More about O Rings

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O Rings are round objects that are crafted from elastic materials, such as natural or manufactured rubber. They are an integral part of the sealing mechanisms of hardware against liquid or gaseous compounds, i.e. water or air. Because of the elastic nature, o rings are able to provide a seal simply by taking on the shape of the cavity into which they are fitted.

O Rings are measured by referring to three different standards: the inside diameter, the diameter of the cross section, and the rigidity of the material. O Rings are manufactured to specific size standards which are defined by Aerospace Standard AS568A, Aerospace Size Standard for O-Rings. Published by the Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc. (SAE), this document efficiently divides the vast majority of standard sizes under the umbrella of any one of five possible cross-sectional diameters.

While the use of o rings has successfully enabled a wide range of mechanical applications, failure of these rings is quite possible. The possibility of failure must be taken into account when designing any type of machinery in order to provide a short-term failsafe solution until the ring may be replaced. Factoring in to the possibility of failure are a number of variables, such the types of chemicals the o-ring is coming in contact with, extreme or persistent temperature fluctuations, and the ranges of pressures or vacuum levels that are applied to the ring in the process of its operation.

In addition, the improper selection of material compounds in light of the anticipated use will quite often lead to an aggregate failure rate. If troubleshooting should become necessary, the rings may be examined for traces of abrasions, flattening, chemical degradation, explosive decompression, extrusion, and also over compression. Another sign of damage may be incurred during an improper installation.