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'O' Rings
 The
humble 'O' ring is an exceptionally versatile sealing device.
Applications ranging from garden hose couplings to critical aerospace
duties make it the world's most popular volume produced seal.
We have been making top-quality 'O' rings since this sealing
method was introduced in the 1930s.
Today we hold a vast range of stock sizes and materials for same
day despatch - and back this with an emergency manufacturing service
to supply you any items that we do not have immediately available.
Our range covers:
STANDARD 'O' RINGS
Many industrial standards - many thousands of sizes
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We manufacture and stock 'O' rings in numerous size ranges
including:
- BS 1806 & SAE AS568A (inch sizes)
- BS 4518 (metric sizes)
- ISO 3601-1 & DIN 3771-1 sizes
- JIS B2401 (Japanese sizes)
- BS 4825 (food industry quality)
- JW 17000 (special inch sizes)
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Materials - natural rubber to exotic engineering plastics
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The development, processing and application of fluid seal
materials are James Walker specialities.
We supply our 'O' rings in one of the most comprehensive
ranges of materials currently available. This includes,
in alphabetical order:
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Aflas® TFE/P - Resists oils, lubricants and some fuels.
Suitable for sour (H2S) gas duties, and with amines or high temperature
water/steam. Explosive decompression resistant grades are available.
Buna N - see Nitrile.
Butyl IIR - Very low gas permeability. Suitable for vacuum
and high-pressure duties. Not to be used with mineral oils.
Elast-O-Lion® HNBR - Our range of high-performance
hydrogenated nitrile compounds with excellent mechanical properties.
Explosive decompression grades of 'O' ring are available ex-stock.
Ethylene propylene EPM/EPDM - Excellent resistance to
weathering, ozone, hot and cold water and steam. EP 18/H/75 range
of 'O' rings available ex-stock. EP62 range supplied for potable
water duties.
Fluolion® PTFE - Outstanding resistance to virtually
all chemical media. Virgin PTFE and a wide range of filled materials
are processed in-house.
Fluorel® - see Fluoroelastomers.
Fluoroelastomers FPM/FKM - Operate efficiently under severe
chemical conditions and at higher temperatures. We have developed
many grades based on ingredients such as Viton®, Tecnoflon®
and Fluorel®. 'O' rings in explosive decompression resistant
grade FR 58/90 and general purpose FR10/80 are supplied ex-stock.
Fluorosilicone FVMQ - Recommended for static seals in
aerospace fuel systems. Resistant to hydrocarbon oils, petroleum
fuels and mineral-based hydraulic fluids.
Hydrogenated nitrile - see Elast-O-Lion®.
Hypalon® CSM - Chlorosulphonated polyethylene has
excellent resistant to weathering. Good service with many media
on static sealing duties.
Kalrez® FFKM- These perfluoroelastomer compounds offer
the ultimate performance for elastomeric materials when considering
heat and chemical resistance. All the components we specify and
supply are manufactured by DuPont Dow Elastomers.
Natural rubber NR - Compounds based on natural rubber
have high strength and high resilience with good abrasion resistance.
Suitable for hot and cold water, ammonia, ethylene glycol, dilute
acids and alkalis.
Nitrile NBR - We process a wide range of compounds based
on various acrylonitrile/butadiene copolymers. PB80 is our most
popular stocked grade for 'O' rings. Recommended for mineral oils
- particularly hydraulic fluids - water and some solvents.
Polyurethane AU/EU - 'O' rings in this material are often
used for drive transmissions where tensile strength and resistance
to elongation and wear are needed. It also has excellent resistance
to weathering and good resistance to hydrocarbon fuels and mineral
oils. Sealing applications are limited by stress relaxation above
+50°C.
Silicone VMQ - Good resistance to heat, weathering and
compression set at high temperatures, plus excellent electrical
properties. Our preferred grade is SIL 80/2. Sealing applications
are limited by gas permeability, low tensile strength and low
abrasion resistance.
Tecnoflon® - see Fluoroelastomers.
Viton® - see Fluoroelastomers.Neoprene®, Hypalon®,
Viton® and Kalrez® are DuPont Dow Elastomers registered
trade marks. Tecnoflon® is an Ausimont registered trade mark.
Fluorel® is a 3M registered trade mark. Aflas® is an Asahi
Glass registered trade mark. Elast-O-Lion® and Fluolion®
are James Walker registered trade marks.
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CUSTOMISED 'O' RINGS
We will swiftly produce any size of non-standard 'O' ring you
need by using one of the three following techniques.
Moulding - our main method of 'O' ring manufacture
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- Moulding produces the highest integrity seals
- Over 10,000 mould tools in our inventory
- Non-stocked tools rapidly made to specification
- Press capacity for precision moulding of endless
- 'O' rings up to 2.3m diameter.
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Extruding and mould-joining - for customised economy
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- Non-standard 'O' rings for static duties only
- Ends of an extruded cord are vulcanised together
- in a mould to form an endless ring
- 3mm minimum section diameter
- 200mm minimum ID of 'O' ring.
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Moulding and mould-joining - for top quality giant seals
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- Often used for seals that exceed 2.3m diameter
- Section diameters to very close tolerances
- Diameters over 2.3m: two or more smaller rings are precision
moulded then cut and mould-joined
- Diameters under 2.3m: larger ring is precision moulded
then cut back and mould-joined.
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'O' RING BACK-UP RINGS
 We
recommend that back-up rings are installed to prevent the extrusion
of an 'O' ring seal in its housing groove under certain operating
conditions.
Our back-up rings are usually manufactured from Fluolion®
PTFE. They should be used:
- Where fluid pressure exceeds 100bar
- Where low strength O' rings are installed
- Where adverse mechanical conditions prevail
- If the application is double-acting, use two back-up rings
- one on either side of the seal in its housing groove
- But contact James Walker for technical advice if fluid pressure
is likely to exceed 420bar.
Fluolion back-up rings are normally supplied as a flat spiral
of two turns. This allows the back-up ring to be opened with ease
for fitting over a shaft, and ensures the 'O' ring is supported
around its entire diameter. Solid back-up rings, of both split
and endless types, are also available.
'O' RING CORD
We manufacture and stock a wide range of elastomeric 'O' ring
cord. Many customers find this extruded material a useful maintenance
expedient for the on-site fabrication of emergency seals.
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- Stocked in popular sections between 1.6mm and 12.7mm
diameter
- Materials: fluorocarbon, nitrile, ethylene propylene,
Neoprene, and silicone compounds.
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'O' RING KITS
Seal kits - the maintenance engineer's saviour
Our robustly boxed kits of popular sized metric and imperial
(inch) 'O' rings help engineers to store and carry a selection
of rings to suit many industrial applications.
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Imperial (inch) Kit
- 382 'O' rings
- In 30 different sizes
- Moulded in 70 IRHD nitrile
- Each different size is individually stored for easy
identification and stocktaking.
Metric Kit
- 404 'O' rings
- In 30 different sizes
- Moulded in 70 IRHD nitrile
- Each different size is individually stored for easy
identification and stocktaking.
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Service Kit
- 14 popular sizes of 'O' ring cord in 2m lengths
- Extruded in 70 IRHD nitrile
- Knife, tape measure, slicing aid and adhesive, for forming
rings on site
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Identikit - all the seals you need for specific equipment
James Walker Identikits are custom-assembled set of seals and
gaskets contained in easy-to-view 'blister' packs. Complete sets
of sealing products for assembling or refurbishing a specific
piece of equipment
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- Each component is visible and held firmly in place
- Installation location of each component is clearly
- identified on a diagram of overall assembly
- Every kit has a single part number to simplify your
ordering, stockholding and parts issuing routines.
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'O' RING LUBRICANTS
 We
recommend that the following James Walker lubricants be applied
lightly to 'O' rings before assembly.
James Walker Molyon Grease - our most popular brand
- High quality lithium-based grease
- +125°C maximum operating temperature
- DO NOT use on seals manufactured from: Natural Rubber NR,
Butyl IIR or Ethylene-Propylene EPM/EPDM
- compounds.
James Walker Silicone Grease - for higher temperatures
- High quality silicone grease
- +200°C maximum operating temperature
- DO NOT use on seals manufactured from: Silicone VMQ compounds.
James Walker Anti-Seize Compound - highest temperatures
- Top quality mineral-based product
- For temperatures above +200°C
- DO NOT use on seals manufactured from: Natural Rubber NR,
Butyl IIR or Ethylene-Propylene EPM/EPDM compounds.
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