Search Results

In recent years, the methods for finishing shaft surfaces for radial lip seals have received greater attention. The standard surface finish specification, which requires 0.25-0.50 micrometres Ra with no machine lead and recommends plunge grinding, remains valid for only a portion of the shafts used in vehicular applications. Each finishing process requires its own specification. This paper evaluates paper-polishing for preparation of radial lip seal running surface finishes.

The shaft surface upon which a high performance radial lip seal operates is the second most important element of a sealing system, second only to the seal itself. For many years the standard specification for shaft surface finish or texture was “0.25 - 0.50 μm Ra plunge ground with no machine lead”. Since this has been a costly and difficult process to create and control for many applications, other shaft processing methods have been used. This paper outlines the initiation of a study to evaluate the performance of radial lip seals on a variety of shaft surface finishes. The converter hub or front pump seal application has been selected for this study due to the unique shaft finishing processes incorporated.