Simrit Advances Piston Sealing Systems to Reduce Friction and Energy Consumption

ELGIN, Ill., Dec. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Simrit, the industrial sealing division of Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies, has developed three new piston seals that reduce friction and lower energy consumption in applications like mechanical transmissions and pneumatic cylinders. The company will showcase its Torque Control Seal (TCS), D-ring with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) enhancement and Friction Piston Seal T-ring (TR) 200 during MDA India (booth #D402 Hall 1) on Dec. 6 to 9 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre in India.

"After recognizing the need for advanced piston sealing solutions, we began a comprehensive benchmark of current products which focused on frictional behavior, assembly, shifting time, efficiency, service life and cost," said Joel Johnson, global vice president of technology, Simrit. "Based on the data gained from this effort, we were able to develop three new seal designs that exceeded current industry offerings."

With the Low Friction Piston Seal TR 200, Simrit presents an innovative sealing geometry for the smooth operation of pneumatic cylinders with significantly increased efficiency. Reducing friction by up to 50 percent compared to conventional systems, the Low Friction Piston Seal TR 200 shows minimal wear after 15 million cycles. The dynamic sealing function of the Low Friction Piston Seal TR 200 is achieved by a sealing area with a large radius. The required radial force is created by the design interface and eliminates the radial compression of the seal cross section, which minimizes friction and wear while also eliminating stick-slip effects.

Simrit combined the unique advantages of elastomer and PTFE materials to develop two low-energy seals that reduce initial friction, non-linear behavior and hysteresis in piston sealing systems. The TCS is a friction-optimized bonded piston that was specially developed for translatory motion as a transmission shift piston. This seal combines the superior frictional characteristics of PTFE with the rigidity, centering and lip shape (similar to that of a channel gasket) of the bonded transmission piston seal with the metal carrier that was previously used. The TCS is resistant to high temperatures, allows for the mounting of a single part, has an integral piston and offers excellent centering.

The D-ring was developed as a groove seal with PTFE foil enhancement as a friction-optimized piston seal and also employs the dual-layer enhancement procedure. Developed for use in a reciprocating application, the D-ring with PTFE enhancement is a general-purpose piston seal solution that offers very low coefficient of friction and high heat resistance. Offering a range of designs with different diameters, the seal does not twist, is resistant to gap extrusion and offers simple installation.

For more information on any of Simrit's piston sealing solutions, visit the company's booth and speak with a Simrit expert.

Simrit is part of Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies and offers an extensive portfolio of precision-manufactured products for the aerospace, agriculture, appliance, construction, energy, fluid power, mechanical power generation, mechanical power transmission and recreation markets. Simrit's global sales exceed $1.3 billion. For more information, visit the Simrit website at www.simrit.com.

SOURCE Simrit