings do not require frequent and expensive servicing. They provide value for money and are affordable to nearly all kinds of users.

O-rings are designed specifically to handle huge amount of pressure, high temperate and tolerance.

• Any deterioration in terms of quality, performance is gradual and easy to detect.

What is the Usage of O-rings?

• O-rings help provide safe operations and reliability in applications of different industries such as the automotive, defence and semi-conductor. There exist many companies which have the capability to design customized O-rings and seals as per the client’s specifications.

• O-rings are widely used in high-end vacuum applications. Certain high vacuum systems have copper or nickel O-rings. Furthermore vacuum cleaners that have to be immersed in liquid nitrogen have indium O-rings. The reason being rubber o-rings become hard and brittle in cold conditions.

• O-rings are also used in complex technical parts in spaceships and other kinds of aircraft. It is a critical technical part which has versatile applications.

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