Select-a-Seal™, A New Flange Sealing Technology

A new flange sealing technology is described which meets industry standard durability and sealability testing. This technology was developed by first analyzing sealing mechanisms and failure modes of other current static sealing systems, and applying that knowledge to design a new sealing mechanism that may be less susceptible to common failure modes. The ability to choose the optimum polymer edge shape, polymer type, level of polymer surface adhesion, and structural carrier properties gives the design engineer a high degree of flexibility in designing flanged joints and effective static seals. The concept is validated by showing that gaskets can be designed for numerous applications which pass industry standard validation tests, including engine dynamometer, environmental chamber, and steam table testing. The product is made using conventional steel-rule die cutting, and uses a minimum of tooling for the application of the polymer edge, therefore prototyping can be done very quickly and production tooling costs are kept to a minimum.