Piston Seals

Manufacturing Piston Seals

Piston seals, used in both hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, can be single-acting or double-acting depending on the direction of pressure generated within the cylinder. The main purpose of piston seals is to protect the head from possible fluid or gas leakage: this is made possible only through an excellent combination of sealing, lubrication behavior, friction, and extrusion resistance.

The fields of application are numerous: hydraulic presses, earth-moving machinery, hydraulic power units, machine tools, and other equipment across various industrial sectors.

The range of usable profiles is extensive: correct selection always requires consideration of parameters such as temperature, operating pressure, working speeds, seal material, involved fluids, clearance fits, dimensional space, and surface roughness.

Piston seals can consist of a sliding ring made from thermoplastic material combined with an elastomeric O-ring, or they can be made entirely from either thermoplastic or elastomeric material. Steel springs can also be incorporated. The choice of the most suitable material depends on the criticality of the specific application. The most requested materials include PTFE (virgin, filled, glass-filled, bronze-filled, carbon graphite, carbon fiber, graphite, molybdenum disulfide), POM, PE, polyurethane, and various rubber types (FKM, EPDM, NBR).