Spring Energized Seals for hydraulic fluid sealing. Designed for extreme and demanding applications.
A chart listing the most popular compounds and their fluid compatibility / technical information.
Seal & Design Canada: Toronto, Ontario 
Headquarters: Clarence, NY SKF SPRING LOADED SEALS (SPECTRASEALS)
SKF SLC spring loaded seals product line.
SKF Spectraseal profiles are predominately used for extreme and demanding application requirements where conventional moulded elastomers or thermoplastics cannot be used due to material limitations. Application conditions such as:
- Extreme temperatures: from cryogenics temperatures to +550°F (+290°C)
- Low friction: friction sensitive application such as valves or pressure switches that are required to operate with a very light spring load or pressure differential
- Presence of aggressive chemicals: most of the engineered plastic materials used, such as PTFE based compounds, have virtually universal media compatibility
- High-pressure gas: most engineered plastic materials do not exhibit explosive decompression, which is a common problem for many elastomer-based materials
- Abrasive or non-lubricated environment: media such as water, paints, resins and drilling mud can be very abrasive to elastomer based sealing materials
- High surface speeds and or pressures: Due to the low friction characteristics of the materials it is possible to tolerate high surface speeds even without lubrication
SPECTRASEAL LIP TYPES
Lip Type
Diagram
Description
A Lip
A lip (cantilever spring / single radius) has low wear rate. Oscillatory, slow rotary applications. Radius lip reduces seal lip damage during installation. Should not be used for dynamic sealing or abrasive media. May weep in high speed reciprocating applications due to seal lip hydroplaning.
B Lip
B lip (Cantilever spring / bevelled lip) is a preferred design for dynamic sealing of gas/vapours. Beveled lip reduces seal lip damage during installation. Should not be used for dynamic sealing of abrasive media. May weep in high speed reciprocating applications due to seal lip hydroplaning.
D Lip
D lip (cantilever spring / scraper lip) locks the seal into reduced glands. Reduced probability of seal lip hydroplaning. Low wear rate. Good excluder for debris/contamination. D lip requires a good lead-in chamfer if hardware is installed lip first. Possible weepage of light fluids or gasses.
H Lip
H lip (helical wound spring / radius lip) has a high load helical wound spring for improved stability. Suitable for sealing cryogenic gases and fluids. Radius lip reduces seal lip damage during installation. Should not be used for dynamic sealing of abrasive media. May weep in high speed reciprocating applications due to seal lip hydroplaning.
S Lip
S lip (cantilever spring / double radius) has a low wear rate. Redundant seal lip design. Trapped fluid between contact points provide added lubrication to seal. Should not be used for dynamic sealing of abrasive media. May weep in high speed reciprocating applications due to seal lip hydroplaning.
W Lip
W lip (helical wound spring / scraper lip) has a high load helical wound spring that improves sealability. Preferred lip design for dynamic sealing of abrasive media. Reduces probability of seal lip hydroplaning. Requires good lead-in chamfer if hardware is installed lip first. Lip design must be used in combination with radius lip style.
X Lip
X Lip (cantilever spring / improved scraper lip) for improved sealability over D style lip. Preferred lip design for dynamic sealing of abrasive media. Reduced probability of seal lip hydroplaning. Requires good lead-in chamfer if hardware is installed lip first. Lip design must be used in combination with other lip styles.
Headquarters: Clarence, NY
Seal & Design Canada: Toronto, Ontario
