Lead Center Fluid Power Industry has developed a new material for high-pressure washer seals. This material is characterized by optimized sliding properties and a long service life and can easily be injection moulded.
In Schwalmstadt, the Fluid Power Industry Lead Center at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies (FST) has developed a new sealing material for high-pressure washers. A well-known customer that manufactures power tools and garden equipment has requested a class of device that is somewhere between a DIY appliance and a professional washer. “We received the first inquiry with the corresponding specifications in 2021,” reports Marco Schönwälder, Product Developer at the Fluid Power Industry Lead Center. The aim was to develop a seal with optimized sliding properties and a long service life. The aim was to achieve a service life of 125 hours at an operating pressure of 135 bar. “Conventional seals wear out relatively quickly with constant contact with water,” says Schönwälder. In addition, the market is very price-driven, so it was also necessary to find a solution that would allow the seals to be manufactured cost-effectively.
The team in Schwalmstadt therefore developed a new HNBR material. However, the material could not easily be injection molded, so the specialists successfully trimmed the material for flowability. “The seals produced this way easily achieve the desired service life,” says Schönwälder. Besides, the team also developed the design for a necessary oil scraper for the high-pressure devices.
The customer wants to start series production in 2026. “We have already produced the first parts with our series tool, they have been measured internally and were recently delivered to the customer,” says Schönwälder. For the first year, the production volume is expected to reach 500,000 seals – three per device.
