Inflatable Seals
About Inflatable Seals
Many applications use our standard inflatable seal profiles. Although we employ many industry standard profiles, most applications are custom made. If you require a custom solution that does not use one of our standard profiles, please download and send us a completed data sheet with your requirements.
Common properties for elastomers and their uses for an inflatable seal or bladder will vary by application. Each application will require a brief study to determine the appropriate compound and material usage. Most inflatable seals are made using a 60+/-5 durometer Shore-A compound. Temperature and chemical resistance issues can also be addressed by utilizing custom compounds for a given application.
Custom applications will increase lead times to allow for tooling. Most applications can be completed within 1-2 weeks with custom tooling requiring an extra 2-4 weeks, so plan your project accordingly.
Homogeneous Inflatable Seals
Non-reinforced inflatable seals are made only from elastomers & are mostly extruded constructions; however, they can be molded to meet specific dimensional parameters.They are the preferred option for regular sealing applications as they are relatively affordable and do not compromise on quality and performance
Fabric Reinforced Inflatable Seals
Molded fabric reinforced inflatable seals are recommended in applications involving extreme pressure/temperature conditions or in rugged environments. The molding process eliminates joints and the fabric reinforcement adds to the seal’s overall strength and resilience. Depending upon the application, one of the following fabrics is chosen
WT2000 Series
WT2000 series seals and clamps are the industry standard shape for most inflatable sealing applications. They are characterized by a “foot” under the oval profile. The foot allows the profiles to be fastened in place. Retainer options are available and can be custom manufactured by Weiler per application requirements.
WT1000 Series
The WT1000 series is a sample oval shape that seals and clamps and are often held in place by friction in radial expansion inward/outward configurations. Since there is no foot, space is saved in tighter configurations where there is less space. They may be used in axial expanding applications, although this is not recommended.
PT Series
The PT Series is a heavy duty profile characterized by its flat top structure. Due to the added thickness, the sealing gaps are smaller than the other series. Axial, and radial expansion in/out configurations are common for this series.
GT Series
The GT series is similar to the PT series with the exception of grooves to provide a smaller concentrated sealing surface with individual flat features. It is also a heavy duty profile for use against high differential pressure. Due to the added thickness, the sealing gaps are smaller than the other series. Axial, and radial expansion in/out configurations are common for this series.