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MPRC featured in Sept 22′ Edition of Energy Business Review Magazine

How working with MPRC, (an ISO-9001 and AAR M-1003 Certified Manufacturer,) benefits you- our customer.

Here’s a great article highlighting the reasons to work with a manufacturer who is ISO Certified.  Master Packing & Rubber Company (MPRC) is not only ISO-9001 Certified, but AAR M-1003 Certified as well.  What does this mean for you, the customer?  Assurance.  You can rest assured that as a gasket manufacturer, MPRC will work to continuously improve upon our processes, attacking any problems that may arise to ensure they do not happen again.  Ultimately, the goal is to make our organization better, more accountable, and provide the best possible service to our customers.

https://www.mcl.bz/blog/reasons-to-work-with-an-iso-certified-supplier

Thinking “outside the box” to provide innovative sealing solutions: The fully-molded “Ladder Gasket” from MPRC.

                             The “Ladder Gasket” from MPRC

Master Packing & Rubber Company (MPRC) takes great pride in “thinking outside the box” to do whatever it takes to assist our customers, and we never shy away from challenging or problem applications that many suppliers turn down.

One example of a solution we provided our customer is a fully-molded “Ladder gasket,” which goes inside a large rotating drum.  The previous OEM version was not only failing after limited use, but the lead time to acquire a new seal was excessive.  This made the overall replacement cost and down-time while waiting for new parts a losing effort.

MPRC was able to fully-mold this gasket in house thanks to our customer sending us the actual drum that the gasket fits in to ensure a precision fit, resulting in proper sealing.  In addition, MPRC determined the best material needed for the application based on temperature, pressure, rotation, and media the material seals against.  The result:  an improved seal that exceeds OEM standards, improves service life, and provides a cost savings to the customer with drastically improved lead times.

The MPRC “Ladder Gasket” is just one example of the many custom molded seals that MPRC offers our customers.  Contact us at 800-397-3429 to see how we can assist you with your application!

Industrial News: Reflecting on a great 2022 FEW Show

A look back at the 2022 Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW) in Minneapolis, MN

MPRC recently attended the Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW) in Minneapolis, MN.  As a leader in innovative seal technology, the goal of exhibiting at this year’s show was for MPRC to continue to increase awareness of our current presence in the Industrial and Ethanol Industry, and showcase how we serve both the producers and equipment manufacturers of these industries.

This was the first time that MPRC exhibited at this particular event, and we are thrilled with the response and turnout we had at our booth.  We take great pride in working with the individuals in this unique, hard-working industry, and are proud to assist them and help keep them running.

FUN FACTS:  There are nearly 200 Ethanol Plants (195 to be exact at this time) across the United States. MPRC proudly serves well over half of the Top 10 largest Ethanol facilities with Industrial and fluid sealing components.

P.S.:  To show his loyalty and appreciation for this Industry, Dave brought home a Trackmobile to drive back and forth to work!  (We’re kidding of course, but it’s a fun picture! :)

MPRC Team Member Spotlight: Patrick (Pat) Silvey- VP of Technical Service & Sales

Patrick (Pat) Silvey

VP of Technical Service & Sales

Joined Master Packing, 2017

Not only is Pat a valuable asset to us here at MPRC in his role as VP of Technical Service and Sales at MPRC, but he can hold the beat down and lay down some serious notes on the skins too. Pat’s been a drummer for years, and best describes himself as “A musician that’s dedicated all percussive efforts to guiding many secondary instrumentalists like guitar and bass players to sound better. Maybe a singer or two — although I have great respect for piano players, they are at the top of the heap of secondary instrumentalists. Needless to say, drums rule!”

Pat started his diesel engine career in the 1970s working within the rail and marine industry. Much of his mechanical knowledge has been gained through hands-on experiences that have enabled him to understand the mechanical complexities that port engineers and chief mechanical officers face on a daily basis.

Through the years, Pat has done an incredible job assisting customers in acquiring parts best suited for their applications. MPRC can assure you that if you’ve called us for assistance in obtaining a correct part number or need reassurance that what you are purchasing is the correct part for the engine application, Pat has most certainly had something to do with providing that service.

Pat is an absolute joy to work with, and we joke internally that he’s our “resident mechanic.” And although the truth is he wasn’t one “officially,” you’d never know otherwise. Pat set himself apart from the pack by paying close attention to the real field and service mechanics that he assisted in engine rebuilding and problem-solving. This close attention to detail has translated beautifully into a very technical sales role that is tremendously valuable to the team at MPRC and how we serve our customers as fluid sealing specialists.

Railroad

Marine

MPRC’s Bio-Fuel “science project!”

MPRC Bio-Fuel Test

To cover our recent test and findings, we need to briefly identify what a Bio-Fuel is:

Bio-Fuels- unlike other renewable energy sources, come from biomass such as plant or animal waste.  A Bio-Fuel comes from the conversion of this waste into a liquid fuel, used to meet transportation fuel needs. There are two common types of Bio-Fuels:  Ethanol and Bio-Diesel.

Ethanol: A Bio-fuel as it is normally made from corn, although sugar cane is also used, mostly in South America.  Blended with gasoline, it increases octane and cuts down carbon monoxide and other smog-causing emissions.

Bio-Diesel: Combined with alcohol, it is a liquid fuel produced from renewable sources such as new and used vegetable oils and animal fats or cooking grease, and is a cleaner-burning replacement for petroleum-based diesel fuel.  It’s also non-toxic and biodegradable, and is a cleaner-burning fuel than diesel, eliminating much of the particulate matter that goes out of the exhaust including hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and others. Bio-fuels also give a cleaner burn over regular gas, although they do emit about the same amount of CO2 as gas.

Simply put- you can’t use just any O-ring or rubber material when it comes to Bio-Fuels.  For example, the aggressive, contaminated Bio-fuel attacks hydrocarbon rubbers such as nitrile rubber, widely used in fuel handling hose, gaskets, and seals. MPRC recommends selecting a Viton Fluoro-Hydrocarbon Elastomer (FKM) for Bio-Fuel service. Of all the testing of various Viton compounds in Bio-Fuels, results have shown that Viton has excellent compatibility with Bio-Diesel (both fresh and contaminated), and has a high resistance to permeation and chemical attack by alcohol, pure ethanol, and blends of ethanol with hydrocarbon fuel.

Just the other day, the team at MPRC was discussing Bio-Fuels and the effect that Bio-Fuels have on Elastomers. Then I remembered something really neat that we did years ago, that I hoped was still around- somewhere. Much to my surprise, it was!

In 2008, we started a test on some O-rings and grommets designed and formulated in our yellow Viton “B” compound. We had acquired some Bio-Diesel from a local company that is unfortunately no longer in business, but they used to offer classes on how to produce Bio-Diesel and even sold equipment to do so.

We decided to place two of our head gasket grommets and a few O-rings into the Bio-Diesel and let it sit- and that we did. I had for the most part forgotten about this, but our discussion earlier this week made me remember.  Finally, after sitting in a jar for that long, it was time to remove the items and see how they measured up against the Bio-Diesel.

I don’t know a whole lot of products these days that can say they’ve held up to something like a Bio-Diesel for 14 years- but ours did!

Here are our specific findings:

After removing each item from the Bio-Diesel jar, we carefully inspected and checked the dimensional tolerances.  MPRC carefully checked the inner and outer diameter of each item in addition to the overall hardness of each material. To our surprise, ALL of the items remained well within the proper dimensional tolerance/spec.   Not only that, but on a few of the items, you can still see the “MPRC” that is raised and embossed into the molded ring very clearly and without any distortion. NOTE: There is a small chunk taken out of the more faded yellow grommet. This is not due to anything relating to Bio-Diesel.  MPRC removed a small piece of the grommet to send for testing and lab analysis on the original compound.

Call us hoarders of our precious little Bio-Diesel container, but we like to think of ourselves as brilliant scientists who have made an incredible breakthrough. We’re kidding, of course. We think we do a pretty good job of being fluid sealing specialists, however, and doing fun little science experiments like this to see how our products hold up is a lot of fun. Call us today and see how we can assist you with your fluid sealing needs!

800-397-3429

sales@mprcseals.com

**References: “Biofuel Basics”– Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, Bioenergy Technologies Office**

“Set it and forget it!” with MPRC’s Flex-Tex High-Performance Flange Sealant!

Have you ever found yourself in a bind where you need something to seal a door, a flange, or anything quickly- but don’t have time to wait for trim seal, extrusion, or cut gasket? It happens. Maybe you’ve found yourself thinking, “I sure wish there was something I had in my toolbox or on my storeroom shelf that I could always have on hand to seal what’s needed.” Well, there’s good news: MPRC has just what you need! 

Make no mistake: MPRC is serious about QUALITY. We only stand behind the very best materials. It’s what our customers have come to expect and what we expect of ourselves. We are proud to offer this Premium Flange Sealant made in the USA! 

Flex-Tex comes in a variety of sizes in a quick and easy-to-use spool. It’s got a “sticky-back” that allows it to be applied easily to your working surface. Are you working in an environment where your seal needs to be FDA compliant, handle most common chemicals, and withstand higher temps than standard rubber materials? Is the surface you’re working with rough, pitted, scratched, or damaged? Need a door seal or a material that will compress and seal like a champ? Set it and forget it!- Flex-Tex has you covered!

MPRC’s Flex-Tex is THE “Go-to Sealant” for emergencies and unexpected shut-downs. It should be part of every Maintenance Technician’s toolbox, storage bin, or warehouse. We’ve got the sizing you need- in stock and ready to ship. Call us today at 800-397-3429 or email our sales team at: sales@mprcseals.com to help you stay ahead of the game! 

*For more technical data regarding our Flex-Tex material, please visit*: https://www.mprcseals.com/products/expanded-ptfe/

Mechanical Seals vs. Mechanical Packing — Which Sealing Method Works Best?

Seals are a simple method of preventing fluid from escaping a vessel. Equipment like centrifugal pumps rely on seals to contain large volumes of pressurized fluid. There are two types of seals: the traditional pump packing known as mechanical packing or gland packing and the more modern mechanical seal. Mechanical packings rely on a rope-like packing, cut into rings, that wraps around the shaft of a pump to fill the voids and throttle or control the fluid from leaking.

Mechanical seals are often preferred when leakage is unacceptable, such as applications involving hazardous materials. Their durable construction can withstand more wear and tear than mechanical packing without leaking. We will explain how pump sealing works and describe the differences between pump packing versus mechanical seals to help you determine the best solution for your application.

Mechanical Pump Sealing Explained

Mechanical seals consist of three sealing components: rotating, stationary, and secondary seals. The seals prevent leaks from the circumferential gap between the shaft and other pump components. The rotating and stationary seals are lapped flat to keep fluid and gas from escaping. The rotating primary sealing element, fastened to the shaft, seals against the primary stationary sealing element, normally fastened to the gland.

Secondary seals are usually mounted between the stationary unit and the pump housing, and between the rotating unit and the pump shaft or sleeve. These are static seals, normally O-rings, PTFE wedges, or V-rings, and prevent leakage through these elements.

The rotating and stationary primary seals are the most vital sealing points. The faces of the mechanical seals press together with the force of a spring. In some cases, mechanical seals can also come as hydraulically balanced, in which case the fluid takes over from spring pressure to keep faces together while the pump is running. To make the mating surface as flat as possible, surfaces are lapped flat and machinists use high-precision light-band optical flats to ensure accuracy.

Choosing Between Mechanical Pump Packing vs. Mechanical Seals

Pump packing and mechanical seals each provide benefits depending on the application. Mechanical seals offer the following advantages:

• Reliability & Reduced Downtime: Long-term reliability and less downtime deliver a better return on investment.
• Protect Fluid Products From Leakage: Eliminates leaking common in packing. Leakage from packing is common compared to mechanical seals and can waste significant product.
• Low Maintenance: A lower risk of leakage reduces the need for time-consuming cleanup and adjustment compared to the glands in pump packing.
• Less Frequent Access to Stuffing Box: It is unnecessary to access the stuffing box for adjustment or replacement of the packing gland.
• Eliminates Sleeve Wear: Reliability of the seals eliminates frequent maintenance and removal of the sleeve that can result in costly sleeve replacement.

Pump packing offers the following advantages:

• Inexpensive: The initial cost of packing is lower than mechanical seals.
• Quick Installation: There is no need to decouple the driveshaft when installing packing rings, as with mechanical seals.
• Less Dependence on Equipment Condition: Mechanical seals often require excellent equipment conditions to be installed correctly.
• Misalignment and Axial/Radial Movement: Packing can tolerate misalignment and axial or radial movements more readily than mechanical seals.
• Flexible and Accommodating: Packing simplifies maintenance procedures and can reduce expensive parts inventory.

Seals We Offer

At MPRC Seals, we offer a range of sealing solutions. Our seals include:

• Outside Seals: A seal mounted outside the seal chamber boundaries.
• Bellows: A metal tube with an accordion function with little friction and no leaks.
• Cartridge Seals: Combines seal components, gland, and shaft sleeve into a single cartridge. They facilitate normally easier installation with preset face loading and quicker removal from pump shafts.
• Single: Two seal faces made from a hard and soft material for the rotating and stationary face.
• Double Seals: Eliminates fluid and gas leakage to deliver the highest safety levels, normally set up with a flush.
• Tandem Seals: Mounts an additional sealing chamber to the shaft seal to prevent evaporation and leakage.

Rely on MPRC Seals

At MPRC Seals, we have been delivering reliable seals since 1982. We find solutions to the most difficult sealing issues for customers in a range of industries. To learn more about our customer-focused sealing solutions, request a quote today.

Hello From Robb

With our new website on it’s way up, we have decided to join the world of “blogging” and updating on “social media” to provide more information on our products, our beliefs and where we think we are heading.

What initially started out as a one man rep agency on the “south-side” of Chicago calling on the refineries and steel mills, has developed in to a manufacturing business, now located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Starting out in 1982 and after some years of great struggle, we now sell worldwide into several markets, most notably the rail and marine engine rebuild and maintenance business. Today that represents about 60% of our business. The balance is in the maintenance business across a number of industries, predominately in the broader Midwest of the United States.

With so many competitors in the fluid sealing market, we decided to create and develop our own brand name and products, and to look constantly for that next best material and / or process to always provide greater products and superior service for our customers.

Today, we operate a number of computer controlled cutting tables so that we can, and do, deliver finished cut gaskets within less than 20 minutes to local customers, where down-time is critical and parts must be at their plant. We maintain a large diverse inventory of materials, from beater-add roll stock to high end PTFE and pure graphite sheet, all in a range of thicknesses.

Years ago we started our own rubber molding department, and now with presses from 8” to 24” capacity, including vacuum injection equipment, we are molding parts that we had previously purchased from overseas sources. We are proud to be bringing jobs back to our great country, especially to be able to control our quality and output.

We are also very proud of our entire team who consistently come through for our customers, to get orders entered, produced accurately through our quality program and shipped out the door for on time deliveries. And our MPRCseals.com Team is ready to perform for you. Give us a call and let us know how we might be able to work with you.

Materials by the ASTM Specs

Materials and Understanding Choices through the ASTM Tests

So many good competitors…so many good materials. It adds to the dilemma in picking who to work with and even more importantly, what to work with, when picking designs and materials for seals. I use the term “seals” broadly here to include all types of seals; die-formed packing rings, cut gaskets, o-rings, hydraulic packing, you name it…all are seals.

I remember, when in the mid-70’s, two really exciting new materials hit the market. Expanded PTFE and exfoliated graphite. These products changed the fluid sealing industry in many ways, and yet, there are still a lot of people who resist them even today, more for lack of understand them and their potential to eliminate sealing problems.

Some companies, including us, to some degree, promote gasket materials that have great “crush resistance” under heavy loads and higher temperatures. A valid point as we have seen applications where mechanical or virgin grade PTFE gaskets as an example, have extruded or cold-flowed under constant load and temperature over a period of time, leading to leaking and eventual re-torque until the gasket totally fails and needs to be replaced. A material with high “crush resistance”, creeps, or cold-flows only slightly, having high torque retention and requiring less maintenance time. But there are many other qualities in materials to consider. Crush resistance, while important for torque retention, is not the only property to consider.

The new expanded PTFE materials are interesting because they resist creep / cold-flow much better and are also engineered with different types of fillers to take even greater loads, having higher torque retention and again, reducing maintenance time. Exfoliated graphite gaskets, when installed, will compress more, but when under operating load and temperature, resists creep / cold-flow extremely well and requires little maintenance time because of very high torque retention. But if you only looked at crush resistance as a qualifier, you would have to omit both of these materials.

All of this becomes important when trying to decide on a material of choice for the application you may be working on. I don’t want to be pushing material at this point but rather some of the terms that we like to promote, to help the decision maker better understand what is important in making the choice. I believe you will find these helpful. They are not all of the tests, but these are key in trying to make a decision. Comments – questions??? Let me know.

STANDARDIZATION OF PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

SEALABILITY

Sealability is measured according to the ASTM F37 specifications. It is an indication of the materials sealing ability under a set of conditions; a seating stress of 2000 psi is imposed through the flanges on the material sealing iso-octane at an internal pressure of 14.7 psi. The test is done at ambient temperature and the number shown is the amount of leakage in milliliters per hour. A lower number would generally indicate a better material.

COMPRESSIBILITY

Compressibility is measured according to the ASTM F36A specification. A load of 5,000 psi is imposed on the material and the loss of thickness is measured and expressed as a percentage of the original height. The compressibility of a material indicates, to a degree, its ability to fill flange scratches, nicks or voids and to flow or move to assist in sealing misaligned or warped flanges. In general, the higher the number, the easier it is to seat the material.

RECOVERY

Recovery is also tested under the ASTM F36A specification. Recovery is the measured rebound or increase in thickness from the compressed measurement once the load is removed. It is written as a percentage of increase over the compressed measurement and indicates the ability of the material to resist temperature and pressure. The higher the number, the better the material is at holding torque.

CREEP RELAXATION

Creep relaxation, also referred to as Torque Retention, is measured according to the ASTM F38 specification and indicates the materials ability to hold stress or bolt load over a period of time. It is expressed as a percentage of the original load and shows the amount of lost stress from that load. A lower number indicates a more stable material retaining torque and resisting leakage.

TENSILE STRENGTH

Tensile strength is measured under ASTM F152 and is given in pounds per square inch. It is the total force required to pull the material apart and is not related to the sealing function of the material. It relates more to the manufacturing process.