Beyond Omniseal® Blog

For most of the world, an automobile is a common item that is used every day and part of our daily lives. That is why automotive manufacturers take the care to make sure everything is in working order whether it be the engine, tires or brakes. One of the most important parts of a car is the transmission, which provides power and handles control. With people being in the driver seat at least one hour per day, the powertrain system does play a very important role. Within this critical powertrain system are seals that work to improve the quality of shifting gears, acceleration and maneuverability so the driver has a smooth and comfortable ride. Therefore, selecting the right seal does make a significant difference for both automotive manufacturers and the consumers they serve.

High speeds, high pressures and high temperatures – these are three important requirements that seals in critical automotive applications frequently must be able to address. Rectangular seals, named after their rough rectangular shape, are a special type of face seal for rotating connections used in applications where pressurized oil or fluid need to be transmitted between a stationary and rotating part. They are used for the oil pressure supply in rotating actuators such as clutches and pistons in automotive transmissions as well as in engines and oil pumps. These seals are custom designed for use in internal applications to address high pressures above one bar and speeds at over five meters per second for high volume applications. 

Finding the right material solution for specialized applications is always challenging as they may be exposed to extreme environments or chemicals or may need to be nonconductive or lighter in weight. Often low temperature thermoplastics and metal parts may not be the best fit in these instances, which is where high-performance polymers provide a more precise fit and a better option as they are recognized for greater temperature and chemical stability, mechanical properties, strength, and rigidity.

In the world of competitive auto racing, detail and precision are the hallmarks of a winning design. From the custom engine, to specialized tires and even down to the automotive transmission seals; no level of detail is overlooked. Most of us may not have the thrill of driving a race car as seen in those cool “Fast and Furious” movies, but we can still experience that same precision engineering in high-end sport cars.  Today on The Critical PARTner, we hit the road to share a success story of Meldin® transmission seals for high-end sport cars.