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Are you missing a vital component for your PM?

It's that time of year again when repair shops and private owners alike are tirelessly preparing their equipment for the coming winter months. Stock up now on all of your preventative maintenance needs with AY Seal & Packing!  Are YOU missing vital components for YOUR PM? Find out now by reading this week's blog! https://aysealnpacking.wordpress.com/?p=108

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The Technician’s Essential!

                      YOUR convenience is OUR specialty!                       

                    O-Ring Kits- a perpetual life saver 

Frequently, service technicians working in the field need to replace simple o-rings, so o-ring manufacturers and distributors make 'o-ring kits' available. Sometimes called tackle boxes and affordably priced, these kits enable any servicer to have common o-rings at their disposal. The kit box itself is durable for use in the field or shop. This way they have the o-rings they need, reasonably clean and ready for installation.

The basic kit contains common AS-568 size o-rings in Nitrile (Buna-N) 70 durometer Shore A material. A standard kit usually offers 25 to 30 of the common sizes; about 380 o-rings total. It's very handy. 

The industry's secret to faster repairs!

Even the most amateur repair technician wouldn't be caught without an assortment of O-Rings to complete the job!  But not every O-ring Kit will be useful for every piece of machinery.

Occasionally a technician will need something other than common sizes or materials. There are kits that contain more sizes; the larger kit in nitrile has 30 sizes totaling 500 pieces altogether. The premier o-ring kit has 37 sizes, metal hinges on the box, and a handy chart to help with actual and nominal AS-568 sizes.

 Customized to suit your specific needs

You can also get custom-ordered o-ring kits containing hi-temperature material like FKM, EPDM material for brake fluid service or EPDM material with NSF approvals for potable water applications. If you work around metric components, there are also kits stocked with common metric sized o-rings. Actually, any o-ring material and any size combination are available in custom o-ring kits.

 But it doesn't end there. If required, you can custom order a very large or small box to handle extraordinary o-ring sizes, large or small. Custom kits can also be filled with items other than o-rings like quad rings or backup rings in any combination, though it will cost more than a standard o-ring kit.

  “Some tackle boxes are just for fishing, but others are for technicians who don't want to waste time fishing around; hoping to find that 10-cent o-ring that they need to finish a job."

                                      Get YOUR Kit Today! 

                                            ORDER NOW!

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Aftermarket  vs OEM

When you service or repair your own industrial or commercial equipment, your first instinct is to search for OEM seals.  A quick look on a search engine and you can see the vast difference in pricing between OEM and aftermarket replacement components. If you take your equipment to be serviced by an independent repair shop, more than likely they will swap out OEM parts for aftermarket. It’s estimated that about 80% of independent shops utilize aftermarket seals. Why? To save you BOTH money. How do you know you are getting quality replacements? Are OEM components better than aftermarkets?

We have compiled a list of PROS & CONS for your peace of mind.

PROS

Less expensive: Aftermarket components are almost always less expensive than OEM parts; how much you save varies by the re-seller/replacement seal manufacturer. Shop around to find the best price and to get an idea of how much that part usually costs. If the price of a part seems too good to be true, ask questions about its quality.

Quality can be equal to or greater than OEM: In some cases, you may end up with a better part than you started with. Aftermarket companies reverse-engineer the part which subsequently eliminates the vulnerabilities and deficiencies.  Most OEM seal manufacturers are forced to find a balance between cost & durability forsaking the highest potential for quality.  Aftermarket manufacturers typically focus on quality first as this is the foundation for their industry.

Time: Aftermarket sealing component manufacturers have time on their side; time to improve upon the OEM design. After marketers often offer more variety and improvements to the functionality of your equipment. The broad range of materials available in the aftermarket along with time to improve OEM designs may provide tighter tolerances and durability enhancements, affording you reliability you can’t get from the OEM.  Like the OEM the widely popular seal kits are usually available, designed to make any repair a snap for the novice or experienced.

Better availability: Locating the OEM part for older equipment is the first time consuming challenge. Having it arrive in a timely manner is another; leaving your equipment out of commission longer and losing needed revenue.  Aftermarket sealing manufacturers like AY Seal & Packing have faster fulfillment than the majority of OEM manufacturers, often shipping the day the order is placed.

CONS

Quality concerns: Selecting the best aftermarket sealing manufacturer can be as tedious as choosing a doctor.  Look for a manufacturer that has a long standing history of providing quality materials and components.  Experience and customer satisfaction are key to getting reliable components.  AY Seal & Packing prides themselves on providing quality, reliable and durable seals and components. Their meticulous attention to detail ensures you will always have exactly what you need to complete your repair with the highest ratio of efficiency.

Overwhelming choices: If you're not familiar with aftermarket components, the selection and manufacturing process could be overwhelming.  What if you don’t know what seal you need due to deteriorated sealing components or a lack of expertise? Thankfully, aftermarket manufacturers like AY Seal & Packing graciously provide ancillary services like Seal Detection and Engineering/ Design assistance to guide and support customers to find the right sealing component for their application.

Buyer’s Remorse: The common mindset is that to keep costs down, some aftermarket parts are sold without a warranty. Although that is true for many, AY Seal & Packing guarantees you will receive high quality replacement sealing components. Our customer’s satisfaction is paramount.

Decisions, Decisions...

Not all aftermarket sealing components are created equally. Be sure to do your own research before placing your order.  Just because you find the cheapest version on a shopping site, doesn’t mean you will receive a quality & durable product.  Repeating the repair process multiple times can be pretty undesirable. Outsourced overseas products can be equally disappointing; so when in doubt, depend on products manufactured with pride in the USA.  When quality & reliability matter most, trust AY FIRST!

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New! Lower Shipping Costs! Log in and CELEBRATE! orders.alleghenyyork.com

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Up  Close & Personal with an AY Superstar!

This week we’re featuring an “AY Celebrity” in our blog & e-newsletter! Teresa has been one of the most dependable and hard-working employees at AY for 32 years! Check out a sample from our recent interview!

10 Questions with Teresa Drawbaugh

1. How long have you worked at AY Seal & Packing?

It will be 32 years this September!

2. What is your key motivation?

I strive to better myself in everything I do.

3. What do you like best about working at AY?

The people! We are all easy-going, friendly people that work well together.

4. What is the most interesting part of your job?

I never get bored! Everyday it's something new!

5. Tell me about some accomplishments that you're proud of during your time here.

I have happily 'rescued' many customers at our sales counter by finding just the right part for their "emergency". 

6. What is a little known fact about you?

I would love to take a cruise to Alaska someday. It's on my bucket list!

7. What do you like to do outside of AY?

I really enjoy, and look forward to, spending time with my grandson on my down time.

8. Tell me about your family.

I'm happily married with a stepson and adorable grandson. 

9. What is the wisest thing anyone has ever told you and how did it help you?

"Live for today; you never known about tomorrow". That wisdom keeps me firmly planted "in the moment" and not take anything for granted.

10. What are your goals for the future?

I look forward to retiring so that I can travel more!

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Sealing Material Hardness

 Everyone knows that the hardness of rubber compounds is measured by the Shore A durometer and the higher the durometer, the harder the compound.  

70 Shore A has long been the standard for OEM sealing.

More is better, so if 70 durometer is what the OEM used then I want more. Let’s improve our seals by switching to a higher durometer. Right? Probably not, but it’s not that simple either.

70 +/-5 durometer nitrile is the backbone of rubber sealing materials. Occasionally, to seal under higher pressures, OEM’s will specify a harder durometer. Rarer still are the OEM’s who will deliberately use a 65 or a 75 durometer to try capturing after-market service parts sales.

Since the standard-service 70 durometer runs +/- 5, specking in a 65 or a 75 durometer is pointless in most cases, except to say that there is ‘something special’ in the OEM’s genuine aftermarket parts.

As for ‘improving’ to a 90 durometer, this material is so stiff that it can’t conform to mating surface imperfections the way a softer 70 duro can, so there’s no improvement at all. And unless 8-10,000 psi is involved there’s most likely a deleterious loss of sealing capability.

Seal materials are often available in durometers ranging from 50 to 90 Shore A with a hardness of 70 durometer well established as the industry standard. It costs less, is usually readily available, and is sufficient in most cases.

Not sure which is the best suited durometer for your repair? Talk with one of AY’s customer service agents today for guidance on the proper component or consult with our engineering department to design what you need today!  

800-258-3851   Sales@alleghenyyork.com    www.alleghenyyork.com          

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Our customers are our main focus at AY! We always take the time to build positive and enduring relationships with each of our customers to ensure a high level of satisfaction, reliability & quality. We are committed to customer satisfaction. Experience it for yourself! www.alleghenyyork.com 800-258-3851 

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Sealing solutions to your repair obstacles!

Sealing solutions when you need it today! 

Sealing solutions to meet all demands!

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No worries. We got your back! Sealing solutions for every application!

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Hydraulic Cylinder Repair Tips

An increasing amount of equipment owners are handling hydraulic  cylinder repairs themselves to save time and money largely due in fact to the  relatively simple procedure.  Whether you are a seasoned pro at  hydraulic cylinder repair or you could use a few pointers, these helpful tips  can get you back on the job-site in no time.

 Visual Inspection and Disassembly

 External leaking is the usually the first sign that the cylinder  needs to be inspected and/or repaired. Once you begin disassembly, be careful  to keep the piston rod clean & free of contaminants.

Be sure to protect all threads from damage. This is crucial as  it could lead to a costly replacement! 

Taking a picture of the parts in their correct order for future  reference will be a huge time saver for you when you reassemble!

 Seal Inspection

 Inspect all seals for damage or  excessive wear.  A pitted or grooved barrel may be the culprit if a  piston seal shows these signs of damage and will need to be replaced.

 A damaged rod seal could point to a wear band/guide bushing that  is excessively worn or even a bent or scored rod. Both issues can culminate  in the weight of the rod distressing the seal which will cause failure. 

 Rod Assessment

 Dye penetrant spray can be used to identify cracks on the  surface of the rod. Be sure to spray at all points where the diameter  differs.  

Inspect the chrome for dull spots. This could indicate a bend in  the rod. In most cases, bent rods can be repaired in a press; however if the  chrome is compromised, the rod must be re-chromed or replaced.

 Be sure to look for pitting and scoring of the chrome surface as  this could reduce the life of the rod seals. If the degree of the pitting  and/or scoring is too high, the rod will need to be re-chromed or replaced.

 Head Evaluation

 When a wear band is fitted  between the rod and head, it should be replaced during a cylinder repair due  to high load wear. When the rod is supported directly on the head, a  micrometer should be used to measure the internal diameter of the head in two  positions, 90°apart, to validate the proper circular shape. 

Minimal scoring on the lands of the seal groove is not  detrimental to the functionality of the cylinder so long as the maximum  diameter of the scoring doesn't exceed the nominal rod diameter plus .016",(depending  upon pressure).

 Barrel & Piston Examination

 Pitting or scoring of the barrel will significantly impact the  life of the piston seal.  Honing the barrel to remove damage or  replacement of the barrel is recommended if the scoring or pitting is too  deep.

 Slight scoring of the outside diameter of the piston will not  impact cylinder function if the minimum diameter of the piston is not less  than the nominal bore diameter minus .006".

Piston wear bands should always be replaced during the repair on  cylinders where there are high loads on the rod.

 Reassembly & Ordering Tips

S - SPEED at which your cylinder is designed to operate

   T -  TEMPERATURE range your operating system can expect

   A - APPLICATION of the cylinder & its intrinsic value to the system

   M - MEDIA  (oil) type used in your system

   P - PRESSURE range of your OS

   S - SIZE of the cylinder  (rod & bore) and its ancillary components

  John Deere Replacement Piston Seal Kit - Order Now

Ford Replacement Seal Kit - Order Now

Commercial Replacement Reeving Cylinder Kit - Order Now

Rod Seal Installation Tool - Order Now

O-Ring Extraction Tool Set - Order Now

Visit AY Online!

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Hydraulic ‘Stop-Leak’ Additives

 You’ve got an old, expensive (for you to replace) piece of equipment with a leaking hydraulic cylinder. Should you try a ‘stop-leak’ additive instead of pulling the cylinder and replacing the seals? Maybe. If it’s a log-splitter, then there’s little risk vs big potential reward. But if the equipment is a truck crane, you’d better pull the cylinder.

 Most stop-leak products cause the seals to swell, thus temporarily fixing your problem. And there are some products that do this quite well, especially considering the modest investment. But like everything else, there are some stop-leak products that probably aren’t worth even the smallest cost.

 However, even if the stop-leak works as advertised, the root cause of the leak remains. So you need to decide:

 If a total failure occurs, what is at risk?

Do you expect the equipment to last much longer?

Is the leak a warning sign of worse things to come?

Can a cylinder refurbishment now save me money in the long run?

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Kits vs. Components

 When a hydraulic cylinder re-builder needs seals for their repair job they have one very important procurement decision to make; seal kits or seal components.

For years, most hydraulic repair shops would prefer components. No self-respecting shop would take the short cut and buy a seal kit when they could inspect, identify, measure, and order the correct seals, and only the necessary seals.

On the other hand, seal kits were considered a short cut, relying on the equipment OEM to do the job for them, but at what cost. Many repairers knew the dirty little secrets of the OEM’s… they don’t make up the seal kits themselves, they farm them out. Who knows what’s in the seal kit? Are they the correct seals and the best seals for the job? Are they including stuff I don’t need? And are they excessively marking-up the kit, a kit I could I could do without in lieu of components?

AY Seal & Packing offers repairers seal kits as an option. They are handy for those situations where you don’t have the time or resources to identify and order components. AY only offers seal kits that we know are accurately identified. We don’t stuff the kit with a bunch of obsolete or unnecessary crap.

Alternatively, if you are old-school, you can identify and order what you need one component at a time. We’re here to help either way.

And here’s another tip:

Don’t be disappointed by calling the other seal distributors only to discover they don’t have what you need. Just call us first.

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Wear Band/ Rings Materials & Pressures

For many years phenolic wear bands, (or wear rings), were a mainstay in hydraulic cylinders. The sole purpose of the hydraulic wear band is to guide the piston and rod while absorbing the cross force of the hydraulic cylinder, thereby preventing any metal to metal contact and enhancing the sealing performance.  

Formed by chemically cross-linking phenol and formaldehyde, phenolic wear bands performed quite well, keeping the piston centered within the cylinder and allowing for even wear and pressure distribution on the seals.  However due to the formaldehyde content regulatory agencies began taking action against the chemical processors due to concerns about material outgassing and worker safety issues involving aldehyde/phenol fumes.

Consequently phenolic wear bands fell out of favor among some equipment OEM’s, especially US-based companies, and have largely been replaced by glass-filled nylon. Other popular alternatives include mineral-filled PTFE, glass-filled PTFE and PEEK, but glass-filled nylon is among the most popular.

If compressive strength requirements are below 25,000 psi, glass-filled nylon is probably your best bet. Suppliers often stock the common sizes and you can avoid the cost penalty involved in specifying other materials.

Uncommon phenolic sizes can be 10-times the cost of glass-filled nylon, and with nylon, you don’t have to worry about a visit from OSHA.

AY Seal & Packing offers both glass-filled nylon and phenolic materials and can be cut to your specifications.  Call us today to get started!

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What is the TRUE cost of your hydraulic seals???

Seals are like jewelry when it comes to costs. I don’t mean that a rod wiper has the same value as a diamond ring, although it might to an excavator operator working in a dirty, harsh environment. I mean that seals, like jewelry (and numerous other products) are usually sold at a discount off of the list price. Everybody selling seals offers a discount to most every customer. There are always exceptions, but most seal distributors offer discounts. So what is your true cost?

 To find that answer, lets back up to the list price. Most distributors publish some form of price list. What began as a conventional hard-copy catalog has morphed into on-line pricing, but still, the published price remains the list price, so you should review yours, wherever it lives. Then compare your supplier’s list price to a competitor’s.

 Now the discount. Since everyone gets a discount you should inquire at to yours. So take what you deem to be a good across-the-board list price of the seals you frequently purchase minus your discount. But you aren’t finished yet. To get to your true cost you have a couple more things to consider, like shipping and availability.

 Some distributors offer discounted shipping rates to certain large customers; a bonus if you are a large customer, a penalty if you are not since the discounted shipping costs are being paid for by the little guy. And finally there is the availability of the seals you want.

 If you are routinely back-ordered, what good are shipping gimmicks? Many seal customers are hydraulic repairers who can’t accept back-orders; they need seals now. When seal customers can’t get what they need, immediately, they have to make a second call. Or a third. And that requires time (money) and perhaps a second shipment (money).

 Step 1. AY Seal & Packing has a very competitive list price. Please compare us.

Step 2. AY Seal & Packing is very generous with discounts. Ditto.

Step 3. AY Seal & Packing is bound by the shipping rates our providers offer us. We offer no shipping rate gimmicks.

Step 4. AY Seal & Packing has the broadest seal inventory in the business. Just ask around.

 Calculate your TRUE cost of seals. Then call AY Seal & Packing.

 www.alleghenyyork.com

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It’s no marketing secret that perception is key to gaining new and repeat business.  Over the years, the misconception that AY is a small company incapable of manufacturing on the same level and volume as our competitors. We have, without a doubt, proven otherwise to our existing customers; but we are taking the challenge head-on to break out of the typecast and validate our extensive capabilities to new and potential clients daily. Typically, we are everyone’s 2nd or 3rd call after a competitor didn’t have a component in stock, was too pricey or couldn’t resolve a complication.  We decided to evaluate this hurdle and investigate the source of our new business and their motivation for contacting AY Seal & Packing.

 What we discovered is that we obtain most of our new business from our competitors after the customer was back-ordered one too many times.

 In January, we selected 15 new customers and called each one. They were asked  the same question, “Why did you contact us?” All but 3 said that they came to us because our competitors didn’t have what they needed.

 A new customer in Washington state mentioned that he had our name written down somewhere from where he was previously employed. After searching for a few minutes, he realized he had it written down under “Seal Warehouse” because that’s how he used to think of us at his previous employer.

 Four months ago, a new customer stated that he had heard from a colleague that we have,”all the crazy stuff that nobody else has”.

 In the early 1990’s, customers frequently said we had a great inventory, but that was before the dramatic increase in metrics. Two years ago AY Seal & Packing remodeled the existing warehouse, adding 30% more space and then stocked it to the rafters with metric seals.  Subsequently, we now identify as the “metric specialists” with our customers.

 Big bore, telescopic cylinder, swivel-related and metrics are some of the hard-to-find “crazy (stuff)”  that we have a reputation for stocking. We are a privately-owned business, so it’s up to our owner to decide what he wants to stock. Our largest competitor is publicly owned and must report to share-holders who frown strongly at inventory costs.

 You can call the ‘big-guys’ and then end up calling us anyways;  or you can avoid the extra call (and the extra shipping costs of 2 shipments) and CALL US FIRST. But it’s likely you will call us… eventually.

 So when quality and reliability matter most, Call AY 1st!

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High Temperature Seals

 Money and lives are sometimes on the line when hydraulic equipment is in use. Operating that equipment near or beyond the temperature design limits may make the difference between catastrophe and another routine job.

When we think of equipment design limits we may be referring to the OEM’s design, but what about equipment that has been in service for a while and is now in need of repair? Can you replace hydraulic cylinder seals and return the equipment to OEM specifications? Yes you can, but you must use the correct sealing components.

So let’s talk about equipment design limits where high temperatures are concerned. Since many hydraulic cylinder seals are made of rubber and some rubber compounds begin to degrade at about 250°F, it’s important to understand high temperature limits.

What constitutes ‘high temperature’ in hydraulic sealing applications? Most hydraulic seals are NBR (Buna N) and rated at 250°F. So, is anything over 250°F high temperature? That depends.

Many engineers specify FKM for applications over 250°F. That’s a safe bet for temperatures exceeding 325°F, but what about applications between 250°F and 325°F? Do you really need the added protection of FKM at about 8 times the cost of NBR? Maybe not, because there is a middle ground.

If the equipment design limits are unknown and you want high temperature protection, use FKM. However, if you want moderate (250°F to 325°F) high temperature protection without the added cost of FKM, consider HNBR at about half the cost of FKM. You gain about 75°F degrees of protection with only a modest cost penalty.

AY Seal & Packing stocks a broad range of NBR, HNBR, and FKM hydraulic seals in both inch and metric sizes. Contact us for more details.

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Three causes of Seal Failure in Hydraulic Cylinders

THREE CAUSES OF SEAL FAILURE IN HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS Failing seals on hydraulic cylinders leads to lost time and revenue for your company, which is why we take the seal manufacturing process seriously. There is usually one of three reasons that a seal may fail: improper installation, chemical erosion, or contamination. The sooner you can identify the cause the faster your cylinder system can be up and running. IMPROPER INSTALLATION Improper or poor installation is a primary reason for hydraulic cylinder seal failure. Upon installation it’s important to watch for cleanliness, prevention of nicks or cuts, and appropriate lubrication. Over-tightening the seal gland, folding over a seal lip, or simply installing the seal upside down are also ways installation can be compromised. Poor installation also results when the wrong seal is chosen for a particular job. Seals are typically mass manufactured, meaning they aren’t made for specific jobs, and if the wrong seal is chosen it can cause havoc. If you are unsure what seal is best we recommend talking with your Allegheny York representative. CHEMICAL EROSION Chemical breakdown of a seal is most often the result of poor material selection and can result in poor seal lip interface, softening of seal durometer, excessive swelling, or shrinkage. This type of erosion can be prevented by initially properly matching the seal material with the chemical involved in the hydraulic equipment. Depending on the type of lubrication, some materials will wear more together than others. CONTAMINATION Hydraulic system contamination is another way seals can fail. Outside elements, such as dirt, mud, or powder, can attach to the piston and dirty the hydraulic seal. One can easily identify seal breakdown due to contamination by scored rod and cylinder bore surfaces or excessive seal wear and/or leakage. Insuring clean and proper seal installation can prevent contamination. In order to have the best results with your hydraulic cylinder seals we recommend connecting with our Allegheny York team. They will be knowledgeable about what best fits your needs and how to prevent seal failure in the future.