
Properly designed o-ring grooves and properly installed o-rings stop the passage of pressurised liquids or gasses. Flexibility while being deformed under pressure is their greatest sealing advantage. O-Ring Design and Materials O-rings are made of elastomeric materials such as rubbers and plastics. They deform under pressure and then return back to their original shape once the pressure is removed. They also accept the movement of mirror-finish shafts while deformed by pressure. Usually they are shaped like a rubber elastic band of round cross section, but they can have rectangular, trapezoid and even ‘+’ shapes depending on the application. The material, internal diameter (ID) and cross section diameter specify o-rings of round cross section. [Read more…]