What are the causes of oil seal leakage?

1. Unsuitable selection

• Unsuitable specification of oil seals: If the dimensions of oil seals, such as inner diameter, outer diameter or width, do not match with the installation part, it will lead to the oil seals not working properly, thus generating leakage.
• Inadequate consideration of working conditions: Different working environments and working conditions have different requirements for oil seals. If in high temperature, high pressure, high speed or chemical corrosion and other special working conditions, no selection of the corresponding high temperature, high pressure, chemical corrosion-resistant oil seals, it is easy to leakage problems.

2. Installation problems

• Incorrect installation method: when installing the oil seal, if it is not operated properly, such as tilting the installation of the oil seal, forcing it to press in or stretching it excessively, etc., it will cause deformation and damage to the oil seal, destroying its sealing performance and leading to leakage.
• Poor shaft surface quality: the surface roughness, roundness, cylindricity and other accuracy of the shaft surface where the oil seal is installed does not meet the requirements, or the shaft surface is scratched, worn, corroded and other defects, which will make the gap between the oil seal and the shaft uneven, thus affecting the sealing effect and causing leakage.
• Improper installation position: inaccurate installation position of the oil seal, such as installation of too deep or too shallow, will make the oil seal can not play a normal role, resulting in leakage.

3. Improper use and maintenance

• Poor lubrication: If the working part of the oil seal lacks sufficient lubrication, or the lubricant used is of poor quality or inappropriate viscosity, it will increase the friction between the oil seal and the shaft, resulting in premature wear and aging of the oil seal, which will lead to leakage.
• Long-term overload operation: equipment running for a long time in excess of the rated load, will make the shaft speed, pressure and other parameters beyond the range of the oil seal, accelerate the wear and aging of the oil seal, triggering leakage.
• Failure to maintain in time: In the process of equipment operation, if there is no regular inspection and maintenance of oil seals, the wear, aging or other abnormalities of the oil seals can not be detected in time, it is not possible to take effective measures to repair or replace, which leads to the gradual aggravation of the leakage problem.

4. Oil seal quality problems

• Poor material quality: The material of oil seal is the key factor affecting its sealing performance and service life. If the rubber, plastic and other materials used for oil seals are of poor quality and unstable performance, such as poor aging resistance, bad oil resistance, etc., they are prone to cracking, hardening, softening and other phenomena in the process of use, leading to seal failure.
• Manufacturing process defects: oil seals in the manufacturing process, if there are process defects, such as mold precision is not enough, improper vulcanization process, poor assembly quality, etc., will make the oil seal size accuracy, shape accuracy and surface quality can not meet the requirements, thus affecting its sealing performance.

5. Other factors

• Vibration and shock: Vibration and shock during the operation of the equipment will subject the oil seal to additional stress, resulting in loosening of the fit between the oil seal and the shaft or cavity, and a decline in sealing performance, which in turn will lead to leakage.
• Media contamination: If the working medium contains impurities, particles and other pollutants, they may enter the gap between the oil seal and the shaft, exacerbating the wear and tear of the oil seal, destroying the sealing surface, resulting in leakage.
• Aging: oil seals will gradually lose elasticity and sealing performance due to material aging during long-term use. Even under normal working conditions, after a certain period of use, the oil seal may leak.