Stockwell Elastomerics is more than just a gasket fabricator and molding operation – it’s a team of is a team of problem solvers with 15 customer facing engineers and more than 60 technical manufacturing associates at its Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA manufacturing facility. When collaborating with Stockwell Elastomerics on projects, customers get expert assistance with gasket and seal design as well as material selection. Stockwell Elastomerics also provides design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA) assistance. Stockwell Elastomerics is ready to support customer projects with testing and troubleshooting from its ISO 9001:2015-certified facility.
Seal Design and Material Selection
Seal and gasket design cover considerations ranging from the size of the gap to the shape of the gasket to the application environment, including pressure and deflection. Material selection is an important part of this process, which is why Stockwell Elastomerics can suggest the right elastomers in the right durometers and with the specific properties, such as chemical resistance, that you need. During compound selection, Application Engineers also help customers compare elastomers, including silicone sponge, silicone foam and solid silicone rubber. From silicones and fluorosilicones to polyurethanes and specialty elastomers, Stockwell Elastomerics has the materials and expertise.
Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
Stockwell Elastomerics also provides design for manufacturing (DFM) advice that optimizes seal design to produce parts efficiently and with precision. By partnering with Stockwell Elastomerics during the product design and development process, customers can avoid potential pitfalls before tooling is fabricated. Die cutting and molding services utilize custom designed quality tools. Waterjet and precision knife cutting are also used – tool-less processes that are ideal for prototypes and lower production volumes. With DFM, the parts are nested on sheet materials to maximize material yields during production.
Design for Assembly (DFA)
DFM from Stockwell Elastomerics includes design for assembly (DFA), which minimizes the number of assembly steps and simplifies installation. Because components like seals and gaskets are installed within housings, Stockwell Elastomerics problem solvers do more than just ensure that parts will fit inside their enclosures. Parts that are difficult or time consuming to install can cost time and money, so using an adhesive backing instead of metal fasteners may be suggested. Also as part of DFA, how parts are presented to personnel or equipment for assembly will be considered.
Testing
Testing promotes quality conformance and product performance. Because Stockwell Elastomerics can laminate varied materials together, it’s important to be able to test both the individual layers and the composite material for compression, deflection, sealability, and peel strength. These are all things Stockwell Elastomerics can do in-house testing and provide detailed test results, making it easier to qualify and validate designs or materials.
Troubleshooting
Because Stockwell Elastomerics is not just a gasket fabricator, the company does not exclusively build to specification, although that can be done as well. In most cases, Applications Engineers ask questions about the design to ensure that the parts are made of the right materials, produced efficiently to required standards, and assembled intelligently. In addition to considering how to position and then install seals, more assistance can be provided through troubleshooting and design iterations as needed. Whether a customer is creating a new design or improving on an existing one, Stockwell Elastomerics has the problem solving capabilities and staff that can improve and add value to the process.
Contact Stockwell Elastomerics for Problem Solving
Contact Us for problem solving assistance and technical expertise for sealing design, material selection, and manufacturing assistance.
