Virily Editor
It’s often the smallest piece of equipment that has the biggest impact on a machine’s operation. That can certainly be said of o-rings.
Often small and easy to overlook when they’re installed properly, o-rings serve a wide variety of functions. Never heard of them before? It might be easy to assume that they’re only used in manufacturing or on spacecraft where the general public will rarely come into contact with. But that isn’t the case.
O-rings are actually used in a wide variety of industries, and on many different kinds of machines. If you’re wondering where you might come into contact with o-rings each day, keep reading to learn a few products that you didn’t know were made with o-rings.
Fields Where O-Rings Are Commonly Used
O-rings are used in a wide variety of settings. Besides their use in heavy machinery, you might not realize that they are also commonly used in many other fields, including:
Medical Seals: O-rings are used in a variety of medical devices. Able to be properly sterilized and reliable, o-rings are used on ventilators, medical pumps, feeding devices and a variety of other types of equipment used in hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, medical research facilities and other medical spaces.
Automotive Seals: O-rings are also widely used in automotive settings. You’ll find them not only in use in vehicles but also in many of the machines that are used during production.
Lesser-Known Uses of O-Rings
The above fields aren’t the only places that o-rings are used. In fact, there are few industries and fields that don’t utilize o-rings in some way. Some of the lesser-known uses of o-rings occur in the following fields:
- Military
- Aerospace
- Telecommunications
- Water filters
- Industrial electronics
- Consumer electronics
Why Are O-Rings So Widely Used?
Depending on what they will be used for, o-rings can be custom-produced to stand up in nearly any type of condition. From extreme temperatures to extreme weather, contact with harsh chemicals, high-stress environments and more, o-rings are capable of being designed and used in nearly every application you can imagine.
However, not all o-rings are suitable for use in any application. Instead, high-quality, specially designed o-rings need to be produced for each application that they will be used in. This ensures that they can handle the conditions they will be subjected to, as well as hold up to the stress and pressure that they will undergo during regular use. An o-ring designed for use on a medical feeding device shouldn’t be expected to be suitable for use in a piece of heavy machinery.
Finding the Right O-Rings for Every Operation
O-rings are used in a wide variety of industries, and on many different types of machines. In fact, o-rings are likely involved in the use of many products that you use every day, even if you don’t realize it. But one thing that all o-rings have in common, regardless of where or how they’re used, is the importance of quality, durable products.
Finding quality o-rings, and building a solid supply chain that you can rely on, is essential. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself replacing your o-rings more frequently, and perhaps struggling to get replacements when you need them the most.
