Elastomerics Blog

This Stockwell Elastomerics video highlights the benefits of using a preformed o-ring. The video shows our operator installing a standard o-ring cord into a complex gland design, contrasted with a preformed silicone o-ring specifically made for the gland.

Pre-Formed Molded Silicone O-Ring Installation Demo

Time savings – the video shows the significant time savings gained by using a preformed gasket. When extrapolated over hundreds or thousands of gaskets, there can be quite a cost savings due to faster throughput. Other project cost considerations that factor in are manufacturing capacity and opportunity, contributing to a quick payoff on buying a custom o-ring mold.

Risk prevention – There is a much lower risk of twisting or pinching a preformed o-ring gasket. Forcing a standard o-ring cord into a complex gland lends itself to these installation errors; twisted o-rings and pinched o-rings are well known failure modes. The video shows how the pre-formed silicone o-ring drops right into the complex gland.

Silicone durometers – Silicone rubber is excellent for environmental sealing and it is available in durometer values ranging from 10 – 70 Shore “A”. The low durometers, 10 and 20 are better for larger cross-sections since they can be stretched very easily during installation. Soft silicone o-rings enhance sealing at a lower closure force. Soft silicone o-rings are often used for IP 67 submerged gaskets.

Custom silicone o-rings – Stockwell Elastomerics manufactures custom silicone o-rings. Custom o-rings are available in standard silicone durometers (10 – 70 Shore A), electrically conductive o-rings or EMI o-rings and fluorinated silicone o-rings. Stockwell Elastomerics does not inventory or provide off the shelf o-rings.

Stockwell Elastomerics O-ring Offerings

• Preformed silicone rubber o-rings (10 – 70 durometer Shore A)
• Electrically conductive o-rings or EMI o-rings
• Custom preformed fluorosilicone o-rings

For more information on custom preformed silicone o-rings, EMI o-rings, or preformed fluorosilicone o-rings, please call Stockwell Elastomerics at 215-335-3005 or complete a contact form for assistance.