Precision Polymer Engineering

Precision Polymer Engineering (PPE) is an industry-leading provider of high performance O-rings, technical mouldings and sealing solutions for a broad range of industries. We design, develop and manufacture rubber seals, gaskets and other components with unique elastomer materials for mission critical sealing applications, including extreme temperatures and aggressive chemical environments. PPE, based in Blackburn, serves the semiconductor fabrication industry, oil and gas industries, food and pharmaceutical production, chemical processing, large-bore diesel engine manufacturing, and the aerospace industry.

We also offer a bespoke development service: our seal design experts can work with you to identify the best materials and develop a bespoke sealing solution for your specific manufacturing and processing needs. We can also mould rubber seals and gaskets in various sizes for any sealing application and manufacture them within 48 hours. Our rubber products perform under pressure, last for an impressively long time, and require less maintenance than other rubber products – thus reducing the cost of ownership.

Founded in 1975, and now a unit of IDEX Corporation, PPE has sales offices and dealers in the United States, Europe and Asia. And we are proud to offer exceptionally high levels of customer service and technical support.

Rubber O-ring Seals - O'rings

We manufacture and supply fully moulded rubber O-rings, fabricated using Computer Numeric Control (CNC) processes, with outer diameters ranging from 1.5mm to 2.5 metres. We can produce O-rings at volume or in small quantities. Our standard O-rings are moulded to BS1806, BS4518, AS568 and ISO3601 size specifications; non-standard rings can be designed and produced for quick order fulfillments. We have wide a range of elastomer materials, suitable for high temperature, high pressure, aggressive chemicals, and other needs. We also offer O-rings built to regulator specifications for food and pharmaceutical production. And we supply backup rings for high pressure contexts.

Custom Molded Rubber Sealing Components

PPE specialises in custom-moulded rubber sealing components for any application context and need. Solving problems is central to the our mission and we pride ourselves on being able to offer customers bespoke rubber sealing solutions. We use cutting-edge elastomer materials and fabrication techniques – and thanks to our years of expertise we can produce moulded rubber fittings to meet your requirements. We work with you to produce sealing solutions that have long life-cycles, require less maintenance, and have a lower cost of ownership for you. Our design systems use CAD software and 3D modelling to simulate and test designs before production. ANd we are design-certified to ISO 9001:2000.

X-rings & D-rings

X-rings offer an alternative to O-rings – they are often used where the rubber seal needs to function under lower pressure and temperature conditions but with a high-efficiency seal. X-rings can be fitted into your current O-ring grooves; we supply X-rings to match your O-ring groove sizing, whether the measurements are standard or custom. D-rings, meanwhile, offer another option to the standard O-ring – they can be applied to both low and high pressure contexts and across a wide temperature range. D-rings can also be retrofitted to your O-ring grooves. Our X-rings and D-rings are fabricated with the latest elastomers and can be used in challenging or sensitive environments.

T-seals & L-seals

Our T-seals are ideal for reciprocating or static dynamic applications. T-seals can be fitted to your current O-ring grooves, in piston or rod orientations, or other custom needs. T-seals are a made from a T-shaped cross section is elastomer, fitted with two backup rings in a high performance plastic, and they can be used in high pressure applications while keeping a high sealing efficiency at lower pressures. Installing a T-seal is a simple job thanks to its symmetrical geometry. Our L-seals are a cost efficient alternative to T-seals – still including a precision-made elastomer cross section, with a single plastic backup ring – in applications where high gland fill may be a concern.

Door seals & slit valve gates

PPE offers solutions to maximise the integrity of your seals, and the life expectancy of your bonded and non-bonded slit valve gates, with our Perlast® seals. Perlast® gates use extremely pure translucent perfluoroelastomers that avoid inorganic metal oxides, and silicas, as filler systems. And our custom-moulded O-rings, conforming to the path of a rectangular groove, extend the life of your seals. We can optimise your grooves to handle seals with circular cross sections; or we can fit solutions to your hardware. And in new applications our engineers provide expert design solutions for actuating and controlling the door to prevent leaks and extending the life of your seals.

Cap seals

Our cap seals provide a low friction seal for dynamic reciprocating applications. A plastic cap seals against the dynamic face; an O-ring operates in a static environment and is used to energise the plastic cap. The O-ring also increases the force of the seal. And the cap prevents extrusion of the O-ring in high pressure contexts. Our plastic caps are made from low-friction materials. Liquid media can offer lubrication in low pressure situations. PPE offers two cap seals: Heavy duty caps with thicker cross sections suitable for pressure up to 40MPa, but require a non-standard rove fitting; and a low profile cap for and suitable for O-ring grooves.

Energised lip seals

Energised lip seals offer a flexible sealing solution for uni-directional pressure applications, in static or reciprocating dynamic conditions. These lip seals are symmetric through the cross section and can be used in either rod or piston grooves. Backup rings can be used with energised lip seals to provide further resistance to possible extrusion. Our energised lip seals are made of a high modulus elastomer (or high grade engineering plastic) jacket, and a low modulus elastomer O-ring energiser; this combination allows the lip seals to be used in low and high pressure applications. Our lip seals can be provided in multiple profiles with qualities determined by your needs.

Packers

PPE supplies a range of performance elastomers for application in down-hole packer contexts. These packers have excellent chemical compatibility, can resist high temperatures, and have the capacity for high pressures; these features allow the packer to deform to necessary levels and handle expansion while preventing extrusion at high pressures. We use a wide variety of pre-forms, porous tooling and high force presses to guard against voids inside the elastomer. Our product support teams can help you specify your perfluoroelastomer packer needs.