Sealing solutions play an important role in preventing leaks and maintaining the integrity of different industries by ensuring maximum performance in multiple applications. Sealing has a huge impact on elements such as product quality, production speed, uptime, and design, all of which affect the product and determine the business’s success. However, the effectiveness of sealing technology relies on how well it matches the specific product, environmental conditions, production parameters, and materials in use. These sealing solutions can improve efficiency by keeping dirt, dust, and water out, safeguarding internal components, and ensuring the maximum performance of the product.

In this blog, we will provide an overview of different types of sealing solutions for different industries, including the materials used, the design of the sealing systems, and the benefits of using these solutions.

A] Explore How Different Industries Have Unique Sealing Requirements

In different industries, sealing solutions are tailored to specific requirements, ensuring safety, performance, and efficiency. From healthcare to manufacturing, each sector relies on unique materials and designs to meet its sealing demands effectively.

1. Medical

The medical devices used are subject to stringent regulatory requirements, including those governing the materials and manufacturing processes used to produce seals.

• Biocompatibility: This term refers to the suitability of a material to living organisms, in this case, humans. The manufacturers are required to submit certifications to ensure that the materials are safe for use to humans. The ultimate goal here is to provide improved efficacy while ensuring that the materials do not possess any health risks. Materials like silicone, fluorocarbon, and EPDM are often used since they are safe for the human body.
• Sterilizability: Medical device seals must be able to withstand sterilization processes such as autoclaving, gamma irradiation, and ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization. Seals made from materials such as silicone and fluorocarbon are commonly used in medical applications due to their ability to withstand these processes.
• FDA Compliance: The FDA regulates the safety and efficacy of medical devices. They come up with different research and advice for manufacturers of medical equipment; therefore, manufacturers must submit their products to the FDA for review before they can be marketed. The FDA will review the product design, manufacturing processes, and testing data to ensure the product is safe.

2. Automotive

Recent trends shows increase in demands for modern automobiles. This high demand is why the manufacturer has to provide unique set of features as a selling point putting a strain on the sealants used. To maintain the vehicles’ efficacy the sealing has to right the requirements!.

Requirements for automotive seals:

• Temperature Resistance: Automotive seals must be able to withstand high temperatures without losing their sealing properties. This is because automotive seals are used in a variety of applications, including engines, transmissions, and differentials. For example, seals made from materials such as NBR, PTFE, and Viton can withstand high temperatures up to 1000°F.
• Oil Compatibility: The seal material should be resistant to petroleum-based oil and fuel, silicone greases, hydraulic fluid, and water. Seals such as Nitrile oil, EPDM, and HNBR oil seals have great resistance to petroleum oils and fuels, mineral oils and greases, hydraulic fluids, water, steam, sour gas and alcohol.
• Longevity: The seal material should have a low compression set, high tensile strength, and abrasion resistance. Nitrile oil seals and EPDM oil seals are resistant to organic and inorganic acids, sodium and potassium alkalis water, steam, and cleaning agents. Polyacrylate oil seals resist petroleum oils and fuels, transmission fluid, and perform well.

3. Food Processing

The food & beverage industry is one of the most stringent when it comes to driving policies for safety. The sealants used in this case help prevent contamination by creating a barrier between food and external elements, such as dirt, bacteria, or pests. Contaminated food because of low-quality materials used can lead to serious health risks and legal consequences for food manufacturers.

• Food-Grade Standards: Food-grade seals must be made exclusively of FDA-approved materials, both natural and synthetic. They must resist bacteria buildup as well as the intrusion of chemicals. They must be non-marking, non-toxic, and non-allergenic.
• Hygiene: Hygienic sealants prevent contamination, uphold food safety, and comply with regulations. They resist harsh conditions, are easy to clean, and play a crucial role in maintaining a sanitary environment.
• Corrosion Resistance: These sealants protect equipment, prevent contamination, and reduce downtime in harsh environments exposed to water, steam, and cleaning agents, ensuring operational efficiency and compliance.

At Kohesi Bond, we provide industrial sealants and adhesives that adhere to food-grade standards and hygiene regulations.

4. Renewable Energy

Seals serve a significant function by ensuring the retention of critical resources, such as heat transfer fluids and gases, within the system. This containment strategy is instrumental in optimizing energy utilization and, consequently, bolstering the system’s overall efficiency.

• Durability: Wind turbines and solar panels are often located in harsh environments that can cause wear and tear on equipment. The sealant adhesive must be durable enough to withstand these harsh environments and maintain effectiveness over time.
• Environmental Resistance: Seals are essential for protecting sensitive components from extreme temperatures, UV radiation, salt water, and abrasive particles.
• Reliability: Seals are like protectors in renewable energy systems. They prevent leaks, help parts last longer, and ensure consistent performance. They’re important for safeguarding electrical connections, hydraulic systems, and mechanical parts, reducing the risk of costly failures.

5. Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology involves working with materials at the nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers. On this scale, materials’ physical, chemical, and biological properties differ in fundamental and valuable ways from the properties of individual atoms and molecules or bulk matter. Sealing solutions must be designed to work at this scale with precision and accuracy. Nanomaterials can pose a risk to human health. On and the environment if not handled properly.

6. Oil & Chemical Processing Industry

Adhesive solutions for sealing in the oil and chemical processing industry are critical for maintaining safety and efficiency. They must resist chemical reactions, extreme temperatures, and high-pressure conditions while preventing leaks or contamination. This demands materials and gaskets that can withstand severe thermal and chemical stresses. Metal seals excel in high-temperature environments and offer superior chemical resistance. Alternatively, jacketed gaskets provide flexibility through a soft core and resilience via an external coating, making them suitable for high-pressure and high-thermal situations, but they require substantial compression force for effective sealing.

7. Electronics And Electrical

Whether indoors or exposed to the elements, electronic seals and gaskets must protect critical components. Sealing solutions, whether extruded, moulded or die-cut, provide maximum protection against temperature and moisture extremes. If your application requires fire-rated materials, you would need sealing solutions that meet UL and NEMA ratings. The advances in seals such as Roxtec ES provide protection against EMI, electromagnetic interference, and EMP, electromagnetic pulses.

They have been made to improve safety, reliability, and performance. Sealing solutions for electromagnetic shielding, electrical connector protection systems, semiconductor manufacturing, self-healing electronic materials, hermetic sealing, ceramics, and glass have been developed to address the unique challenges faced by these applications. These advances in sealing solutions have improved the safety and reliability of electronic devices and electrical systems.

8. Aerospace

Contaminants like dust and water can harm essential components of aerospace. Sealing products, such as hardware and switch boots, act as protective barriers, ensuring the electronics perform at their best. An aerospace sealant must have the below properties to endure extreme temperature variations and high altitudes.

• High-Altitude Performance: Improved sealing performance in extreme low-temperature environments is a major benefit in equipment used in high latitude, high altitude, or other cold environments.
• Extreme-Temperature Resistance: Sealants and adhesives must be able to maintain their effectiveness and integrity in extreme temperature conditions. Special compounds such as Polymers and thermoplastics such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) play a significant role in solving critical engineering problems.

9. Optics

There are several types of seals used in the optical industry by devices and instruments, including ferrofluidic seals, glass-to-metal seals, and elastomeric seals. Each seal type has unique properties and is selected based on the specific application. These seals help prevent contamination from dust, dirt, and other particles that can cloud the optic and reduce performance. Sealing the optics can help manage these contaminants and ensure that the optical system operates at peak performance. Different materials used in optical systems can expand and contract at different rates when exposed to temperature changes. Precision seals can help manage these differences and maintain alignment. This is particularly important in high-precision optical systems where even small misalignments can significantly impact performance.

10. OEM

Although most applications can be sealed with standard or modified seals, some applications require a custom solution that can be crafted to meet performance criteria, environmental prerequisites, and industry-specific requirements in the OEM industry. This can happen when a customer needs to seal a unique piece of equipment or requires a seal for retrofitted equipment for which there is no design history and, thus, no standard seal. They are also used to expand an application’s current operating window or add specific features to address challenges with the application.

Conclusion

Finding the best sealing solution ensures that the seal meets the specific needs of the application, optimizes performance, ensures safety, prevents leaks, and is cost-effective in the long run. Depending on your environment, industrial seals must be able to withstand extreme temperatures, pressure, or harsh chemicals. Kohesi Bond, a leading sealants and adhesives manufacturer, offers sealing solutions that effectively prevent leaks of liquids and gases. This functionality is essential in numerous industries where maintaining airtight and leak-free systems is imperative for operational efficiency and environmental safety. If you are looking for a high-quality and reliable sealing solution, contact us.

Utsav Shah

Utsav Shah is a 34-year-old entrepreneur with a passion for scientific discovery. Utsav’s journey began with a deep dive into materials science, earning degrees from USC and the Institute of Chemical Technology. He’s the visionary founder of Kohesi Bond, a top-rated adhesive manufacturer, and Cenerge Engineering Solutions, a leader in heat exchangers and cryogenic pumps. With over a decade of experience, Utsav consults across various industries, ensuring they have the perfect adhesive solution for their needs. Connect with him on LinkedIn!