Manufacturing Process

Manufacturing of Mechanical Seals involves high precision light engineering activity. Close tolerances have to be maintained on most dimensions and lapped surface finishes to a flatness measured in millionths of an inch are absolutely necessary for effective sealing. Most of the machinery are general purpose, such as lathes, drilling machine, milling machines, grinding machines, etc. In addition, lapping machines are
required to achieve seal face flatness measured in millionths of an inch or light bands.
Special jigs are fixtures to achieve the close tolerances required, high precision measuring instrument to check accuracy’s and specialized quality control equipment are required

Design and Application Engineering

Due to varied operating conditions, mechanical seals have to be carefully selected for every application. Important parameters that influence selection and performance of mechanical seals are : Fluid properties, operating temperatures, pressures, shaft sizes and speeds, space availability for installation and the type of equipment on which the mechanical seals are mounted.
Through a detailed study of these parameters, and on the basis of engineering standards developed through extensive research and experience, appropriate seals are selected and detailed component drawing are made. These drawing
form that basis of manufacture.

Manufacture

Metal Machining

Material such as 316 Stainless Steel, Hastalloy, Monel, Inconel…etc., are purchase in a range of sizes of bar, tube, centrifugal cast and investment cast form. Turning, boring, and grooving operations are performed on the above materials utilising conventional manual lathes. Milling, drilling and tapping operations are performed on the above materials utilising manual milling machines and manual drilling machines.

Carbon Machining
Carbon graphite materials are purchase in billet form with various O.D. and I.D. configurations. These materials are impregnated to seal the pores and increase chemical and wear resistance. Machining is performed on dedicated and modified engine lathes. Carbon graphite machining includes turning, boring and grooving operations, utilising carbide and diamond tools. Milling, drilling and tapping operations are performed on conventional manual type milling and drilling machines Carbon seal faces are finished, lapped and polished on standard lapping and polishing machine.
Hard Facing
Chrome Oxide and Satellite are applied by the use of oxyacetylene systems. The materials are applied typically to finished Stainless Steel parts.
After hard face coating is applied, grinding, lapping and polishing operations are performed on their respective equipment.
Grinding
Materials such as Tungsten Carbide and Silicon Carbide powder metal casting are purchase in various shapes and configurations. This grinding operations are performed on parts made out of these materials are : Surface grinding, I.D. grinding, O.D. grinding using conventional equipment, but with the use of resinoid diamond wheels.
Lapping and Polishing
These operations are performed on all seal faces using conventional lapping and polishing machines and equipment with abrasive slurry, 30 micron and 6 micron diamond.
Metal Bellows Terminal Welding
The welding operation is performed to connect the metal terminals to the metal bellow capsules made of 350 Stainless Steel and other type of materials. This welding operation is completed by the use of specialized welding equipment, and for the metal bellow type seals only. Other welding operation involves the welding of two piece gland ring made of 316 Stainless Steel or other type materials to obtain a steam heated gland
feature. Given below are the stages involved in manufacturing of various seal components.
Gland Ring
Raw Material (casting or bar)- Cutting – Turning – drilling and Tapping.
Seal Ring
Tungsten Carbide Face : Raw Material (blank) – I.D. and O.D. Grinding – Surface Grinding – U Slot Grinding – Press Fitment – Lapping and Polishing.
Stellite Face
Raw material (bar stock) – Blank Cutting – Rough Drilling – Groove Cutting – U Slot Milling – Filling – Grinding – Turning – Lapping and Polishing.
Compression Ring and Collar
Raw Material (bar stock) – Cutting – Drilling – Turning – Drive Pin Pressing.
Sleeve
Raw material (casting or bar stock) – Cutting – Drilling – Turning Hard Face Coating – Grinding – Polishing.
Carbon Insert
Raw Material (carbon tube) – Cutting – Turning – Drilling – Lapping and Polishing.
V-Rings
Raw Material (Teflon Tube) – Turning
“O” Rings, Springs, Pins, and Bellow Capsules.
Standard Bought Out Components
Bellow Terminals
Raw Materials (bar stock) – Cutting – Turning – Welding

Quality Control

In view of the close tolerances and finishes which have to be maintained, it is necessary to adopt 100% inspection of all components. Inspection would be carried out for dimensional accuracy and quality of surface finish with the aid of sophisticated quality control equipment.

Assembly

All the components are manually assembled to check proper fitment. The final product is an assembly of various component parts, each of which is an intricate and an important part of the final unit.
Because of the technical degree of the product, the assembly and the checking procedure requires basic product knowledge, proper assembly, packaging and shipping procedures.

Manufacturing Process Waste

By-products
There are no by-products that result from the manufacturing process. The manufacture of mechanical seals is a light precision engineering industry ; no effluent or hazardous chemicals are involved in the manufacturing
operations.
Ferrous and non-ferrous metal waste is generated during the manufacturing process. Carbon dust is created when carbon materials are turned on a lathe. Liquid waste consists of water soluble coolant oil for machine tools.
Type of Machine to Eliminate Waste
Dust collectors are utilized on the lathes used for turning the carbon inserts. The carbon dust is collected into a disposable container. Removal of carbon dust and ferrous metal waste is contracted with local refuse collection contractors. Non-ferrous metal waste is sold to the scrap metal industry. Water soluble coolant oil is disposed through normal disposal facilities available in industrial zones.

Noise Pollution

The facility uses high precision light machines and tools like lathes, milling machine, grinding machines, lapping machines, etc. The noise level of these machines is very minimal and is between 60 – 70 decibels.