Browse Topic: Seals and gaskets
Noise phenomena in automobiles caused by the stick-slip effect are increasingly among the most frequent reasons for customer complaints and therefore represent a critical vehicle quality attribute. To proactively address such issues, stick-slip testing of contacting material pairs is commonly applied during development. However, the predictive capability of current stick-slip test methods remains limited, particularly when highly flexible materials and realistic, stochastic excitation conditions are involved. The flexibility of sealing systems often allows the actual relative motion at the contact interface to be accommodated through adhesion and elastic deformation, thereby delaying or even preventing sliding. To date, this effect has not been represented by any characteristic parameter in conventional stick-slip testing. Instead, existing evaluations focus exclusively on the analysis of occurring stick-slip oscillations. For the initiation of stick-slip phenomena, however, not only the mean displacement between two stick-slip oscillations during the sliding phase is relevant, but also the relative displacement required to initiate the first slip event of the sealing contact. With the algorithm developed in this work, which reproducibly determines the distance to first slip based on changes in the friction force slope, this methodological gap is now closed. The displacement to first slip depends on numerous influencing factors, including profile geometry, normal load, sliding velocity, excitation profile, and environmental conditions, and was previously inaccessible by both experimental and numerical approaches. In particular, the onset of slip in sealing contacts can now be determined under stochastic excitation of the friction pairing, thereby closely reflecting real operating conditions. As a result, the prevention of noise phenomena can be significantly strengthened at an early stage of vehicle development.
High-temperature hydraulic control in a Formula 1 drivetrain requires dimensional stability, controlled sealing force, and resistance to wear under sustained pressure cycling. Inside the limited-slip differential, the sealing architecture plays a defined mechanical role in maintaining consistent torque management under race conditions. In Formula 1, drivetrain reliability and performance are closely linked. The limited-slip differential (LSD) governs torque distribution between the rear wheels, allowing controlled transfer of power to the wheel with greater available grip. By limiting speed difference across the rear axle, the differential contributes directly to traction and cornering behavior, particularly where grip levels vary across the vehicle. At the center of this assembly is a hydraulic actuator that clamps a friction clutch inside the differential. The actuator modulates clutch engagement to redirect torque as grip levels change through corner entry, mid-corner load transfer, and acceleration on exit. Its performance depends on precise hydraulic control, which in turn depends on sealing integrity. Within this system, seal integrity is paramount, as significant leakage could cause a catastrophic loss of system function and force the team to retire the car.
Sealing systems in space applications must perform reliably under demanding conditions in engineering: cryogenic temperatures, vibration, leakage control, ultra-high vacuum, ionizing radiation, abrasive particulates, and repeated thermal cycling. Each factor strains conventional sealing technologies. In combination, they can rapidly cause failure in systems where margins are unforgiving and maintenance is impossible. As spacecraft architectures evolve toward longer operational lifetimes and broader mission profiles, sealing requirements continue to tighten. Launch vehicles, satellites, and exploration platforms now operate across wider temperature ranges and in contact with more aggressive propellants and media. As a result, both metal seals and engineered polymer alternatives are evaluated-and selected-against increasingly specific, measurable performance criteria.
A computational study using the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method in SimericsMP+ was conducted to investigate fuel sloshing in automotive fuel tanks under both crash and sudden stop conditions. The SEALs method was employed to rapidly generate the fuel tank mesh, enabling efficient simulation setup. At the outset, a benchmark sloshing case was simulated and compared against experimental data, showing excellent agreement to validate the simulation method. This simulation method was then applied to the fuel tank sloshing scenarios mimicking crash and sudden stop conditions. The study initially focused on a crash scenario in which fuel waves impact valves, pumps, and other internal structures. Capturing these localized impact forces is critical for evaluating the risk of component failure and potential leakage. A baffle-equipped tank was simulated and compared with sensor data. Results show that the computed shock forces on valves and baffles closely matched the measurements, demonstrating the high accuracy of the CFD method in predicting crash safety performance and confirming the effectiveness of baffles in reducing fuel wave impacts. The validated framework was then applied to four new unbaffled tank designs to assess NVH performance during low-speed sudden stop maneuvers. Pressure fluctuations on tank walls, which are directly linked to cabin noise, were analyzed and compared against reference pressure measurements from physical tests to ensure compliance with NVH standards. Simulations revealed significant pressure peaks in certain designs, indicating sub-optimal acoustic performance and highlighting how the absence of internal columns or baffles amplifies wave propagation and surface loading. The computational strategy presented in this study provides a powerful tool for evaluating both crash safety and NVH behavior early in the design process. By delivering accurate predictions before physical prototypes are built, it helps guide fuel tank design development, reduces reliance on costly testing, and minimizes the risk of late-stage design failures.
How engineers can ensure safety, reliability and quality in aerospace systems. Courbevoie, Île-de-France In an industry where failure is not an option and precision is paramount, aerospace manufacturers and suppliers are constantly seeking components and system solutions that deliver trusted reliability, performance, and compliance. Industry standards are a key part of achieving these high expectations, bringing together global leaders in the mobility industries to create defined, repeatable methods and consistent processes. One of these aerospace standards is AS1895 developed by SAE International - a critical standard due to the need for durable components that can withstand extreme conditions and offer high performance: high-temperature resistance, pressure sealing, and long service life with a cost-effective installation method. Leading aerospace companies such as Eaton and Honeywell have been manufacturing components that meet this standard for a long period of time.
In today's dynamic driving environments, reliable rear wiping functionality is essential for maintaining safe rearward visibility. This study sharing the next-generation rear wiper motor assembly that seamlessly integrates the washer nozzle, delivering improved performance alongside key benefits such as better Buzz, Squeak, and Rattle (BSR) characteristics, reduced system complexity, cost savings, and enhanced perceived quality. This integrated design simplifies the hose routing which improves the compactness and the efficiency of the design. This also enhances the spray coverage and minimizes the dry wiping unlike the traditional systems that position the washer nozzle separately. A non-return valve (NRV) is incorporated to eliminate spray delays ass it maintains consistent water flow giving cleaning effectiveness. Since this makes the nonfunctional parts completely leak proof due to the advanced sealing, it increases the durability and reliability in long run. As this proposal offers a sustainable solution, it can be considered as the new benchmark in rear wiper technology.
Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) is the heart of an Automobile. The failure of any critical component of the ICE engine will directly affect the performance of the vehicle. The gaskets are among the many vital parts of an IC engine that are essential in ensuring appropriate sealing to prevent gas and liquid leakage and maintain optimal engine efficiency. Engines use a variety of gasket types to accommodate various sealing requirements. Among them the exhaust manifold gaskets are one of the critical gasket elements in ICE engines. Exhaust Gasket acts as a seal between cylinder head and extremely hot exhaust manifold, which prevents the leakage of hot exhaust gases produced during typical engine operating condition. The gaskets are crucial components because they endure extremely high mechanical loads from the exhaust manifold sliding and banana-shaped bending brought on by thermal expansion, as well as extremely high thermal loads from the high exhaust gas temperatures, which are more than 800°C. These gaskets are additionally subjected to extremely high bolt loads. As the gaskets are made of steel materials, due to the above Thermo-Mechanical loads, there are very high chances for wear out of the gaskets, which affects the performance characteristics & thus efficiency of the engine. Study of wear phenomenon is very challenging particularly for the gaskets because of nonlinear behavior of geometries, material nonlinearities and in addition, the gaskets are made up of numerous layers with negligible thickness, which makes it further challenging. The wear in Automobile Engine components and particularly in gaskets is an area, which has not been studied extensively. This paper majorly focuses on a computational approach to capturing the wear phenomenon on the gaskets. One of the most critical hot end durability tests of the engine was replicated in a simulation environment by considering all the relevant physics from the physical test. To simulate wear phenomenon, the classical Archard’s wear model was implemented in a UMESHMMOTION Fortran subroutine code and solved in the Finite Element Software ABAQUS/Standard. To consider the removal of material and geometry change due to wear, the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian meshing technique of ABAQUS was used.
Quieter cabins in an automobile are the new era, they provide customers with pleasurable driving experience. Squeak and Rattle are spoil sport for any OEM that aim to improvise customer driving experience. Their nonlinear nature makes it difficult to formulate design frontloading methods. The issue of seals rubbing against the body & door interface is a clear sign of seal squeak & seal chucking. Seals are applied with anti-friction coatings to avoid stick slip phenomena between EPDM and painted panel. Primary root cause for seal squeak is coating erosion. The challenge lies in determining whether the body or the closure side contributes to the seal issue. This paper presents a distinctive approach for identifying the seal squeaking noise and enriches on the new modelling methods for seal interaction with door and body interfaces using FE software. The proposed method was able to highlight the locations along the door-body interface for squeak noise. The approach for reducing the relative displacements was tackled by checking the contributing modes at every interface. A simulation-driven approach of “Panel Contribution Analysis” (PCA) has been introduced analyzing the contribution of several BIW & Closure panels. The optimized panel thicknesses minimized the displacement and reduced the likelihood of squeaking and chucking. The key highlight is a method of DOE followed to minimize experimental runs with a weighted optimization of panel thickness. This method enables engineers to achieve the ideal trade-off between structural integrity, weight, cost, and performance.
Plastic materials are used for a wide variety of spacecraft applications including seals, bearings, fasteners, electrical insulators, thermal isolators, and radomes. Selecting plastics for use in space is complex due to wide operating temperature ranges, vacuum conditions, and exposure to radiation and atomic oxygen. Additionally, some spacecraft applications require sealing flammable propellants such as hydrogen and oxygen. This article will present some design considerations when selecting plastics for use in spacecraft. It will provide rich data on the performance characteristics of plastics as well as examples of successful spacecraft applications.
This SAE Aerospace Standard (AS) provides a standardized test procedure that can be used to evaluate material capability in a dynamic sealing application. This procedure will be utilized by applicable elastomer material specifications which are used for production of O-rings and other seals. This specification is applicable to the dynamic testing requirements for aerospace elastomer parts utilizing materials conforming to AMS7XXX series specifications, user specifications, or print on a Purchase Order (PO) that calls out this document for aerospace applications. This procedure is intended for testing NBR. Other elastomers may have different requirements which will require a separate procedure.
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