An O-ring can fail for different reasons. Maybe it’s made from the wrong material for the application, or it is not compatible with the O-ring groove design. When an international healthcare products company came to Expert Gasket & Seal with an O-ring that repeatedly fell out, we got to work to provide a customized solution.

The company was using an O-ring in a groove to seal a two-piece cast aluminum electrical enclosure that protected a delicate circuit board from environmental elements — rain, snow and other potential contaminants. The irregular O-ring groove on the casting used a very small cross section O-ring that was difficult to install and often fell out after installation. After the enclosure was assembled it was impossible to see if the O-ring had become dislodged. Without the proper seal, the circuit board was no longer protected and was subject to premature failure.

Expert Gasket & Seal fabricated a new gasket from a closed cell Neoprene sponge (CCNS) with a peel and stick, pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) backing to bond the elements without the use of the groove. The PSA backing kept the gasket in place during assembly significantly decreasing installation time.

Our recommendation and the prototype gasket which was fabricated in-house were supplied in only a few days using our rapid Flashcut system.

With the new custom gasket, labor and installation time was decreased, and the risk of assembly failure was eliminated, providing a substantial cost savings to the healthcare products company.

If you need a custom solution to a sealing problem, and you need it fast, contact the experts at Expert Gasket & Seal today!

• Category: blog, success stories