How to Avoid Purchasing Low Quality Gaskets
Gaskets are critically important to the operation of complex machinery and manufacturing processes. A single gasket failure may require hours of downtime, causing production bottlenecks and potential damage to expensive machinery. Even if total failure does not occur, rapid deterioration will cause headaches for maintenance managers who will need to schedule replacement ahead of schedule. So how do you avoid purchasing low-quality gaskets?
Signs of Low-Quality Gaskets
- Poor Material Quality: Precise materials are needed for specific temperatures, pressurizations, and chemical exposure. Not having your gasket materials align to these requirements is problematic. Additionally, where these materials are sourced from can be extremely important from a quality perspective. Not every country in the world has the rigorous quality control standards that the United States has, which is why Expert Gasket & Seal sources the broad majority of our sheet material from domestic suppliers.
- Poor Fitting & Sealing: If gasket shapes are inconsistent, leaky, or simply do not fit the measurements, this is an obvious sign of poor quality standards in the production of the gaskets.
How to Avoid Purchasing Poor Quality Gaskets
- Get Advice from Experts on Material Needs: The most capable suppliers should be able to provide expertise and guidance on the material needs for your gaskets and seals. They should be able to listen to your needs, and provide direct advice on the best options based on their experience. Hint: We at Expert Gasket & Seal are experts and helping clients find the best products for their needs.
- Find a Supplier That Follows Quality Standards: Your supplier should be using reputable name brands for the products they are selling you, and should be able to identify where they are sourcing their materials from for custom-designed products. They should have quality standards in place along with relevant certifications.
- Choose a Supplier with a Good Reputation: A high quality supplier should not be seeing extensive client turnover. Find suppliers with a track record of success and consider asking others in your industry who they have enjoyed working with. A supplier that has been around for a long time is more likely to be a good partner than an unknown supplier with no reputation to go by.
Clearly, we are speaking about some of our own values here in this blog post. But building great relationships by making sure our clients get the quality and service they deserve is what has enabled us to serve a wide range of clients for nearly two decades. If you’re experiencing frustration with quality issues in the gaskets you have been purchasing, get in touch with us today and we can help!