Are silicone O-rings the right seal for your application? Silicone handles extreme heat and cold better than most elastomers. As a result, silicone O-rings are a common choice in medical devices, food processing equipment, electronics, and outdoor equipment. However, silicone is not a universal answer. It has clear limits with fuels, oils, abrasion, and high-pressure […]
What Is PPAP? PPAP stands for Production Part Approval Process. It is a document package that provides reassurance to customers that Marco Sealing Solutions understands their requirements and is able to meet them. PPAP is an industry standard that originated in automotive and aerospace. However, it is a tool that can be used by any end user in any […]
What Freudenberg-NOK Approved Distributor Status Means for Your Sealing Supply Freudenberg-NOK Approved Distributor status identifies distributors that meet Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies’ requirements for technical competence, service quality, and tightly integrated logistics. For end users and OEMs, it signals direct access to the Freudenberg and Dichtomatik product portfolio, trained sealing expertise, and coordinated processes designed to shorten lead times and reduce supply risk. Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies operates a structured distribution network with […]
Reflecting on a Milestone Year 2025 was a big year for Marco Rubber & Plastics. We welcomed new leadership, added Colonial Seal Company to the Marco Group, expanded our in-stock inventory, and implemented meaningful price reductions across key materials. Each change strengthened how we serve our customers, allowing us to offer faster quotes, more availability, […]
Cutting and Sourcing Custom Gaskets: A Complete Guide When you’ve got your gasket specs in hand, it may feel like the hardest part is behind you. But many buyers discover this is when the real challenge begins: getting the gasket made correctly and delivered on time. Unlike o-rings, gaskets rarely come off the shelf. In […]
Choosing the right O-ring material is critical to the performance and reliability of your equipment. While silicone is a type of rubber, or synthetic elastomer to be precise, silicone has distinct properties making it suitable for certain applications. Meanwhile, other rubbers may be a better option for different situations. Selecting the wrong one can lead […]
It can be a common point of confusion in engineering and design: O-rings, gaskets, and seals. While all of these components are designed to prevent leaks, their fundamental design, function, and ideal applications are very different. Making the right choice between them is crucial for your equipment’s performance, long-term reliability, and avoiding costly downtime. This […]
Hydraulic seals are the unsung heroes of countless industrial systems. While often overlooked, they play a critical role in converting fluid power into linear motion, ensuring the efficiency and reliability of your equipment. A seal failure can bring an entire operation to a halt, which is why choosing the right solution is essential for performance […]
Using Custom Rubber Diaphragms Is a low-cost component costing you more than it’s worth? In many pressure-sensitive assemblies, the rubber diaphragm is overlooked until performance drops. Systems begin experiencing inconsistent pressure, premature wear, and unexpected chemical degradation. These are signs that a standard diaphragm isn’t cutting it anymore. Custom rubber diaphragms solve problems that off-the-shelf […]
Your O-Ring Groove Design Checklist Some seal failures are easy to explain: the wrong material, poor chemical compatibility, or damage during installation. But then there are the frustrating failures. Those are the ones where the o-ring is the right size, the material matches the application, and yet … it leaks. Or it wears out too […]
FFKM O-Rings At Work in Critical Applications Downtime is rapidly getting more expensive. In the automotive sector alone, the cost of an unplanned shutdown has reached $2.3 million per hour. Across industries, that number continues to rise. In heavy industry, the cost of downtime is now four times what it was just five years ago. […]
The Shore durometer scale measures material hardness. In other words, it measures how resistant a material is to indentation. It’s one of the most important specs to understand when choosing rubber components like o-rings or gaskets. The scale helps engineers compare soft and hard materials across a variety of applications. Shore hardness is measured by […]
