Sealing solutions from SKF

Customized for your system performance

The Power of Knowledge Engineering

How can we protect your applications and
your business?

Seals have a crucial impact on system performance. Service life and reliability of what is often con-
sidered a simple component can make all the difference to your products and operations. SKF has
more than 100 years of experience in various industries and application, and is the only company
that can support key aspects of the sealing system through its knowledge of bearings, seals, lubri-
cation and associated science and technology. SKF offers expert advice and provides support
throughout the life cycle of your sealing system.

Empowering your business Global availability

At SKF we value your business. Our comprehensive knowledge At SKF, we have the commitment and global resources to support
and experience across almost every industry sector and key appli- the unique requirements of your operations. With a presence in
cations allows us to customize a solution for you. SKF’s advanced more than 130 countries, we offer sealing solutions for rotating
research and development in sealing technology – material, design and reciprocating applications from prototype to serial production.
and tribology – results in solutions A range of services including seal
that increase your system pro- analysis, testing, installation as-
ductivity and enhance your tech- sistance and training completes
nological solutions. our offering. With SKF, you can
rely on receiving application en-
gineering and aftermarket sup-
Combined offer port wherever your machine
You can take advantage of our operates.
knowledge in integrating technol-
ogies and customizing solutions
in the areas of bearings, seals, Sustainability at work
services, mechatronics and lu- When you partner with SKF, you
brication systems. Understand- do both the environment and the
ing the challenges from the be- workplace a favour. SKF sealing
ginning, whether in the systems are designed to protect
development of a new system or your system from outside con-
in a maintenance solution, results taminants and to reduce lubrication
in a proven offer that bundles our knowledge. This is built on years leakage from the machinery into the environment. Reduced friction
of experience working in direct contact with industry leaders and also reduces energy consumption and CO2 emissions. You can rely
continuously expanded through research and cooperation with on an SKF solution to contribute to a safer, healthier environment.
leading universities and technical centres.

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One source for different applications
Sealing solutions from SKF encompass a comprehensive, globally available portfolio of seal
products and services for all industries, from low friction engine shaft seals for the automotive
industry to hydraulic cylinder seals used in fluid power applications, all with SKF’s high level of
quality and reliability.

Seals for automotive and transportation

SKF is a leading manufacturer of seals for the transportation in- As a specialist in both bearings and seals, SKF is able to combine
dustry and offers a wide spectrum of advanced sealing solutions these products and their functions in high-performance units,
for cars, light vehicles, trucks, buses, two-wheelers and railways. providing a unique advantage. An example of this is the magnetic
trigger wheel in integrated sealing units used in car wheel hubs
and engine controls. The trigger wheel emits an extremely accu-
rate magnetic signal that provides information on rotational speed,
direction of rotation, angular position and acceleration or deceler-
ation, thus improving the overall efficiency of the application.
SKF also offers sealing solution for railways, such as seals used in
tapered bearing units for railway freight cars. Indeed, in 2010, SKF
received the single largest order for seals awarded by the Indian
Railways to any individual supplier for seals.

Seals for aerospace

For the aerospace market, SKF provides radial lip shaft seals for
rotor systems, engines, gearboxes, transmissions, auxiliary power
units, etc. SKF’s seal knowledge is also applied to develop and sell
precision elastomeric devices, which are produced by layering
elastomers between metallic shims of substrates. This custom de-
signed product has the ability to carry heavy loads while absorbing,
dampening and/or controlling large deflections occurring simulta-
neously in several directions, which makes it particularly appropri-
ate for use in helicopters.

SKF’s dynamic seals portfolio includes products for the power-

train (engines and transmissions), chassis and wheel-end
applications.
High pressure valve stem seals, SKF Low Friction Bonded Piston
Seals and SKF Low Friction Engine Seals represent some of the
recent innovations that help to reduce fuel consumption and CO2
emissions to meet customer needs and regulatory demands.
These complement long-established products such as SKF
Scotseals for heavy duty wheel-ends which offers easy mainte-
nance and long life, or SKF Rotostat, an easy-to-install sealing
module that combines an engine crankshaft seal and a static seal
into one unit that can also be equipped with sensors to provide
shaft rotation information.

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Industrial seals for power transmission Industrial seals for fluid power and fluid handling
Industrial seals offered by SKF encompass the broad sectors of Sealing solutions for fluid power applications such as hydraulic cyl-
power transmission and fluid power. SKF’s focus is on dynamic inders have to satisfy the demands of extreme operating condi-
seals where the sealing function is important as well as friction tions and power density, which in turn places a high demand on
management. seal design and material development. SKF materials are propri-
etary formulations that provide excellent chemical compatibility
The performance and service life of your power transmission ar-
with various hydraulic fluids.
rangement is directly related to the sealing solution. SKF’s offer-
ings of sealing solutions support virtually every industrial sector
and application, from very small, high-speed machine tools to roll-
ing mills in heavy industry.
Examples of our offerings include the range of metric rubber out-
er diameter shaft seals, with materials designed to be specifically
compatible with aggressive gearbox oils which set a new bench-
mark in the industry. For the off-highway industry, SKF offers un-
dercarriage sealing solutions including SKF Mudblock cassette
seals, kingpin seals, transmission seals, and the innovative SKF
Trackstar seals for tracked machinery.
Large diameter seals that can be welded on-site help our custom-
ers to reduce installation time, fitting costs and plant downtime.
SKF combines its expertise in bearings and seals to offer high-
performance units, such as SKF Nautilus bearing unit for wind
turbines, which features a highly effective seal designed to protect
the bearing while retaining the lubricant.
Besides seals, SKF offers solutions to protect shafts through its
SKF SPEEDI-SLEEVE range, which provides a seal counter-face
helping to reduce downtime and enhancing sealing system
performance.
SKF offers both standard and customized solutions for fluid power
applications. These include wiper seals, rod seals, guide rings, pis-
ton seals, static seals and rotary manifold seals. Sealing solutions
are also offered for linear actuators with shock loads working in a
wide temperature range. Buffer seals and high strength anti-ex-
trusion rings accommodate the high pressure peaks induced in
applications.
Sealing solutions for fluid handling applications may need to oper-
ate in contact with various types of fluids or slurries, some of
which require stringent regulatory compliance. SKF’s offerings in-
cludes metal spring loaded seals and metal encased PTFE seals.
These seals meet industry demands, such as those in the oil and
gas industry or the food and beverage industry which requires
FDA approved materials.
Our sealing solutions can be customized in a wide range of config-
urations, materials and spring elements.

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A “real life experience”
The design and development of material, product and process, combined with testing and failure
analysis, are vital elements for successful seal development – each of which can result in the differ-
ence between poor, adequate or exceptional product performance. SKF combines these elements
with its expertise in various applications, to offer solutions that are based on an understanding of
sealing systems under real conditions.

Materials
One of the most critical elements in sealing technology is the se- which makes it especially suitable for use in hydraulic applications.
lection of suitable materials to address challenging tasks. Seals SKF Duratemp is a hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) able to
must resist increasingly high temperatures, forces and pressures. withstand abrasive environments and high temperatures in heavy
Specific media and lubricant properties must also be considered. duty industrial applications. Newly developed materials include a
Some media require stringent regulatory compliance, such as for fluorocarbon elastomer capable of operating in –30 °C and other
food and beverage applications, while in other cases new genera- elastomers that provide lower friction in automotive applications.
tion bio-degradable hydraulic fluids or alternative fuels for auto-
In addition to materials, coatings play an important role, whether
motive applications require special consideration.
to accommodate small imperfections in the housing bore surface,
SKF has the capability to design seals in a wide range of materials like SKF Bore Tite Coating does, or to increase durability, like the
across elastomers, polyurethane, thermoplastics and speciality metallic coating used in SKF SPEEDI-SLEEVE Gold version. SKF
materials. Proprietary materials provide the right solution for vari- works in close partnership with its customers to understand spe-
ous applications. ECOPUR is a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) cific requirements so that the appropriate material is developed.
material which has an unusually high abrasive resistance, low
compression set, high physical properties and tear strength

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Testing and analysis
The optimization of products, system solutions and services is a SKF has a global network of testing facilities to analyze the differ-
continuous, systematic process which includes extensive state-of- ent variables in which the seal is operating. SKF laboratories are
the-art testing procedures performed with the utmost care. Data equipped with both static and pulsating high-pressure test rigs
from thousands of seal tests conducted annually are fed into SKF’s capable of generating pressures up to 3 000 bar and temperature
database providing valuable know-how, and a broad empirical extremes from –40 ° to 150 °C . Facilities include a clean room
knowledge base for failure analyses, benchmarks, and a consistent testing facility that meets the requirements of medical technology.
flow of new products and innovative solutions.
The range of testing includes durability, contaminant exclusion, System knowledge
salt fog corrosion, cold fracture, pump rate, friction torque, dry The combination of our expertise in seals, bearings and me-
wear, and material compatibility tests. SKF can also rely on test chatronics with application knowledge provides us with a deep un-
rigs developed for specific applications designed to simulate real derstanding of the systemin which the seal will operate.
working conditions of the product mounted in the actual customer
application. In designing solutions, SKF engineers also benefit from a propri-
etary and newly designed software which has been developed to
Tests for dynamic applications are continuously monitored to verify describe and characterize the non-linear behaviour of sealing ma-
parameters such as under lip temperature, friction force, oil leak- terials which helps to predict sealing performance under a variety
age and a host of other test conditions. Samples are analyzed to of conditions.
characterize failure modes using state-of-the-art instrumentation.
Finite Elements Analysis (FEA) provides SKF developers with a tool
to perform simulations of almost any operating condition using
different seal geometries to identify the critical areas in the seal
design. This allows SKF to consistently develop new solutions for
any kind of industry and application.

Countries with SKF seals dedicated R&D and testing units

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The proximity and flexibility you can
SKF has a global presence and works closely together with the customer. The global presence of our
sales organization enables us to gain a faster and better understanding of the complex requirements
coming from the different markets. SKF’s global production facilities and technology provide the nec-
essary flexibility for a fast response and short delivery time to the customer.

Working side by side

SKF offers sealing solutions customized for your needs, with a
working partnership from the design phase to serial production
and maintenance needs. Innovative processes and a
Design for Six Sigma approach enable SKF to reduce the time to
market of our solutions.
SKF has dedicated sales, engineering and customer service teams
in every market globally. This makes us closer to customers and
their technical centres, to better respond to needs and require-
ments across organizations and markets.
Thanks to our efficient logistic services, distributors and dealers
network and production sites worldwide, SKF is closer to custom-
ers than many other manufacturers.
SKF also has Solution Factories in all major regions that brings to-
gether all combined solutions that SKF can offer to meet your
needs.
Experienced people at SKF make all the difference through their
professionalism and dedication to serve every customer.

Countries with SKF

seals moulding and/or
machining facilities,
engineering, sales and
customer service units

Countries with SKF

sales, engineering and
customer services units

In most of the coun-

tries in white SKF is rep-
resented trough autor-
ized distributors/dealers

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count on
Manufacturing flexibility
The unique SKF production model can respond quickly to your Product life cycle stages
supply needs, whether large volumes are required or a single
seal for a range of standard or custom applications.
Molded seals production technology allows for cost-effective

Volume
production of seals in high volumes. SKF has competency in
compression, injection and transfer molding technologies and the
appropriate method will be used to meet your requirements.
Large diameter seals are produced from elastomers or poly-
urethanes. We can produce many seal designs, such as metal-
cased seals, rubber outside diameter seals with metal inserts,
fabric-reinforced as well as all-rubber types that allow custom-
izing the large diameter seals according to the industry’s require-
ment. One of the specialties is the polyurethane based seal which
can be installed on site to reduce downtime. Time

SKF SEAL JET technology, used to manufacture machined seals,

Machined seals
is based on proprietary software and special tools developed by To cost effectively produce prototypes and seals in low
SKF for machining different polymers, especially polyurethanes. volumes with short delivery time (in the introduction,
initial growth, declining phase and to meet replace-
Without any tooling costs, it enables fast and flexible production ment demand).
of prototypes for innovative applications, low-volume series or
Moulded seals
replacement seals. To cost effectively produce seals in high volumes
(in the growth and maturity phase)

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At home in any industry
SKF takes a system approach to bearing and seal design and together with its wide selection of
materials and designs can help customers to improve their product performance and provide a
competitive edge in the marketplace. Sealing solutions from SKF are at home in any industry,
providing superior performance and competitive advantages.

Cars Railways Mining, mineral processing and cement

Trucks Off highway vehicles Gearbox

Two wheelers Oil and gas Hot rolls mill in a steel plant

Aerospace Food and beverage Wind energy

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 See inserts for more details
about sealing solutions from SKF

The Power of Knowledge Engineering

 Bearings Lubrication
Seals and units systems

Mechatronics Services

The Power of Knowledge Engineering

Drawing on five areas of competence and application-specific
expertise amassed over more than 100 years, SKF brings innova-
tive solutions to OEMs and production facilities in every major
industry worldwide. These five competence areas include bearings
and units, seals, lubrication systems, mechatronics (combining
mechanics and electronics into intelligent systems), and a wide
range of services, from 3-D computer modelling to advanced
condition monitoring and reliability and asset management
services. A global presence provides SKF customers uniform
quality standards and worldwide product availability.

® SKF, SCOTSEAL, DURATEMP, ROTOSTAT, SPEEDI-SLEEVE, ECOPUR are registered trademarks

of the SKF Group. Six Sigma is a registered service mark and trademark of Motorola Inc.
™ SEALJET is a trademark of the SKF Group.
© SKF Group 2012
The contents of this publication are the copyright of the publisher and may not be reproduced
(even extracts) unless prior written permission is granted. Every care has been taken to ensure
the accuracy of the information contained in this publication but no liability can be accepted for
any loss or damage whether direct, indirect or consequential arising out of the use of the infor-
mation contained herein.
PUB SE/S2 11492 EN · February 2012
Printed in Sweden on environmentally friendly paper.
Certain image(s) used under license from Shutterstock.com