3 Reasons Why Radial Shaft Seals Are So Important
On your manufacturing equipment, radial shaft seals are used in-between moving and stationary parts. Even though these small, simple rubber parts might not look very useful, the truth is that they are important for a few reasons. These are a few of them.
1. Retaining Lubricant
As you probably already know, ensuring that the moving parts of all of your equipment are properly lubricated is important. Of course, applying lubricant regularly is essential if you want to keep your equipment moving and working as it is supposed to.
No matter how frequently you might add lubricant, however, you have to worry about it wearing off if you aren't careful. This can happen even faster if you don't have radial shaft seals in place. With these seals in place, you can help hold lubricant where it's supposed to be so that you can keep your equipment moving and operating as it is supposed to.
2. Keeping Out Dirt and Debris
Another key point of using radial shaft seals is to prevent dirt and debris from getting onto the various parts of your equipment. Basically, the radial shaft seals "seal" up the area between moving and non-moving parts. This can help you prevent dirt and more from getting in-between them.
This is important for a few reasons. If dirt and debris get in-between your moving and non-moving parts, they can actually prevent moving parts from moving as they are supposed to. Over time, grit can wear down parts unevenly, causing them to have to be replaced. Of course, cleaning the area between your parts can help you get rid of this debris, but you may have to do this regularly, which can slow down production and be a major pain for you or your employees. With seals in place, however, you can help protect your parts from the dirt and debris that might otherwise cause problems.
3. Preventing Friction-Related Damage
Obviously, when a moving part is moving constantly alongside a stationary part, some friction-related damage can occur. To help prevent this damage, you can place a rubber radial shaft seal in-between the two parts. This can help prevent the moving part from causing too much friction-related damage to the part that isn't moving.
As you can see, radial shaft seals are used on equipment and machinery for a variety of purposes. By investing in high-quality rubber seals and keeping a few extras on hand, you can help keep your equipment in good condition.
