Spotlight On Sealing Solutions For Fluid Power and Off

Spotlight on Sealing Solutions for Fluid
Power and Off-Highway

Feb. 8, 2022
Ensuring performance in extreme conditions, industrial seals meet unique
application needs.
Rehana Begg
The coronavirus negatively impacted supply chains and manufacturing industries

across the globe. One effect was a decline in demand from end-use industries,
such as aerospace, automotive, construction, mining, and oil & gas.
That effect will likely be short-lived as manufacturers build back to serve their
customers and as infrastructure funds are unlocked, according to Michael Cook,
global segment director, off-highway, and marketing Americas segment manager,
fluid power, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions.
Fluid power components and industrial seals support almost every industrial
sector where extreme operating conditions set the bar for fluid handling and fluid
power applications. Its most important function is to optimize the performance of
the machine.
Not surprisingly, enhancements to overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and

turnkey solutions are among top trends in a global fluid power equipment market
that was valued at $48.9 billion in 2020, according to recent data.
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions
Michael Cook, global segment director, off-highway, and
marketing Americas segment manager, Fluid Power, Trelleborg Sealing
Solutions.
At Trelleborg, fluid power consists of hydraulic and pneumatic components
manufacturing along with the machine tool, material processing and material
handling industries. Off-Highway consists of the agriculture, construction,
mining and forestry industries. Based on the significant supply chain ties
between these industries, the trends in the sector are consistent across the
relevant customer base, explained Cook, whose role requires him to evaluate
target customers and identify product and service gaps.
Given the specialized credentials Cook has amassed since joining Trelleborg in
2013, it seemed only fitting to ask him to provide readers with a finger-on-the
pulse overview of the industry he serves.
Rehana Begg: Please tell us about your seals applications experience

and how you came to the role you’re in.
Michael Cook: I joined Trelleborg in 2013 as an application engineer focused

on our oil & gas segment. I worked with our product management team to
propose the best solutions for the extreme applications in that industry. I moved
to our fluid power and off-highway segments in 2018 as a technical specialist
where I focused on the product strategy for these markets and played a key role in
the launch of our AS568 standard O-Rings and the Inch Polyurethane (PU)
Product Line for the Americas.
My experience in these segments has provided me with a vision and strategy in

my new role as global segment director to ensure we grow our global customer
base and continue creating value for our customers. I have also participated in
the Trelleborg Graduate Program and the Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Talent
Program, both of which helped further my leadership and intrapersonal skills.
RB: Can you comment on notable recent trends in the fluid power and
off-highway segments?
MC: After major growth in 2021, the fluid power and off-highway market is set
for further growth in 2022 as infrastructure spending is allocated. We continue to
see the shift to electrification and integrated use of the Internet of Things (IoT)
for next-generation equipment. From a seal supplier standpoint, electrification
can change the product mix we recommend for given applications, while the use
of IoT provides the impetus to further understand how we can provide real-time
feedback on seal performance.
Developing integrated supply partners is another industry focus as the ability to

receive kitted or pre-assembled solutions at the C-Part level can ease labor
constraints and reduce SKUs and potential installation issues.
Understan
ding the primary goal for a given application enables Trelleborg to recommend
the best solution.
RB: What types of seals are most commonly used in the function of
hydraulic components in fluid power applications?
MC: Hydraulic systems contain a configuration of seals, each with its own job to
perform. In linear hydraulics applications, there are typically rod and piston
seals, along with wear rings and wipers. These components can be made from
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or PU materials.
In rotary hydraulics, common seal types are radial oil seals, cassette seals,
mechanical face seals and V-Rings. Many of these seals incorporate rubber or
metal components, but PTFE and PU can also be used based on the application.
All hydraulic applications have static seals, with O-Rings being the most common
example, and materials being selected based on the temperature and media
requirements.
RB: Can you provide a checklist of the considerations needed to select

the right seal for an application?
MC: Typically, we need to know the application’s pressure, temperature, speed

and media requirements to begin the seal selection process. Another important
factor is whether we have existing hardware constraints, or whether we are
working with a blank slate and can recommend groove dimensions and surface
finish requirements. From there, we can select the seal profile and material that
will best handle the given operating conditions and achieve the customer’s
targeted lifespan.
O-rings
are used either as sealing elements or as energizing elements for hydraulic slipper
seals and wipers.
RB: What role does the seal supplier play in the design process of
customizing components?
MC: A knowledgeable supplier will typically be as hands-on as the customer

allows. At Trelleborg, we collaborate with customers in all phases of the design
process. We have a wide portfolio of both standard and custom products, as well
as hardware and surface finish recommendations, that ensure our products work
efficiently while reducing potential customer concerns such as friction or heat
generation. Understanding the customer’s primary goal for a given application
enables us to use our internal resources and experience to recommend the best
solution.
RB: Which quality assurance measures should be employed? Which

steps or testing procedures should be followed to control and ensure
compliance?
MC: The fluid power and off-highway segments do not have overarching quality
assurance standards like one would see in the aerospace and automotive sectors.
Many customers have their own standards that we review with our quality team
to ensure they can be incorporated into our process if they are not already a
standard procedure.
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions is ISO 9001 certified. We have a robust quality
management system, which ensures we consistently provide products that meet
specified requirements. These requirements can range from 100% inspection to
Product Part Approval Processes (PPAPs) or other custom certification packages.
Additionally, we make recommendations to our customers regarding safe
handling and storage of our products along with best practices for installation to
limit the potential for damage.
RB: Consider the term “cognitive sealing.” I understand that this is

the term Trelleborg uses to describe predictive maintenance. How is
Trelleborg using digitization and IoT strategies—such as sensing, data
capturing and AI methods—to interpret the environment around a
sealing system?
MC: Cognitive sealing helps companies increase the safety of their machines and

applications, while at the same time reducing maintenance and the cost of
unexpected downtime.
IoT allows for the remote monitoring of devices and the collection of data. As
seals are often critical components within processing systems, cognitive sealing
can offer real benefits to manufacturers.
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has built a team of highly skilled data scientists,
electronic engineers and sealing experts who are able to assist in developing
condition monitoring solutions. From sensor selection to data analytics and
artificial intelligence, we collaborate with customers to develop predictive failure
models, build system health dashboards and improve system operation beyond
the seals.
Cognitive sealing
solutions collect data and remotely monitor the condition of devices.
RB: What exactly is the “seal health score” and what is involved in

analyzing a sealing system?
MC: Several factors influence the health of a seal. By collecting data from the
sensors within the application, we can fine-tune our algorithms to account for
friction, temperature, pressure and so on. In fact, we take into account external
data such as wave height for applications at sea. By deriving the impact on the
seal, we can simulate a “health score,” which helps us predict when the seal will
fail.
This is only one part of the analysis. We also look at the behavior of the
environment to see if there are other signs of degradation in the sealing system.
By examining the unique combination of data from various sensors and the
complex relationship between them, we can identify patterns or “failure
fingerprints.” These enable us to predict not only when a seal will fail but also
what type of failure to expect.
Lastly, these systems are not only about failure but also about continuous
improvement. Analyzing the data provides actionable insights for future
improvements in design and seal selection.
RB: Does Trelleborg incorporate sustainable methods for

manufacturing seals? If so, please describe how.
MC: Trelleborg incorporates sustainable methods of manufacturing wherever

possible. In addition to optimizing our tooling and machining programs to limit
production waste, we “re-grind” material for non-critical components such as
wipers and wear rings. Some of our manufacturing plants are also working on
eco-packaging initiatives to reduce our plastic usage.
Outside of manufacturing, we use our finite element analysis (FEA) and

simulation expertise to predict seal performance and modify our designs prior to
any testing, which helps limit prototype loops. Finally, our products provide
sustainable options for our customers.
For example, our Lubrication Management program not only extends seal life
and reduces scrap—it significantly reduces friction, lowering the energy required
to power hydraulic systems and potentially enabling the downsizing of drive
components.

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Spotlight on Sealing Solutions for Fluid

Power and Off-Highway

The coronavirus negatively impacted supply chains and manufacturing industries

Not surprisingly, enhancements to overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and

Rehana Begg: Please tell us about your seals applications experience

Michael Cook: I joined Trelleborg in 2013 as an application engineer focused

My experience in these segments has provided me with a vision and strategy in

Developing integrated supply partners is another industry focus as the ability to

RB: Can you provide a checklist of the considerations needed to select

MC: Typically, we need to know the application’s pressure, temperature, speed

MC: A knowledgeable supplier will typically be as hands-on as the customer

RB: Which quality assurance measures should be employed? Which

RB: Consider the term “cognitive sealing.” I understand that this is

MC: Cognitive sealing helps companies increase the safety of their machines and

RB: What exactly is the “seal health score” and what is involved in

RB: Does Trelleborg incorporate sustainable methods for

MC: Trelleborg incorporates sustainable methods of manufacturing wherever

Outside of manufacturing, we use our finite element analysis (FEA) and

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