Soft seal bulb material deforms to produce a seal around the perimeter of a door, window
or structure. Development engineers need a tool to confirm specifications, evaluate
candidate bulbs in target applications, and troubleshoot problems. I-Scan®
sensors are paper-thin,so they can be inserted into areas of interest, such as over a weld point that
affects contact between two surfaces. The sensors are flexible to roll around a simple
curve, such as a cylinder. On a test bench, as position is advanced, bulb deformation
occurs and contact area grows. The resulting seal pressures are vividly displayed on a
computer screen. Contact area and width across the intended seal is shown. The resulting
movie can be analyzed with I-Scan's powerful graphical tools, stored for future reference,
and exported to other applications. I-Scan is portable, so it can be taken into the field or
to assembly lines for on-site problem resolution.
In the study below, about the same total force is applied to two different door seals. The
3-D pressure display given by the I-Scan, with a 6300 sensor, shows a problem in Fig.1.
The valley in the middle indicates a weak spot in this seal, which represents a leakage path
for air or water. Compared to Fig. 2, which has lower peak pressure, and a more even
distribution, making it the more effective design.
Figure 1.
Figure 2.
Applications
Measure the ability of a bulb to seal over a weld point
Development of new bulb materials
Development of new bulb shapes
Design comparisons
Validation testing
Competitive benchmarking
Benefits
Document sealing pressure in engineering units
Troubleshoot air and water leaks
Confirm bulb meets design requirements
Typical sensors used in this application
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