Saint-Gobain Seals Group Acquires Seal Rings Application Expertise Through LS Kunststofftechnologie GmbH Acquisition

Garden Grove, CA, April 02, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Saint Gobain Seals Group becomes one of the leaders in seal rings applications with their recent acquisition of LS Kunststofftechnologie GmbH, a German manufacturer of high-performance polymer components for the Automotive, Medical and Industrial markets. The German company’s expertise in this application is an added value to the Seals Group’s already established polymer product lines, especially for sites in Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, and Kontich, Belgium, where their polymers are manufactured.

Seal rings are found in different markets and applications where leakage is critical:

· Automotive – transmissions (AT, CVT, and DCT), differentials and gear boxes as well as air conditioning compressors
· Industrial – refrigeration compressors
· Oil & Gas – FPSO compressors (reciprocating compressors for the distribution of natural gas

Depending on working conditions (such as temperature, pressure, speed and chemicals involved), targeted leakage and volumes required, the Seals Group offers the following range of materials for this application:

Rulon®, fluoropolymer compounds

Meldin® HT, thermoplastic materials that are based on PPS, PEEK and PAI

Meldin® 7000 series, thermoset polyimide materials

The above materials are being used more often to replace metal rings, providing lighter solutions that are in line with the current trend of reducing energy consumption and allowing greater design flexibility. Aside from seal rings, Saint-Gobain Seals Group also manufactures piston rings. Several key advantages of their seal rings and piston rings include:

· Significant reduction of friction losses
· Long life and low wear rates
· Reduced leakage on a consistent basis
· Thin wall capability
· Ease of assembly
· Cost-effectiveness (Rulon® stamped solutions, Meldin® HT Injection Molded parts and Meldin® 7000 DF components)

Not only is material selection important for the seal rings application but also the design where a crucial detail is the cut type. Saint Gobain Seals Group has extensive experience and knowledge to support its customers in choosing the most appropriate cut type for each application. There are several cut types available:

1) Butt joint
2) Hook joint
3) Bias joint
4) 2-L joint
5) 2-T joint

To further support their customers, the company has invested in several seal ring test rigs, specifically designed for rotating movement and powertrain applications. Testing parameters were established to measure the type, temperature, pressure of lubricating oil, RPM and duration and the output data shows torque loss and oil leakage.

About Saint-Gobain Seals Group (www.seals.saint-gobain.com)

Saint-Gobain Seals Group is a business unit under Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics’ Engineered Components division, offering a diverse range of innovative sealing and polymer solutions: OmniSeal® (Spring-Energized Seals), OmniLip™ (PTFE Rotary Shaft Seals), OmniFlex™ (Fluoroelastomer Seals), OmniShield® (EMI / RFI Shielding Solutions), Rulon® (High-Performance Fluoropolymer Compounds), Meldin® 7000 (Thermoset Polyimide Materials) and Meldin® HT (High-Performance Thermoplastic Materials).

The majority of seals and polymer components manufactured are custom designed and matched with the best materials to optimize their performance in various applications and markets and under the most extreme and critical conditions.

Saint-Gobain Seals Group has more than 50 years of manufacturing experience and an established global presence (with strategic sites in Garden Grove, California, USA; Kontich, Belgium; and Minhang, Shanghai, China), we offer a diverse range of innovative sealing and polymer solutions.