ASR SEALS

In automation and packaging, a recurring problem is the separation between the internal mechanisms of the machine, often lubricated, and the external environment, which is often dusty. Standard dust seals, typically designed to eliminate deposits rather than effectively prevent dust ingress, are inappropriate for the specific needs of these industries.

Challenge

One of our clients, a leading manufacturer of automatic packaging machines, needed to isolate the internally lubricated components (bearings, gears, camshafts, etc.) from the external environment. To achieve this goal, they required an inward-facing seal and an outward-facing scraper to minimize friction.

Solution

The client’s initial design involved two separate components: a seal to contain excess grease, which risked leaking out during machine operation and dirtying the external area of the machine, and a standard scraper mounted in an open cavity on the external side. This solution had been tested in prototype phase but resulted in high friction during application.
After conducting a thorough study with the client, we identified a solution that involved replacing the standard seals and scrapers with specially designed solutions featuring a “light” sizing, capable of reducing friction during operation. To improve installation, we also proposed a new housing that allowed the use of an ASR-type seal, which combines both sealing and scraping functions into a single component, facilitating a “light” sizing approach.

Testimony

As well as reducing friction, the ASR seal allowed a reduction in the number of components, improving and sampling the assembly. The client also presented us an additional request: to install the ASR seal with the existing shaft. This is a common need in large-scale installations where complete disassembly of the machinery is not feasible. To meet this need, we proposed a special attachment that enables the seal to be mounted even with the shaft already in place.