{"id":367,"date":"2024-04-16T22:05:52","date_gmt":"2024-04-16T22:05:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marcorubber.com\/blog\/?p=367"},"modified":"2025-03-19T15:02:40","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T15:02:40","slug":"custom-sealing-components-who-needs-them-and-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marcorubber.com\/blog\/?p=367","title":{"rendered":"Custom Sealing Components: Who Needs Them and Why?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever tried something that claims \u201cone size fits all\u201d? More often than not, you will quickly realize that one size does not, in fact, fit all\u2014and this is especially true for sealing components.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An excellent seal is pivotal to equipment’s successful operation, but building a design around a standard seal is often frustrating or impossible, especially as applications become more complex. That\u2019s where custom sealing components come into play.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Seals are typically customized in one of two ways: geometry or material. These are the two foundational pillars of a seal, and customizing either one allows for endless sealing opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you <\/span>work with sealing experts<\/span><\/a> to develop a custom seal, you can reduce the burden of designing towards a standard seal and, instead, open up new opportunities for efficiency within your design.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who Needs a Custom Seal?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s the reality: almost any design can be conformed to be a standard seal with enough work, but that is far from the best option for many industries and applications.<\/span><\/p>\n

In industries like <\/span>aerospace<\/a>, automotive, oil and gas<\/a>, food and beverage<\/a>, and medical<\/a> device manufacturing, using a custom component, like an <\/span>o-ring<\/span><\/a>, could make your seal last significantly longer, drastically reducing maintenance costs and downtime.<\/span><\/p>\n

In industries where flow control is important, such as pharmaceuticals, seals have a massive impact on your operational efficiency and yield loss. By using a standard seal, you could be working with an incorrect sealing pressure and impacted fluid movement. What percentage of fluid could you be saving if, instead, you were operating with a custom-designed component for that particular seal?<\/span><\/p>\n

Using standard o-rings in almost any industry or application that has needs outside of the basic demands of a seal could result in lost efficiency and reduced life of your seal, which would increase maintenance costs and downtime.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

The Benefits of Going Custom<\/b><\/h2>\n

Investing in a custom seal where a standard seal \u201ccould\u201d work can seem superfluous; however, there are numerous benefits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While custom seals can cost more upfront, if they are deemed a better solution for your application, they can save you money in the long run. Custom seals designed to withstand your application improve durability and performance, extending the life of your seal. This also improves overall operational efficiency while reducing downtime.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is, of course, referring to applications that could, theoretically, use a standard seal.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are some applications where it is obvious right from the start that a standard seal is not the answer. When you go custom with these seals right from the start, you save yourself time, energy, and money spent on failed prototypes to go custom from the beginning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marco Rubber\u2019s Approach to Custom Sealing Solutions<\/b><\/h2>\n

When <\/span>someone approaches us<\/span><\/a> for help with a seal, they are at one of three stages: at the very start of their design, in the middle of a design where it became apparent a standard seal would not be suitable, or they have a working prototype that has failed because the seal keeps malfunctioning.<\/span><\/p>\n

The very first thing we do is ensure they actually need a custom seal. Over the last 40+ years, we have amassed millions of solutions for different sealing scenarios. If we can avoid tooling fees for our customers, we know that is optimal.<\/span><\/p>\n

When we determine that a custom seal is the right step for them, we get to work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First, we conduct an in-depth consultation with the client. Depending on the complexity of the needs, we conduct this consultation over email, a phone call, a video call, or even a visit to the site. Our focus is on getting the job done right.<\/span><\/p>\n

We will ask basics questions like:<\/span><\/p>\n