What Factors Should be Taken Into Account When Choosing Seals for Metallurgical Equipment?

Number of hits：322025-10-18 11:28:50　

Working in the metallurgical industry means dealing with one of the toughest environments any piece of machinery can face. High temperatures, fluctuating pressure, airborne metal particles and heavy oil vapor all combine to create a harsh setting where seals must perform flawlessly. Over the years, we’ve seen that choosing the right sealing solution is not only about dimensions or materials — it’s about matching each seal to the actual working conditions.

In rolling mills, hydraulic cylinders, pumps, motors, and continuous casting machines, seals play a quiet yet critical role. Once leakage occurs, it can quickly lead to bearing damage, reduced lubrication, and even costly production downtime. That’s why understanding how each seal behaves under stress is essential.

For rotating shafts and dynamic sealing areas, materials like FKM (fluorocarbon rubber) and HNBR (hydrogenated nitrile rubber) have proven to be reliable choices. They maintain elasticity at temperatures up to 150°C or more and resist degradation from oils and hydraulic fluids. For static sealing points such as flanges and pipe joints, NBR (nitrile rubber) remains a practical and economical option when temperature and pressure are moderate. However, in systems where both heat and pressure remain high, FKM or PTFE (Teflon) should be considered for better long-term stability.

Material selection is only part of the story. The structure of the seal itself also determines its performance. For instance, the lip design on rolling mill oil seals must consider dust and debris ingress, while hydraulic cylinder seals must balance pressure retention and low friction. We’ve encountered many cases where leakage problems were traced back not to the seal itself but to the shaft surface roughness or improper groove design. These details are often overlooked, but they can make or break a system’s reliability.

Another easily neglected factor is storage and installation. Rubber-based seals age faster when exposed to sunlight or ozone. If stored improperly, their elasticity and surface quality deteriorate before they’re even installed. Likewise, careless installation can damage the sealing edge. We always advise customers — whether they are distributors, OEMs or maintenance teams — to double-check housing dimensions before assembly and to use the right tools to prevent scratches or distortion.

When selecting seals for metallurgical applications, it’s important to look beyond individual components. A sealing system often includes not only oil seals but also dust wipers, backup rings, and guide rings. Replacing just one worn element while ignoring the rest rarely solves the issue for long. In practice, a full-system review almost always leads to a more durable and cost-effective result.

As a manufacturer with more than 30 years of experience in sealing technology, we’ve learned that every project benefits from early involvement. From material recommendation and prototype design to on-site testing, we work with customers to ensure the seal matches the equipment’s real-world demands. For standard parts like O-rings, oil seals and bonded washers, we maintain a wide inventory to ensure fast delivery, which is especially critical in the metallurgical field where even short downtime can lead to significant loss.

Our product range now covers over ten thousand specifications, supplying to more than 80 countries worldwide. We operate as a certified high-tech enterprise and a provincial innovation center, offering both standard and custom sealing solutions. Beyond manufacturing, our focus is on helping customers improve system reliability through engineering support and field experience.

Choosing the right seal might seem like a small detail, but in heavy industries like metallurgy, that small detail determines the safety and efficiency of the entire line. There’s no single “perfect” material for all conditions, but with proper selection, expert guidance, and steady technical support, long-term reliability is absolutely achievable. So, finding the right sealing partner often proves far more valuable than simply finding the lowest price.