Non contact wear measurement on pneumatic seals

An experimental methodology aimed at the evaluation of wear in pneumatic seals is presented. New equipment was designed and manufactured in order to measure the radial thickness of worn material on the sealing edge both axially and circumferentially, by means of a laser sensor, as well as to avoid the necessity of disassembling the seals. The methodology is intended as an instrument for a quick comparison of seal prototypes and is proposed as an alternative to those methods that globally quantify the wear of samples by measuring their loss of weight or volume. Results obtained on a NBR commercial lip seal are presented.