Rubber seals are versatile products used in many industries and applications. You can find rubber seals and trim utilized for common everyday applications or industrial rubber seals that function in hydraulic machines. Hydraulic machines use rubber seals to prevent fluid leakage. Rubber seals can also function as oil, lip seals or in mechanical seal assemblies. In mechanical seal assemblies, rubber o-rings act as secondary seals to prevent leakage along a pump shaft. These assemblies work well on shafts/housings, which are subject to a combination of high pressure, speed and temperature.

Rubber seal manufacturers produce these devices in a variety of natural and synthetic rubber materials. There are many types of rubber seals that include o-rings, pneumatic, hydraulic and u-cups. To ensure optimal performance of seals, proper material selection and design are crucial. When selecting industrial rubber seals, important parameters to check are mechanical and chemical resistance properties. Before buying from rubber seals distributors, other options to review should include:

1. Find rubber seals and trim in a variety of materials.

2. Locate industrial rubber seal suppliers that offer a wide array of products for your industry needs.

3. Select custom-made rubber seals or specialty seals for demanding applications.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose the correct rubber seal and trim for diverse application

Rubber seals and trim come in different materials and are very popular for many types of commercial applications. If you need a specific material to meet certain application requirements, you should look for manufacturers that can fabricate seals and trim in a variety of different rubber materials like EPDM, viton, silicone and neoprene.

I recommend: Reed Rubber & Foam Products carries extruded rubber seals for various applications in materials that include EPDM and neoprene. Britech Industries is another manufacturer of rubber seals and gaskets; available in a variety of compounds. For various rubber seals and trim used in many applications, go to Trim-Lok.

Buy from industrial rubber seal distributors that offers multiple types of products

When you need different types of seals such as o-rings and lip, you should find suppliers that have a good assortment of products for many industrial applications. Save time and money by locating one-stop source distributors.

I recommend: Problem Solving Products has an extensive selection of o-rings and other types of extruded rubber seal products in a variety of materials. The company also has good information on seal designs, elastomer properties and fluid compatibility. Allied Metric Seals & Fasteners is a full service manufacturer that carries oil, o-ring, metric, pneumatic and hydraulic seals in various rubber materials. There are over 100,000 sizes of o-ring available from stock.

Find manufacturers of different specialty rubber seal products

Many times, a standard o-ring or other type seal may not meet the particular requirements for a unique application such as needing mil spec material compounds or specific hard to find sizes. Choose experienced manufacturers that offer specialty or customized products for any challenging application.

I recommend: Anchor Rubber Products offers custom and metric o-rings, u-cups and custom pneumatic and hydraulic seal upon request. Marco Rubber provides specialty products that include mil spec, custom and metric o-rings as well as specialty seals; also serves specialty markets like semi-conductor. Custom Rubber makes custom manufactured rubber gaskets and seals and offers services that include design assistance to consult on configurations and materials. Precision Associates also provides custom and special rubber seal products.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Rubber seal failures can occur in three ways: contamination, leaking or change in appearance. Proper maintenance can reduce the chances of failure in a well-designed seal.