“High temperature” in the industrial world is on another level than what you’ll see during the evening weather forecast.
When machines work hard to create products or keep operations running smoothly, their moving parts, chemical reactions, and even substances used can conjure up scorching temperatures that must be kept in check.
Manufacturing temperatures are no joke, and converters like Strouse take extra care during the design phase to ensure that the temperature of the material is suitable for your gasket’s environment and usage.
When you account for these extreme temperatures with the proper equipment (such as a suitable gasketing material), your production schedule will remain stable. To illustrate this and help you understand more about gasket heat resistance, we’ve compiled a list of considerations to follow when using heat-resistant gasket material.
Before we get into the benefits of heat resistance in the world of gaskets, you should know what to consider when looking for a suitable gasketing material for the current task.
Whether you plan to use foam gasket material, gasket glue, custom gasketing adhesive/tape, or any other material, you must know the full range of temperatures the material can withstand.
For example, a natural rubber gasket can typically handle temperatures up to 122° F, whereas a butyl rubber polymer can usually withstand temperatures up to 248° F.
It’s also important to consider how the material will respond to extremely low temperatures. If a gasket can tolerate extreme heat but not extreme cold but you anticipate both, then you’ll likely need to reconsider your gasketing material.
Other specifications that must also be understood include determining which chemicals, substances, or actions might erode or degrade the gasket over time and knowing the environmental factors your gasket will face.
Now, we’re going to hit the big categories that should cover the major factors to look at when choosing a heat-resistant material.
A gasket made from heat-resistant material tends to withstand harsh conditions in general. Even if your project isn’t anticipated to produce or handle elevated temperatures, heat that’s generated or encountered likely won’t be a challenge for the material that can withstand such temperatures.
With that in mind, a heat-resistant gasket is a long-term investment. Gasketing material that can hold up against such intense thermal conditions has a solid chance of lasting many years.
Instead of buying new gasketing material and spending the time and money to dismantle everything to replace it every few years or sooner, you can hold off on that and keep things moving.
When it comes to heat resistance in gasketing material, you have a wide variety of options. From natural rubber to PTFE (aka Teflon) to graphite and more, different materials are available for various specific temperature ranges and other working conditions. Depending on what your gasket will be in contact with, having one resistant to high temperatures can offer durability to the entire project.
Some gasketing material can fall apart or become brittle depending on the substances it’s interacting with, the exact temperatures it’s facing, and whether it encounters massive pressure or frequent motion. But a gasket that is heat resistant gives you added durability that can prevent it from falling apart if outside all day or facing intense heat from what it contains.
What happens when you use the wrong gasket material for a machine or device that’s exposed to hot temperatures it can’t manage?
Not only will the component not last, but it also probably won’t even perform well during its short life before it falls apart under those harsh conditions.
If your gasket can’t withstand the heat, the entire operation could unravel.
A gasket is meant to keep two things separate, but when containment is breached or even worn down and weakened by intense heat, it can start a domino effect that could be bad news for production.
Yet, suppose your gasket is resistant to the temperatures it experiences, and all other factors are accounted for. In that case, it should perform at a high capacity so you can keep everything running.
Depending on its temperature-resistant specifics and its other characteristics, a heat-resistant gasket can provide additional options.
For instance, if your project is going to sometimes deal with a lot of heat and other times not deal with much heat at all, using gasketing material that is heat resistant can be helpful in both scenarios.
Speaking of options, there are plenty of heat-resistant gasketing material options.
Silicone gasketing can withstand temperatures as hot as 400° F and as low as -67° F. Then you’ve got graphite gaskets that can stand up to temperatures as hot as 950° F. These are just two examples of the many options you have at your disposal for versatile gasketing.
Aside from what comprises the gasketing material itself, heat resistance is another way to ensure the gasketing material won’t degrade too quickly.
What can cause containment to fail? Degrading adhesives and gasketing material from the heat they can’t handle would likely play a role, but a good tolerance for heat can prevent gasket degradation from happening before you’d expect it.
When a gasket is exposed to intense thermal conditions it isn’t made for, the material will degrade fast. Get your money’s worth when you purchase gasketing material by ensuring it is resistant to the heat you anticipate with your project.
Problems with gaskets that degrade or outright disintegrate due to extreme heat can range from costly inconveniences to utter catastrophes.
Enough risks are associated with failing to ensure that your gaskets and gasket adhesive materials can withstand harsh temperatures. That’s why it’s beneficial to consider the heat resistance of your gasketing material when developing your next project ahead of deployment.
Your project is unique, and time is money. This all boils down to saving time and money, as well as producing a great product or service for your customers with the right equipment and materials.
Once you’ve conjured a great heat-resistant gasket design, you’ll want to figure out how to manufacture gaskets most efficiently. That’s where a converter comes in.
If you’re still in the planning phase and want to understand better how the proper material will work, Strouse can help with custom gaskets and gasketing material (including adhesives that are created with tight tolerances to ensure precision).
Check out our capabilities to see more of your options regarding gasket manufacturing, or you can learn more about the gasket-making process in our Learning Center.
Originally published: November 29, 2021