Used in a wide variety of applications, including several precision applications, o-rings are a very popular product. They can be important pieces in cars and spacecraft. In these situations especially, maintenance and regular checks are important. With the constant movement and vibrations that these industries are exposed to, parts and products wearing down with time are inevitable. While they may be superior products, with years of constant use, they will start to show signs of age. Luckily, when this happens with items such as o-rings, the solution is not only affordable, but very simple as well.
O-rings are doughnut shaped products used to provide a seal between two pieces of tubing, piping or other products. Over the past few decades, these products have made their way into a number of important industries. Medical and science industries are able to use clear silicone o-rings in various testing and experiments, aerospace and automobile industries can use them for brakes and they can even be found in the jewelry industry for their use in necklaces and earring backs.
In aerospace o-rings are often used for critical applications like engine turbines and braking systems. If one of these applications were to fail in space, the situation could quickly become disastrous. An example of this can be seen in the malfunctioning of the Challenger in 1986. Since this disaster however, o-rings have come a long way. Manufacturers today have developed even more precise methods to thoroughly test the products using UV lights for checking to make sure there is not the slightest stress or fracture, and other tests to make sure the product can withstand temperature changes and other qualities. This results in safe products that can be depended on for long periods of time, and when they do need replacing o-ring kits and individual replacements are available for a quick and easy fix.
