Seals

For the standard parts which are listed in Hygienic Design, seals have the central function of protecting dead spaces, gaps and cracks from the penetration of cleaning fluids or product residues.

For this, a defined pre-tension or pressing of the seals and wipers is necessary for a reliable and permanent seal in the installed condition. Within the Hygienic Design product family, seal installation spaces and seal cross sections are calculated and designed with simulation software, so that the necessary surface compression is achieved on installation and the seal material is not subjected to excess pressure.

A fundamental differentiation can be made between static and moving seals:

During assembly, the static seals in the design example shown below are tightened to the mounting surface at the top (sealing ring) and to the contact surface at the bottom (bottom seal). It should be ensured that all surfaces which make contact with the seal have a surface finish of al least Ra 0.8 µm.

The moving seals on the adjustable sleeve (wiper) and the ball joint (joint sealing ring) of the foot are designed so that they allow adjustment in both height and angle. With these too, the installation space together with the cross section of the seal ensures a gap-free, pre-tensioned seal.

Depending on the version and the type of use, it may be the case that seals may need to be replaced in case of damage or for preventative maintenance. For this, Elesa and Ganter supplies the relevant seals as spare parts or offers these under GN 7600 (see www.elesa-ganter.com) as standard parts.