When choosing a seal for your electric motors, there are many options on the market. Finding the right electric motor shaft seal is critical to ensure your customers are happy and that your vehicles fit their needs. Keep reading to discover how to choose the right seal for your electric motors, so that you can offer consumers the best product possible with minimal issues in the future.
The Sealing Requirements for Electric Motors
When compared to the typical combustion engine, you’ll find that electric motors have very different sealing requirements. Thanks to the new technology that’s on offer today, you’ll find there are various applications to consider when choosing the right seal for your vehicle. Of course, there are many advantages to using an electric motor over internal combustion engines, including the reduction in moving parts and minimal friction points. You won’t have to worry about internal lubrication, thanks to the lack of pressurised and circulating oil.
In general, you need to think about the dry running capability when it comes to your electric motor needs. The electric motor shaft seal needs to be able to run in an outdoors or dirty environment, so it will need to protect the vehicle from dust and debris. You also need to consider the fact that water and other lubricants from the systems can get into the motor, which can destroy the operation of the motor. Some production motors can run at up to 18,000 rpm, which is more than three times the speed of typical gas engines. You’ll also find that some smaller motors can go even faster, which is a testament to how far this technology has come in recent years.
When it comes to choosing the right motor seal, you need to ensure it will be able to survive at a high running speed and offer a good lifespan. This will minimise the chance of issues for your customers, which can often occur simply due to sealing faults. All the parts that go around and into your electric motor seal make a huge difference to the quality of the final product, which is why choosing the right gasket or seal is critical for your business.
Low Friction Electric Motor Seals
Another consideration for the sealed motor is that you need to ensure it can run at low friction. Many motor seals create a drag, which is never good for the efficiency of the motor. However, you need to ensure you can minimise the frictional loss to the best of your ability. When you have an electric car or another battery-powered vehicle, you’ll find that efficiency is reduced when there is friction created with the seal. When the motor has to work harder, it will use more energy to push the vehicle forward, as more of the battery is also required.
When discussing seals and electric cars, you’ll find that the biggest issue for consumers today is the length of charge for the battery. With competition increasing in this field, it’s critical that manufacturers strive to offer the best product possible to consumers. When the range can be extended, it’s a huge selling point for potential customers. By choosing the right motor seal, you can reduce the friction, making for a much more effective driving experience for anyone who purchases from your company. By focusing on reducing inefficiency losses, you can ensure that the range is at the highest possible for the type of product you are offering.
In the automotive industry, you’ll find that motor seals for low friction are required within automation and precision robotics. Due to the limited space on offer, we often find that the motor size is limited in this field. A good example of this would be a robotic arm, which needs to be lightweight and physically small. You’ll need to find smooth and consistent motors that offer dynamic motion, which can support the fast and precise movements these types of motors need. We generally recommend avoiding rubber and elastomeric seals for this type of motor, as they can increase the jerkiness of the movement, which is something you should be looking to avoid with any type of motor.
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to choosing the right seal for your electric motors. We highly recommend taking the time to find the right option for your vehicles or applications, so that you minimise the issues involved with this type of seal. Our team will be happy to advise you about the best option for your unique needs and will support you during your work in the future. Contact us today for more information about choosing the right seal for electric motors and to discuss any questions you have about this topic.
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