Difference Between Gasket and Seal

If you want to make a selection out of gasket and seal for your project, then you might be thinking that they are almost the same products. In few ways, they might be the same as they perform similar functionality. However, there are some key differences between gasket and seal that you must understand before deciding which item is perfect for your project. Here is a detailed guide to the differences between gasket and seal that will make your decision easy:

A gasket is a piece that is placed between two parts to create a perfect joint between two surfaces. Gaskets are noted to fill irregularities and they are manufactured from sheet materials such as fibreglass, neoprene, felt, cork, silicone, rubber, paper, metal, plastic polymer etc.

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A seal is a category and a gasket is one of the important types of seal. Apart from the gasket, you can find several others forms of seal such as shaft seals, mechanical seals, valve stem seals, liquid sealants, O-ring seals, rotary seals and many more.

The process of manufacturing seal involves a lot of machining and a specific size seal material. It is referred to as an engineered product and designed under special conditions. Seals are also known for showing characteristics that gaskets are failing to offer. This is the reason why a seal can provide better functionalities when compared it with gasket products.

A gasket is referred to as a static piece that can be used to close the leakage between two parts that are static and doesn’t show any relative motion. On the other hand, a seal is a dynamic piece that is used to avoid leakage between two parts that show sliding or relative motion. Another essential function of a seal cover gasket is that it doesn’t allow foreign particles like dirt or dust to enter into the joint.

In case the gasket breaks down, you need to replace the existing gasket with the new one. However, when the seal breaks down, you need to replace both seals and the bearing with the new ones. This is an application where a gasket can be quite handy when compared to a seal.

Both gasket and seal are used to avoid the movement of fluid from one direction to another because of the compressive forces. However, a gasket is a non-moving object and once it is placed in a particular position, it can’t be moved. On the other hand, oil seals can move very quickly from one location to another.

One more fundamental difference between gasket and seal is that gasket is usually made from hard plastic or asbestos material. On the other hand, seals (especially oil seals) are manufactured from the material such as synthetic rubbers.

This is a detail explanation of the difference between gasket and seal. It will definitely provide you with a helpful insight into how the mechanism of both these products works. Understanding subtle differences between both these items are essential for the successful execution of any project. Once you get to know the typical characteristics and unique functionalities of gasket and seal, you can definitely make a right choice of components for your project.

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