Optimizing Lubricant Retention: Low-Friction Shaft-Sealing Solutions Pump Lubricant Back To The Bearing

SKF® Low-Friction Waveseal® shaft-sealing solutions feature a specially molded lip to form a sinusoidal or wave pattern around the shaft surface. This unique pattern enables lubricant to be pumped back to the bearing for optimized lubricant retention while pushing dirt away from the lip/shaft surface (regardless which way the shaft is turning) to protect against contamination.

The specially-designed lip additionally generates 25-35 percent less heat at the contact point (minimizing premature seal failure due to heat checking, blistering, hardening, or lubricant breakdown); generates 20 percent less friction torque or drag; curbs shaft wear; and provides greater lip lubrication compared with standard lip versions.

Seals with a Waveseal sealing lip can serve ideally in a wide range of applications, including gearboxes, speed reducers, transmissions, motors, drive systems, and pumps, among others. Versions are available with a pressure profile for applications where pressure differential across the seal is higher than normal.

The Waveseal series can be supplied in nitrile rubber or fluoro rubber to fit shaft diameters from 0.250 in to 12.250 in. and 12 mm to 280 mm. A non-hardening, water-based polyacrylate coating on the outside diameter of the seal compensates for small imperfections in housing bores. Customized sealing solutions can be developed to satisfy particular application requirements.

SKF USA Inc., 1510 Gehman Road, Kulpsville, PA 19443, 800-440-4skf, www.skfusa.com.

For more, visit the Maintenance Tech Zone at F&M Online.