Within Falk Gearboxes, gaskets play a very important role. Gaskets are thin rings that act as mechanical seals, sitting between two surfaces. Gaskets serve several roles: padding, leak prevention, vibration minimization, mounting, and protection against environmental contaminants. Today we’re taking a look at two main types of gaskets used in gearboxes—spiral wound gaskets and sheet gaskets—and delineating advantages of each.
Benefits of Spiral Wound Gaskets
Spiral wound gaskets are constructed by winding together a metal (often stainless steel) and a filler (often graphite.) The filler acts as a seal, while the metal provides structural strength. These materials are wound together in such a way that the final gasket has alternating layers of filler and metal.
Advantages of spiral bound gaskets include:
–They are reliable in a variety of work environments. This is partially due to their chevron-shaped profile, which provides padding somewhat like a spring would.
–They require less clamping forces than solid gaskets (such as sheet gaskets).
–Because they are reliable and strong, spiral wound gaskets can prevent gear failure and the expenses that come with it.
–Spiral wound gaskets can work in corrosive, hot, high-pressure situations. Their construction makes them uniquely able to withstand changes in temperature and pressure.
Spiral wound gaskets are generally round in shape, but they are also available in diamond, pear, rectangular, and oval shapes.
Benefits of Sheet Gaskets
Sheet gaskets are typically composed of rubber, although we also offer several other types of sheet gaskets, including neoprene butyl, and Hypalon®. What ties together all types of sheet gaskets is that they are punched out of a flat surface—a sheet. Here are a few advantages of sheet gaskets:
–Their affordable price.
–They may fulfill chemical operation requirements.
Like ligaments in the body, gaskets provide cushioning where different parts join together. They also store energy between parts. Without gaskets, mechanical operations would be impossible. The gasket may not look like much—just a flat disc with the center punched out—but this humble part plays a crucial role in our industrial world.
Posted under Products/Services on Monday, August 18th, 2014