Seal production technology

The sealing elements used in hydraulic cylinders are manufactured using two basic technologies.
These are:

1. Injection Molding Technology
2. CNC Turning Technology

Each of these technologies has its advantages and disadvantages and is suitable in different situations.
Below is a comparison of the two technologies. More information about our production possibilities can be found here.

Process:

• The injection of a plastic or elastomer into a mould under high pressure to harden the material.
• It is mainly used for thermoplastics and elastomers.

Benefits:

• High-volume production: the technology is suitable for the production of large batches with low unit cost.
• Repeatability: every piece produced by injection moulding has consistent dimensions and quality.
• Complex shapes are possible: the injection mould enables the production of seals with very complex geometries.
• Speed of production: once the mould is created, large quantities of pieces can be produced quickly.

Disadvantages:

• Initial cost: High cost of injection mould production, which can be uneconomical for small batches.
• Demands on mould accuracy: any change in design requires an adaptation or new mould, which can be time and cost consuming.

Process:

• The production of seals is carried out by removing material from a semi-finished product using a CNC lathe controlled by a computer.

Advantages:

• Flexibility: the CNC technology allows rapid adaptation to design changes without the need to produce new moulds.
• High precision: the CNC machines achieve very high precision and are ideal for manufacturing seals with tight tolerances.
• Suitable for small batches and prototypes: production costs are not quantity dependent, making this method suitable for small batches or one-off orders.
• Wide range of materials: cnc turning allows you to work with a variety of materials, including metals and special plastics.

Disadvantages:

• Slower production: the process is more time-consuming compared to injection moulding.
• Higher unit cost: for large batches, the price per unit can be higher than injection moulding.
• Less complex shapes: turning is more suitable for simpler geometries, while more complex shapes may be more difficult to achieve.