What Material Do I Need?

What Gasket Material Do I Need?

Gaskets can be tricky, but they can also be simple. When you work with a wide variety of parts, it can be tough to remember what you ordered that one time, way back when.

A big part of gaskets working properly is making sure you get the right material. Will it hold up to the standards in your particular situation? These are details that you might have to know when ordering a custom gasket.  

So, what all do you need to know? Here’s a list of common questions we hear, at Appleton Packing & Gasket, would ask you.

• What is the gasket used for? –Or- How is the gasket being used?

  
  I know this question may sound silly and sort of ridiculous, but sometimes you are the errand boy in this situation, and are told to “get one of these.” We’ve all been there… and when you get hit with that type of question, you’re stuck, and have to say the unfortunate, “I’m not sure.”
  So make sure you know what type of situation or application the gasket will be used in. This piece of information is a key component for us, so we find out things like what the gasket will be exposed too if it’s a shim or a flange gasket, and this way we can recommend the right material for you. 
  
  

• What does the gasket have to seal?

  
  This question is similar to the first, in the way of figuring out the application of the gasket but it also helps us in a different way. Sometimes, with the right question, we can figure out if you have the right material, and if maybe there is a different material that could be even better. Plus if for example, it’s a food application, you might need FDA approved.
  
  

• What temperatures will it be exposed to?

  
  This applies to both external and application for the gasket.
  When I say external, this would mean what outside elements the gasket is exposed to, for example, sunlight, frozen temperatures, or both.
  Application, refers to, what temperatures the gasket would be exposed to in the application. A good example would be hot steam.
  Asking this question helps narrow the search down more for us because maybe we have a few good materials in mind, say 5, but now you need something that has a high-temperature application. Looks like 4 out of my 5 options work better in the suggested range.
  
  

• What types of pressure will the gasket be under?

  
  The reason for this again helps us narrow down the options. Plus with pressure, some materials will deform or not recover properly with the wrong material. This question helps us understand what properties of stress retention the gasket must-have.
  Temperature and pressure are also closely related because the higher the pressure a gasket is under, the temperature rating will go down.
  
  

• What types of Chemicals might the gasket be exposed to?

  So now we have 3 out of the original 5 possibilities that fit both the temperature and pressure needs, but now our gasket has to be able to withstand a chemical.
  All this information can be critical when asking for a custom gasket. With the wrong material, an error could happen. In chemical applications, knowing what PH levels the chemical has or what type of chemical is being used can be crucial to pick the right material.

Great! Now you’ve got answers to the most common questions that would be asked of you when ordering a custom gasket. So now we can offer a range of options, (big or small) that could best fit your application, or recommend the best for your need.

A few other things to know when talking to a Sales Rep would be the following:

• What are the dimensions? ID, OD, Diameter?
• Are there any bolt holes?
• How many?
• Do you have access to a print?

All this sounds simple, and you would assume you know the answers to these questions, but you’re a busy person, and sometimes you manage a lot of different things. So why not be prepared?

Below is a list of the most common materials we sell at AP&G, and some benefits of the materials.