What is an O-Ring?
An o-ring is a round, mechanical gasket designed to be seated in a groove and compressed during assembly between two or more parts, creating a seal at the interface. O-rings are one of the most common types of seals because they’re inexpensive, reliable and have simple mounting requirements. Since they are known as one of the most important elements of machine design, o-rings may be used in static applications, where little range of motion is required. O-rings may be used in dynamic applications, like rotating pump shafts and hydraulic cylinder positions, also.
Material:
Material matters. Due to this, selecting an o-ring material for a specific application is dependent on many criteria, including what’s being sealed, temperature range, pressure, dynamic or static service, desired service life, installation considerations, tolerances and many more.
Durometer:
Determining durometer isn’t hard. The hardness of rubber compounds is measured by the Shore A durometer; the higher the durometer, the harder the compound. In addition, softer compounds stretch easier and seal better on rough surfaces. Harder compounds offer greater abrasion resistance and resistance to extrusion.
Color:
There’s more to o-rings than meets the eye. Specific color standards are routinely used to help visually identify the type of o-ring installed for certain industries. Because of this, we stock o-rings in the most common colors, materials and compounds.
