innovation Archives - Grafex

Innovation, the key element of family business resilience

Elena Badea — Mon, 30 May 2022 12:55:48 +0000

Family businesses are different from other entrepreneurial companies because of the importance they place on their strategies and long-term development. In Romania, the family businesses started by the founders in the 90s are now in their second, even third generation. For all those who have embarked on this path, the keywords are the following ones: long-term development, sustainability, and resilience through innovation.

So we see in various fields of activity, from consumer goods to services, IT, food production, and even industrial production that innovation is the “secret ingredient” of the development of family business.

At Etanșări Grafex, innovation is appreciated by customers and produces results. That is why we want to share in this article the trends that guide us and their impact on the activity.

The four types of innovation

Sometimes innovative processes arise spontaneously in entrepreneurial companies due to the great decentralization and the way in which the team members are supported to make informed decisions, in real time. However, it is useful to briefly review the four types of innovation that exist, as follows:

1. Incremental innovation

This is one of the most common types of innovation. The company uses existing technologies in an existing market, and the goal of innovation is to improve an existing offering by adding new features, design changes, etc.

2. Disruptive innovation

This type of innovation is largely associated with the application of disruptive technologies, processes, or business models in existing industries. Sometimes new technologies and business models seem, especially at the beginning, inferior to existing solutions, but after a few iterations, they go beyond existing models and take over the market due to the advantages of efficiency and / or effectiveness.

3. Architectural innovation

This type of innovation is what we see with the tech giants like Amazon, Google and many others right now. They take their expertise, technology and skills and apply them to another market. In this way they can open new markets and expand their customer base.

4. Radical innovation

Even though this is the stereotype applied by many people to innovation, radical innovation is the rarest form of all. Radical innovation involves the creation of technologies, services and business models that open up completely new markets.

Trends in industrial innovation

Innovation is essential for the survival of many companies and industries. Five trends now mark innovation in industrial production. At Etanșări Grafex most of these trends are present and generate results.

1. Cobots

Robots have been part of the production environment for many years. But as automation has grown, new approaches and technologies have emerged that can take its benefits further. Collaborative robots, or cobots, that work with humans instead of replacing them, usually automate fewer processes simultaneously. As a result, they are often more accessible than traditional automation and easier to implement.

2. IoT Sensors

Another area of innovation results from the implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors. Although these technologies are not a production-specific phenomenon, they already have considerable potential in this. For example, predictive maintenance improves traditional maintenance programs by avoiding both malfunctions and unnecessary repairs. in itself, but also reduces failures by an average of 70%. In industrial production, IoT sensors can also be used to collect data throughout the production flow. This data can reveal areas for potential for improvement, allowing for continuous optimization.

3. 5G Technology

Like IoT, 5G is not strictly a production technology, but it has impressive potential here. Higher bandwidth, increased speeds and lower latency will allow smart production to reach maximum productivity. 5G networks will theoretically be able to support up to one million devices per square kilometer, ten times more than 4G technology. With all these machines connected, manufacturers will be able to create cohesive autonomous environments. This will lead to a higher ROI for these significant investments.

4. Immersive Technology

Augmented Reality (AR) overlays relevant information on a machine part to guide the operator to identify and fix problems. AR has the ability to render 3D images of machines and parts in real proportion. This allows operators to be trained in step-by-step visual images of how to repair and maintain equipment. Immersive technology also allows skilled workers to perform maintenance at a distance, reducing the skill gap inside factories.

5. Portable Devices

Highly skilled labor is an important asset of manufacturing companies. Therefore, coordinating employee activity is an inevitable aspect of optimizing productivity. Devices such as smart watches, smart bands, and headphones provide essential data quickly and discreetly. These devices improve employee safety. In addition, AR helmets combine real images with virtual information overlays needed to train employees in the factory workplace.

Innovation in action at Etanșări Grafex

This is exactly the case with innovation at Etanșări Grafex. The company that produces seals for industries with extremely strict technological standards – the chemical, nuclear, pharmaceutical, oil and gas industries – is a family business that has evolved year after year. With only 3 people in the team at the founding, in 1996, the company reached in 2022 more than 60 employees and businesses of almost 2 million euros.

The most important innovations made at Etanșări Grafex are the following:

1. STIE procedures hologram glasses

A program that involves drawing up detailed work instructions applicable to special removable joints using portable devices. Hololens smart glasses are devices with which performers can work simply and efficiently based on an audiovisual hologram.

2. Virtual Reality training

These are innovative Virtual Reality training services, in accordance with Standards EN1591-4: 2014 and ASME PCC-1-2013. Through these programs, participants can correctly acquire the skills needed to disassemble, assemble, secure, and secure a joint that can operate without leaks.

3. Application for remote operator guidance

Through this application the operator receives on-site work instructions through Augmented Reality and has instant access to the necessary procedures to perform field operations. In the same application a clear record of all the interventions performed can be kept.

4. Products and services for real-time monitoring of flange joints

With the help of Grafex products and application, stud loads for certain critical equipment can be checked at any time, and from any distance. Limits of the monitored parameters can be set, beyond which notifications are sent to the responsible staff (on mobile phone, PC or other devices).

In conclusion

These innovations are not the only ones that help the development of the company, but they are among the most notable. With their help, industrial production shows that it is adapting to the current economic environment, especially in the context of the difficulties created by the galloping energy costs and the dysfunctions in the supply chains. Innovations like this improve efficiency, minimize errors, optimize operations and more. At Grafex Seals, we decided to develop and capitalize on their potential to ensure our success now and in the future, as well as resilience and sustainability.

The post Innovation, the key element of family business resilience appeared first on Grafex.

Empathy, the gold of the crisis moments

Elena Badea — Sat, 19 Mar 2022 10:40:00 +0000

We live in complicated times and empathy is highly needed. Not only international relations are being tested, but also the economic resilience of companies and the emotional resilience of employees. More and more people are feeling the stress of an oversizing of danger.

Interpersonal relationships are tested by feelings that find a way to express themselves, including at work. Different opinions can degenerate into conflicts between colleagues, and conflicts sabotage team cohesion and productivity.

The role of leaders becomes even more important today as they can convey confidence, predictability, balance, openness, understanding the emotions associated with the situation of each employee.

In this turbulent context there is a reassuring remedy, empathy.

The role of the leader as a model and source of empathy

Being a leader is a daily test. This assumed role comes with sometimes difficult to satisfy requirements that put you face to face with your own limits. One of them should not to be the ability to be empathetic and compassionate towards the people you coordinate.

Why is empathy the limit that some leaders have? Because it is a component of the being little present in the development of the school. Math, physics, chemistry, history matter more.

Surely, perhaps theoretically, we have been taught that empathy means putting ourselves in the other person’s shoes and seeing the world from his or her perspective. But really strong forms of empathy do not begin or stop here. They reach into all areas of our lives and work.

Unfortunately, there are some leaders who dismiss empathy as a form of weakness in workplace relationships. But empathy helps us to feel safe and secure, connected to others, and empowered to manage conflicts with availability and inclusion.

The work of the leader is based on intuition and empathy

Good leaders not only solve problems as they arise, but are actively looking for ways to facilitate people’s performance.

This smoothing of the road and the removal of obstacles requires empathy. It takes the ability to understand the “wiring” of the human mind, the needs and pace of people, and to respond accordingly.

This kind of proactivity makes leaders do their ”homework” so they can understand the people they coordinate with their challenges and strengths.

It can also involve corrective proposals for top management tasks and what is needed for the team to perform. As difficult as these things may be, the empathy shown and offered is the kind of investment in colleagues that will be rewarded for their full involvement.

Two types of empathy and their specificity

Affective empathy is empathy that is based on emotion. When someone suffers with you or feels angry, it is emotional empathy at work. At the same time, there is a facet of empathy that balances emotion with reason. Cognitive empathy. It is about a certain coefficient of rational understanding of the other’s perspective. It does not require emotion on our part, but it does require understanding and a desire to understand.

People can have high or low levels of both emotional and cognitive empathy, and there are no wrong ways to feel empathy.

However, it has been found that the best leaders are those with high cognitive and low emotional levels, as this allows them to engage empathetically with employees and their feelings and frustrations, without being drawn into their emotional struggle.

In conclusion

The best leaders build security and cultivate empathy. They make sure that the people on the team feel safe, that everyone feels that they are seen and appreciated for their contribution to the team’s results.

Without psychological security, employees enter into confrontation of survival, leave the company or put under the sign of temporary projects, solutions, people, eventually failing.

In order to turn people’s potential into results, the leader must encourage innovation, cooperation and train the empathy: theirs and that of their managers.

The inclusion of empathy in leadership is a conscious choice of leaders who are with the people in the company, especially at this time when our world is being tested.

The post Empathy, the gold of the crisis moments appeared first on Grafex.

Choosing the right gasket

SiteAdmin — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 07:09:33 +0000

Choosing the right gasket

Although they represent a small part and appear to be simple, gaskets play a particularly important role on which depends the proper equipment operation. For this reason, gaskets are often overlooked, their selection being made superficial. Choosing the right gasket for your application ensures the optimum functioning of the entire equipment, avoiding unnecessary costs related to production performance, safety and environmental issues.

When choosing the best sealing solution you must take into consideration the following criteria:

The operating parameters – temperature, pressure, media;
Fasteners, flange type and sealing surfaces, bolts, geometry, materials;
Standards – environmental and regulatory requirements
The human factor – assembly norms and assembly personnel competencies;

The operating parameters will be the starting point in choosing the gasket. Gasket materials and its construction should be chosen to withstand the pressures exerted against the gasket, to maintain the parameters to ensure maximum performance throughout the temperature range at which it will be exposed and to withstand corrosive attack of the sealed medium.

Flange geometry is decisive in choosing the type of gasket to be used. Also, the type and material of the fasteners may require low torques levels, in this case being used gaskets designed to ensure the required level of tightness at low surface stresses. On the other hand, high pressure metal flanges require the use of resilient gasket materials to withstand both internal pressures and high surface stresses needed to maintain tightness. Also, sealing surface roughness can influence gasket thickness. The surface finish of the flange faces has a major impact on the performance, especially in metal-to-metal contact. All these factors must be considered when choosing the gasket.

Depending on the industry they belong, applications must comply at existing norms, such as ASME B16.20, EN 12560, EN 1514, which regulate construction, materials, dimensions, thus easing the choice of the gasket. Also, there may be internal regulations which impose the use of certain material or certain types of gaskets. In addition, environmental regulations which impose a certain level of emission may be in force, therefor we must ensure that we choose gaskets certified to meet all the requirements.

The incorrect installation of the gasket is the most common cause of joint failure. All of the above consideration for choosing the right gasket may be in vain if it is not installed correctly. Currently there are approved 2 norms regulating the qualification of personnel competency in the assembly of the bolted connections of critical service pressurized system: EN 1591-4:2014 si ASME PCC-1—2013 Appendix A.

The post Choosing the right gasket appeared first on Grafex.

Correct storage and handling of the gasket

SiteAdmin — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 10:34:10 +0000

Correct storage and handling of the gasket

We all know and are used to the fact that many consumable products, including household products, have manufacturer recommended storage requirements. It is important to know and follow these recommendations in order to avoid inconvenience caused by damaging them even before the actual use.

Just like in the case of any other product, gaskets should be stored and handled properly to ensure their integrity and proper functioning. This can be achieved by following these recommendations:

Products will be stored in a dry, ventilated room, away from heat sources, direct sunlight and chemicals. The optimum storage conditions are between 4 and 27 °C, with 40% to 75% relative humidity, in a room without windows, without dust and without any chemicals stored nearby;
The storage will be made in horizontal position, on flat surfaces and will be secured against damage or other possible shocks that could damage the seals;
Gaskets will be handled with care so as to prevent shocks or damage;
The gasket packages will be handled by mechanical means. In their absence, manual handling will be done on each package in a maximum weight limit of 15 kg. If the package weight exceeds 15 kg, or package size exceeds 1000mm, it will be handled by at least two operators;
Transport will be made so as to avoid mechanical shocks (bumps, abrasions), watering and maintaining out of the sun, frost, as well as any other possibility of damaging the product;
Gaskets will not be bent or folded and the packing they were delivered will not be removed until installation.
Do not exceed the maximum shelf-life recommended by the manufacturer. Even if, for example, in the case of metallic gaskets, the theoretical shelf-life could be infinite in ideal conditions, in reality, excessive dust may cause compatibility issues with the sealed environment. Also, humidity and moisture can cause oxidation of the metal parts. A totally different situation is in the case of flat gaskets from elastomer bonded fibre materials. The aging process of this type of gaskets involves an irreversible chemical process. The speed in which this process takes place depends on the composition of the material, its quality and storage conditions;

In order to enable gaskets to function to the designed parameters, it is important that they are stored so as to minimize damage. These recommendations will ensure a high performance over a long period of time and will reduce the cost of products wasted due to deterioration from poor storage conditions. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations!

The post Correct storage and handling of the gasket appeared first on Grafex.

Water jet cutting

SiteAdmin — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 07:16:31 +0000

Water jet cutting

Water jet cutting process uses a thin stream of water at very high pressure to cut parts that require high precision. This thin stream of water leaves the cutting head at over twice the speed of sound, and when you add a small amount of abrasive, it is able to cut any material.

Waterjet cutting technology is the latest generation of materials processing. Due to its versatility and ease of operation it is used in various industries, including mining and aerospace industry for cutting, shaping and reaming. This complements other technologies such as laser and plasma cutting, milling, processing. The main benefit of waterjet cutting is that it can accurately cut most materials without using heat

Waterjet cutting does not compromise the physico-chemical characteristics of the material. The waterjet technology can be used advantageously in working with materials that do not support thermal or mechanical stresses

Waterjet cutting is efficient and cost effective, the biggest advantage of this process is that it can cut complex shapes that require high precision cutting. The edges resulting from waterjet cutting are smooth.

Advantages of waterjet cutting:

can cut parts with complex geometry of almost any material
eliminate subsequent finishing operations
high speed processing of various types of materials
minimal loss of raw material
doesn`t use heat, which is important in lightweight materials
high quality and precision
various materials can be processed: steel, non-ferrous metal, wood, ceramics, glass, marble, granite, aluminium, plastics, rubber, concrete, reinforced concrete, basalt, quartzite, brick, iron, lead, copper, kevlar, graphite

Waterjet cutting has a number of advantages over laser cutting:

can cut a larger number of materials
no heat affected area
waterjet is eco-friendly
better tolerance on thicker parts
better finished edges
Waterjet is more precise in cutting curves and angles
the most important advantage of waterjet cutting compared with plasma cutting is that it operates at much lower temperatures

The post Water jet cutting appeared first on Grafex.

Personnel competence qualification

SiteAdmin — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 07:13:18 +0000

Personnel competence qualification

Correct installation of the sealing elements is essential in their optimal and safe operation of a system containing pressurised bolted connections and in the achievement of the highest performance from a pressurised bolted connection. If improperly assembled, even most performant sealing will not work as it should. Improper assembly of the sealing will cause not only leaks, but also stops of the production process – that means high costs – or worse, a catastrophe. Studies showed that main cause for flange joint failures are due to improper handling of the sealing elements and incorrect assembly. Design norms for pressurised bolted connections such as EN 1591-1 require controlled bolt tightening. Therefore, competent bolting technicians are needed so that the specified bolt load tolerances can be met and, where appropriate, the specified tightness requirement can be achieved.

At present, there are two standards with reference to qualification of personnel competency in the assembly of the bolted connections: SR EN 1591-4-2014, ASME PCC-1-2013 Appendix A

1. EN 1591-4:2014

According to this norm, key aspects for achieving proper competency are:

theoretical knowledge combined with practical experience gained on site or by simulated workshop activities;
assessment by a competent assessor to verify that the required knowledge, skill and ability has been gained and can be applied in accordance with an operating procedure.

EN 1591-4:2014 sets out the training syllabi for not only the bolting technicians, who actually disassemble, assemble and tighten bolted joints that in service will be pressurized, but also the syllabi for the personnel who supervise those technicians, the responsible engineers. The aim of the presented European standard is to establish the skills required to safely and successfully disassemble, assemble and tighten pressurized bolted joints of a joint capable of maintaining a leak-free status throughout its’ service life.

Bolting technicians have to assemble bolted connections of different levels of complexity. For this reason, training matrices dealing with bolted connections of various levels of complexity and for different types of pressurised bolted connections are given in this norm. The modular structure created allows a bolting technician, once competency in the foundation level has been achieved, to obtain competency in higher levels as required.

Higher levels of competency refer to special applications such as: heat exchangers, fragile flanges, compact flanges and clamp connectors.

2. ASME PCC-1:2013 Appendix A

This appendix is not mandatory, and provides guidelines for establishing uniform criteria for the training and qualification of personnel competency in the assembly of the bolted connections. It also provides guidelines for quality control program. The recommendations presented in this appendix is intended to be a guide and can be applied differently by each user. The decision that these guidelines to be applied or not lies entirely with the user. The appendix provides for the qualification of operators three components for the operators qualification: training, practice and experience. This appendix may be applied to personnel involved in the assembly / disassembly or quality control for pressure vessels, pipes and tanks with bolted joints. Depending on the requirements of training and qualifications and also on the duties and responsibilities the provisions of this norm are addressed to:- Qualified Bolting Specialists- Qualified Senior Bolting Specialists- Qualified Bolting Specialists Instructors Additional qualifications may be obtained for power equipment, heat exchangers and special joints.

The post Personnel competence qualification appeared first on Grafex.

Gasket parameters – Part III – Gasket factors Qsmin(L), Qsmax, Qmin(L), PQR and EG

Adrian — Tue, 25 May 2021 09:23:45 +0000

Gasket parameters – Part III – Gasket factors Qsmin(L), Qsmax, Qmin(L), PQR and EG

The approval of the new standard EN 1591-1 – ”Flanges and their joints – Design rules for gasketed circular flange connections – Part I: Calculation method” – is done within the framework of Directive 97/23/CE PED which requires the standardization of everything related to pressure equipment. The norm defines the calculation method for gasketed circular flang joints and this calculation requires certain gasket parameters. Thus, EN 13555 provides the test procedure to determine the new generation of parameters used in EN 1514-1 equations.

These rules form the basis of Appendix G of EN 13445-3, representing an alternative to the method in Chapter 11 of the same norm. In 2013 a new version of 1591 was approved.

The test methods in EN 13555 include loading and unloading cycles in order to simulate service conditions. In service the gasket will be loaded during the tightening stages of the assembly process, but as the pipe line is pressurised, the gasket surface pressure will reduce due to the hydrostatic end thrust created by the pressurised fluid in the pipeline.

Q_min(L)	– Minimum gasket surface pressure on assembly required at ambient temperature in order to seat the gasket into the flange facing roughness and close the internal leakage channels so that the tightness class is to the required level L for the internal test pressure [MPa].
Q_{S min(L)}	– Minimum gasket surface pressure required under service pressure conditions, so that the required tightness class L is maintained for the internal test pressure [MPa].
Q_{S max}	– Maximum gasket surface pressure that may be imposed on the gasket at the indicated temperatures without collapse or compressive failure of the gasket [MPa].
E_G	– The unloading modulus determined from the thickness recovery of the gasket between the initial compression surface pressure and unloading to a third of this initial surface pressure [MPa].
P_QR	– A factor to allow for the effect on the imposed load of the relaxation of the gasket between the completion of bolt up and after long term experience of the service temperature.
L_N	– Tightness classes – the L index indicates the maximum leak rate for the tightness class [mg s^-2m^-2].

The tightness classes are also defined. The tightness class implies the continuous compliance of a maximum leakage rate. The series of tightness classes can be continued for better tightness classes and lower leak rates.

Tightness classes	L_1,0	L_0,1	L_0,01
Specific leak rates [mg/s∙m]	≤1,0	≤0,1	≤0,01

Currently, this is the calculation method recommended by international sealing entities, as ESA – European Sealing Association and FSA – Fluid Sealing Association.

The post Gasket parameters – Part III – Gasket factors Qsmin(L), Qsmax, Qmin(L), PQR and EG appeared first on Grafex.

Gasket parameters – Part II – Gasket factors Gb, a, Gs

Adrian — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 07:54:57 +0000

Gasket parameters – Part II – Gasket factors Gb, a, Gs

Due to the increasing importance given to environmental protection and with the adoption of norms regulating leakage, starts the research to replace the ”m” and ”y” parameters. These two parameters do not take into account the leak rate and are difficult to reproduce for asbestos-free materials.

In this respect, new testing methods have been designed: the ROOT Test (Room Temperature Tightness Test); and a new parameter – tightness parameter Tp – in order to connect the internal pressure to the tightness level. Testing is performed at ambient temperature using Helium and has two parts: the first refers to the assembly conditions, and the second to the gasket stresses in service.

Representing on the ordinate axis the logarithm of the loading and unloading gasket stress and on the abscissa the logarithm of Tp, we obtain a graph with the three gasket factors: Gb, a, Gs.

Gb – gasket pressure required to achieve Tp = 1 on the assembly (log Tp=0)

a – slope of gasket seating curve

The combined values of Gb and a, describe the seating characteristic of the gasket and its ability to ensure tightness from the initial sealing.

Gs – intercept of the unloading lines with the line Tp =1. Gs is a theoretical point, representing the gasket ability to ensure tightness after pressurization and during operation.

In connection with these now gasket factors, a new calculation method has been developed – Apendix BFJ – the method is not mandatory.

This graphic stage of the procedure is inconsistent with the practical results. The hypothesis of an intersection with the axis Tp = 1 of all unloading possibilites, analyzing the experimental data, was found to be wrong. Therefore, the three gasket factors Gb, a, Gs are not trustworthy and the calculation method Apendix BFJ remains only an alternative to traditional calculation methods.

The post Gasket parameters – Part II – Gasket factors Gb, a, Gs appeared first on Grafex.

Gasket parameters – Part I – Gasket factors ”m” and ”y”

Adrian — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 08:54:03 +0000

Gasket parameters – Part I – Gasket factors ”m” and ”y”

The tightness of the assembly is a very important issue for the integrity and safety of the installation, as well as for operating in prescribed parameters and obtaining desired efficiency. However, for quite some time now, the design of flange joints only takes into account the mechanical integrity and stability. With the increasing importance given to environmental protection and fugitive emissions, new norms and methods for design and calculation are also being developed.

There are 3 most commonly used calculation methods, each having different parameters – “m” and “y” for ASME sect. VIII div. 1 App 2, “Gb”,”a” and “Gs” for ASME BFJ and “Q_smin(L)”, “Q_smax”, “Q_min(L)”, “P_QR” and “E_G” for EN 1591-1+A1.

The most common method of calculation is ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, based on the factors ”m” and ”y”, mentioned for the first time in 1942.

Factor ”m”– defined by ASME code as gasket factor or tightening factor. This is a multiplier applied to the value of the internal fluid pressure in order to obtain the necessary working gasket seating pressure. The maintenance factor ”m” is dimensionless. To be noted that the factor ”m” was established before tightness classes were developed.
Factor ”y” – is the required load in order to close the gasket porosity and to ensure compliance with the flange surface. This is not the required assembly stress which will be defined by the new standards. The unit of measurement is psi. According to ASME code, ”y” is the pressure to seat the gasket in the flange and does not take account of the internal pressure which has to be contained in the service application. The ”y” factor is an empirical estimate only.

Factors ”m” and ”y” play an important role in design calculation. The experimental support for these factors in the norm ASTM F586, first introduced in 1979. This standard was withdrawn in 1998, following the need for a complete change in the theoretical system and the actions of the PVRC in this regard.

It is clearly stated in the ASME code that the gasket stress obtained usig the ”m” and ”y” factors are valid only for the mechanical calculation of the flanges and bolts and do not ensure sealing. Actually, there is no reference to a certain level of tightness in this calculation, as if the gasket had only two possible cases, to leak or not to leak.

The post Gasket parameters – Part I – Gasket factors ”m” and ”y” appeared first on Grafex.

What influences the behavior of the flanged joints?

SiteAdmin — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 07:16:06 +0000

What influences the behavior of the flanged joints?

Gaskets are basic elements for flanged joints, with the purpose to create and maintain a static seal between two imperfect surfaces of a mechanical system, designed to contain a wide range of liquids and gases in different operating conditions, with varied pressure and temperature ratings.

The gasket material must fill the imperfections of the flange faces and the gap between them and guarantee tightness under operating conditions including extremes of temperature and pressure. In most cases, the gasket provides tightness by external forces deforming the gasket material. Gasket performance is influenced by many factors, each of them influencing gasket choice.

The internal pressure: Once the internal pressure occurs, the initial gasket compression is reduced by the occurrence of the blowout pressure acting against the gasket and the hydrostatic end force tending to depart the flanges. This is why an additional preload should be considered.
The flange load represents the compression force of the gasket creating the seal, the effective pressure resulting from the bolt loading.
Temperature is a key factor and must be carefully considered as it affects all joint components – including bolt elongation, creep relaxation of the gasket material or thermal degradation. Both the ambient temperature and the process temperature must be taken into account. The higher the operating temperature, the more problems that may arise and more critical. Pay attention to the different expansion coefficients of the joint elements, as it can lead to the appearance of forces that affect the optimal operation of the gasket.
Fluid: The media being sealed is usually a liquid or a gas, the gas being harder to seal than a liquid. The effect of the temperature on many fluids causes them to become more aggressive. Therefore, a fluid that can be sealed at ambient temperature, may adversely affect the gasket at a higher temperature. The gasket material must be resistant to corrosive attack from the fluid.
General characteristics: flange type, sealing surface type, flange surfaces, flange material, fastener material, the number of bolts, etc.
Gasket type has, also, an extremely important role. Choosing the wrong type may result in joint failure once the system has started. The steps to be followed and the factors taken into account in choosing the correct gasket have been detailed in a previous article. Always follow the manufacturer recommendations!
Gasket parameters and the assembly procedure. Both gasket parameters and the assembly procedure play a crucial role in the proper functioning of the joint. Due to the great importance and the fact that for many users these concepts are relatively new, the gasket parameters and the assembly procedure will be analyzed in detail in the following articles.

The post What influences the behavior of the flanged joints? appeared first on Grafex.