WEAR RING

The wear ring is used to help maintain piston centering, thereby achieving uniform wear and pressure distribution on the sealing element. These seals are primarily applied in pistons and connecting rods.

For optimal performance, wear rings should be installed on the lubricated (wet) side of the seal. For rod seals, wear rings should be located on the pressure side of the rod seal. For pistons, if only one bearing is used, it should be positioned on the opposite side of the piston. This configuration keeps the wear ring of the piston away from the wear ring of the connecting rod. This becomes particularly important when the piston is fully extended, allowing better utilization of both bearing surfaces.

Commonly used materials include glass fiber-filled nylon, copper-filled polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and glass fiber-filled PTFE. Wear rings come in various styles such as flat-cut, angle-cut, and step-cut.

• "Flat-cut," also known as butt-cut rings, is one of the easiest styles to install in many applications. Flat-cut rings are best suited for rotary motion.

• "Angle-cut rings improve bearing stress at clearances. These rings are often more suitable for reciprocating motion."

• "Step-cut rings also improve bearing stress at clearances. However, they offer better performance against contamination and peak loads. This design provides optimal performance levels."

UK Seals' wear rings are suitable for heavy-duty applications operating under the highest temperatures and pressures, as well as pneumatic applications requiring low friction, long product life, and self-lubricating performance. The wear rings are available in metric and imperial sizes.

"Heavy-duty wear rings are typically provided in split form (for reciprocating/swinging applications, the split line is angled; for rotating applications, the split line is straight). If needed, running lengths can be provided. The BA type is the most widely used general-purpose wear ring."