Lip gaskets are the best choice when the field of use involves the presence of moving parts. When a dynamic seal is required, these components guarantee excellent performance while limiting abrasion and other possible problems related to attrition and damage from friction.

With its consolidated competence in the sector, GB is the leading partner for the production of lip gaskets for hydraulic pistons to be integrated into the widest range of industrial sectors: explore our catalogue and our production methods.

Hydraulic cylinders: function and applications

A hydraulic cylinder is an essential component in systems that transform hydraulic force into mechanical energy, allowing particularly heavy loads to be handled or moved. These mechanisms are used in an extremely wide range of sectors (industry, mobility, agriculture, etc.) and are made up of a number of main elements, such as the cylinder, which contains the piston and the hydraulic fluid, and the gaskets.

Characteristics of lip gaskets

Lip gaskets have one or two sealing lips, located on the internal and/or external diameter, and are widely used in applications involving dynamic sealing systems.

The aim of the latter is to stop the fluid from leaking out and, at the same time, avoid the system from being contaminated by external agents. Lip gaskets for hydraulic pistons are one of the most common choices, considering their capacity to effectively serve the purpose they are used for.

These components are required to have certain essential characteristics:

• The ability to stably keep fluids inside the hydraulic system.
• The ability to stop contaminants from entering.
• Good resistance to potentially corrosive
• Suitable resistance to the loads and pressures in the system in which they are installed.
• Resistance to deformation during use, as well as to abrasion.
• The capacity to serve as an excellent option for both low pressures and in situations in which operating pressure is extremely high.

Types of lip gasket for hydraulic pistons

Lip gaskets are circular and have a variable number of sealing lips along their external and internal diameter. Different areas of application may require either gaskets with a single lip, or gaskets with a double lip.

Single-lip gaskets

Lip gaskets for hydraulic pistons may have a single sealing lip, which guarantees that the system is impermeable and sealed. They are generally used in applications where there are few or no particles or impurities present.

Double-lip gaskets

These components have a second lip, which serves to ensure that no external elements can enter the hydraulic system and contaminate the fluids. This dual protection system also reduces the risk of damage to the inner lip and ensures it maintains its seal over time.

The GB catalogue offers lip gaskets in coded dimensions, generally made from standard compounds and with dimensions corresponding to the most common applications. Our technical department can, however, also assist you in planning your dynamic systems for hydraulic pistons, designing made-to-measure and personalised lip gaskets according to your actual applicative needs.

The most suitable materials for lip gaskets

We use latest-generation elastomers and thermoplastic materials in our production processes, and the available range allows us to choose, in each case, the compound best suited to the operative conditions under which the item will be installed.

The aspects to bear in mind include:

• operating temperature.
• length of travel.
• the pressures to which the gasket will be subject.
• the type of fluid to be contained (oil, grease, solvent, acid, alkaline, etc.).
• the elasticity required of the component.
• the desired resistance to abrasion and attrition.
• the level of ease of movement.

By designing your lip gaskets to measure, with the team of GB technicians, you will be able to choose custom materials and designs that optimise the durability as well as the ability of the components to withstand chemical and mechanical stress, adapting them to your field of application.

Rubber lip gaskets

The most commonly requested materials for the manufacture of lip gaskets undoubtedly include elastomers. This term refers to natural or synthetic substances that offer the chemical and physical properties of natural rubber. Among the most important, which are useful for application in hydraulic systems, are high resistance and the capacity to recover their original form and design at rest after being subjected to elastic deformation.

The main elastomers that we use at GB include the following, each with its own particular properties and characteristics:

• EPDM
• FVMQ
• FKM
• NR
• CR
• NBR-PVC
• HNBR
• NBR
• ACM
• AU
• SBR
• VMQ

In order to guarantee the functionality and duration of the lip gasket, it is also important to achieve the right level of hardness of the elastomer used. A lower hardness provides better tightness with low or extremely low pressures, but as the latter increases, attrition increases proportionally. On the other hand, a harder compound limits the problem of attrition, but loses performance at lower pressures.

Production of lip gaskets for hydraulic pistons

It is possible to obtain lip gaskets with two different methods, both offered by the GB production departments.

• The first, which is more economical, provides for the direct moulding of gaskets, and is used to make semi-O-ring sealing gaskets, which offer limited durability and are designed for systems in which movement is restricted.
• The second method consists in the moulding of gaskets with a larger lip, followed by the splicing or cutting of unrequired excess. This method guarantees a better seal, as cutting creates a sharp edge that is resistant even in the case of highly dynamic systems (such as pneumatic or hydraulic systems).

The GB method; why work with us?

Our goal is to offer clients complete services, which render us reliable partners in all phases of design, prototyping, production and refining of components.

Our flexibility in production is the result of a combination of a highly technological machine inventory and a technical team that is able to accompany the client through every step of the process. As well as verifying the conformity of each raw material on reception, we test all our finished products with a technologically avant-garde laboratory.

Furthermore, collaboration with specialised external partners has extended our possibilities in terms of Research and Development, allowing us to develop new materials for moulding that offer elevated performance, highly personalised to the requirements of the end client and in line with the most recent regulations in terms of safety and quality.

The GB commitment also involves a responsible approach to production, in accordance with principles of environmental, economic and social sustainability. Other strengths of the GB brand are the attention to the well-being of the team, our low impact on the territory, the search for efficient production solutions and the use of renewable energy to serve the demands of our plants.

Do you want to find out how we can work together to maximise your performance? Contact our technicians, to find out how to make lip gaskets for hydraulic pistons that are perfectly in line with your production needs.