Special Engineering Considerations for Aerospace Metal Seals
Aerospace metal seals pose many unique challenges to manufacturers. Due to the highly sensitive nature of today’s flight equipment, aerospace seals must be built with precision while delivering absolute reliability in some of the most extreme operational conditions.
Of course, high-temperature seals are one of the main concerns of the industry: the high temperatures that are demanded by some aerospace applications exceeds the functional limit of polymer seals. That’s why in 1971, Temper Corporation began manufacturing high-temperature metal seals for use in the commercial and military aircraft sector, as well as the emerging spaceflight industry. Since then, our aerospace seal designs (as well as the materials science that goes into them) have grown even more sophisticated and effective.
However, it should be noted that aerospace metal seals have to withstand more than just high temperatures. There are a number of other intensive engineering considerations that go into the development of these critical components.
Manufacturing Reliable, High-Performance Metal Seals for Aerospace Applications:
Specialized Aerospace Material Selection
Aerospace metal seals are manufactured from high-performance materials such as specialized stainless steels, titanium, Inconel, and other superalloys. The choice of material depends on the specific application and the environmental conditions that the seal will encounter. Naturally, choosing the right material for each custom seal application is crucial to achieve optimal performance and reliability.
For example, careful material selection and geometry design are considered when optimizing the ductility and hardness of each seal for both load and spring back conditions. Additionally, the selected material must also be physically and chemically compatible with the material it is mating against to minimize failure modes and eliminate supplemental mating components that otherwise complicate installation.
Aircraft components are also subject to intense vibration and mechanical shock during flight. Metal seals must be able to withstand these dynamic forces without compromising their sealing capability. Beyond this mechanical toughness, aerospace seal materials must perform reliably in the extreme operational environments discussed below.
Extreme Temperature Resistance and Thermal Stability
Aerospace seal applications demand reliability in the most extreme temperatures. Metal seals provide better thermal stability than most polymer counterparts, and are engineered to withstand all effects of thermal distortion to maintain dimensional integrity
and further reduce the risk of leakage.
High-Pressure Seals for Extreme Pressure Differentials
Aircraft commonly experience significant pressure differentials, demanding a reliable high-pressure metal seal solution. Metal aerospace seals are engineered to reliably perform under extreme pressure variations without leakage or failure. The compression of the metal seal is counteracted by an activation force caused by the pressure differential. This produces a strong sealing interface.
Corrosion Resistance and Chemical Compatibility
Metal seal materials must also be compatible with the fluids and gasses they come into contact with. This includes considerations for corrosion resistance and chemical resistance when sealing with components that are manufactured from dissimilar metals.
Precision Tolerances for Seamless Installation
Finally, when it comes to modern aerospace applications, tight tolerances are almost always required to ensure precise fits and leak-free seals between highly sensitive flight components. Aerospace seal manufacturers therefore must achieve incredibly tight tolerances consistently with precision manufacturing and thorough inspection, producing metal seal products that deliver the expected fit and reliability.
Quality American Manufacturing for Aerospace Seals and Other Precision Components
Temper Corporation is one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of high-performance metal seals for the aerospace sector and beyond:
Commercial and military aircraft
Fuel cells
Nuclear reactors
Oil refinery valves
In fact, our company was founded in 1969 by John Rode – a mechanical engineer with a reputation for the superior design of high-temperature metal seals for aerospace applications. Now backed by more than half a century of innovation and experience in the modern flight sector, our company provides custom metal seals for the most demanding applications.
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