The 5 Most Common Reasons for O Ring Problems

In most cases, O ring problems are triggered by environmental factors as well as issues with material selection and negative effects from the application. Size and glad design issues are also seen as contributing factors to O ring damage.

When designing custom O rings for any application, how it’s designed must be one of the most important considerations to ensure that your seal isn’t having any issues. These five common reasons often cause O ring failure.

Oxidation and Heat Hardening

Static and dynamic seals can experience oxidation and heat hardening. They appear as cracked O rings and are accompanied by the flatness of high compression sets. Oxidation and heat hardening can quickly lead to O ring damage, caused by high or low temperatures that cause elastomer hardening as well as plasticizer evaporation and cracking (from oxidation).

Selecting custom O rings with high-temperature capabilities can help as they can adjust when the temperature of the application in question gets too hot or cold. Else, you can just lower the operating temperature to prevent hardening.

Extrusion and Nibbling

This often occurs in high-pressure systems with noticeable small bites taken from the O ring on the low-pressure side. Excessive system pressure or clearances can cause these things to happen as well as improper machining of the gland with sharp edges.

Nibbling and extrusion can also take place due to the O ring material either being too soft or too large for the gland. Using backup O rings like custom rubber rings can mitigate these problems, using composite seals bonded to the metal as a way to improve strength.

Too Much Swelling

This can be pointed out through an increase in seal dimensions. It’s due to improper sizing between the gland and seal. Dynamic applications are most at risk because friction will accelerate seal failure. Getting custom O rings that can better absorb surrounding fluids is a good way to prevent this given that too much absorption can lead to excess swelling. Chemical incompatibility, as well as high humidity, are notable triggers that can cause swell to the point of malfunctioning.

Spiral Failure

You can identify this failure when you see the O ring surface exhibiting deep, spiral 45 angle cuts. When segments of the O ring slide while other segments roll, failure will occur. Due to these contrasting motions, the O ring can get hitched to another component or will twist against a cylinder wall. Uneven surface finishes, inadequate lubrication, slow stroke speeds, and softness of the O ring are common reasons why spiral failure takes place.

Using internally lubricated custom rubber rings ensures that the seal is always lubricated and the material is using the right amount of hardness during the application.

Damage During Installation

While installing static and dynamic seals, the material can be damaged with cuts, notches, or a peeled surface. If you notice sharp edges on the mating components of the gland, twisting or pinching during installation, or that sharp threads catch the O ring during assembly, then it’s clear that the installation is defective.

Lubrication during assembly helps to prevent installation damage as well as covering threads and/or tubes with tape. Getting strong custom rubber O rings that are easy to install and maneuver can help with this.

If you are looking for quality custom rubber O rings, consult a custom rubber product manufacturer.