When it comes to high-performance sealing applications, even the smallest imperfection can lead to system failure. A microscopic irregularity on a sealing surface can mean the difference between peak efficiency and costly downtime. That’s why precision isn’t just a priority at Ergoseal — it’s the foundation of everything we do.
We’ve expanded our design, engineering, and testing capabilities to push our commitment to precision even further by adding an onsite lapping room. This investment allows us to refine surface finishes to exceptionally tight tolerances, improving sealing performance, durability, and reliability across industries.
What Is Lapping and Why Does It Matter?
Lapping is a precision finishing process that creates extremely flat, smooth surfaces with tight tolerances. This process is essential for sealing applications, as it ensures that contact surfaces fit perfectly, reducing leakage, friction, and wear.
When a seal faces extreme pressure, temperature, or chemical exposure, even the smallest surface imperfections can lead to failure. Lapping eliminates these inconsistencies, ensuring a perfect surface finish that enhances performance and durability.
What is the Process?
Unlike traditional grinding or polishing, lapping is a low-speed, high-precision process that removes only microns of material at a time, ensuring a perfectly smooth, uniform surface.
The process typically involves:
- A lapping machine uses a rotating, flat surface (lapping plate) coated with an abrasive slurry to refine the material.
- A precision-engineered workpiece, such as a seal face or mating surface, requires a perfectly smooth, flat finish.
- A controlled abrasive slurry, made up of fine particles suspended in a liquid, which gradually removes surface imperfections.
While lapping machines handle the core process, expert technicians play a role in:
- Selecting the correct abrasive slurry and pressure to achieve the desired surface finish.
- Monitoring material removal and ensuring even wear across the entire sealing surface.
- Fine-tuning lapping techniques based on the specific material, component size, and final application requirements.
- Inspecting the finished components using advanced measurement tools to verify flatness and smoothness.
“For our purposes, we only lap mating faces which are made of various carbon steels and stainless steels along with the various carbon seal rings,” explains Niko Maheras, Manufacturing Engineer at Ergoseal, adding that uniform seal faces increase the performance and reliability of seals.
The Advantages of an Onsite Lapping Room
While many manufacturers outsource lapping, bringing this capability in-house offers significant advantages:
- Greater Precision & Quality Control – Every step of the process is managed internally, ensuring uniformity and accuracy in each seal component.
- Faster Turnaround Times – No delays from outsourcing means we can test, refine, and deliver solutions faster.
- Enhanced R&D and Customization – Engineers can make real-time adjustments, optimizing lapping techniques to meet the exact needs of each project.
- Cost Efficiency – Eliminating third-party services reduces costs while improving quality, benefiting both our production team and our customers.
- Stronger Reliability & Performance Testing – In-house validation ensures that every product meets stringent performance and durability standards.
Further, having a dedicated space for this process means Ergoseal staff has complete control over the process, including:
- Contamination Control – Lapping requires extreme precision, and even small particles of dust, dirt, or debris can interfere with the process. A separate, enclosed space ensures a clean, controlled environment, preventing contaminants from affecting surface finishes.
- Consistent Process Conditions – Temperature, humidity, and air quality can all impact lapping accuracy. A designated lapping room allows for better climate control, ensuring uniform results across all components.
- Specialized Equipment Setup – By centralizing lapping machines, abrasive slurries, and measurement tools in one location, technicians can work more efficiently and maintain consistent process parameters.
- Enhanced Quality Inspection – A lapping room is typically equipped with high-precision measurement tools, such as optical flat interferometers, allowing immediate verification of surface finishes and flatness before components move to the next production stage.
- Workflow Optimization – With a dedicated space, Ergoseal can integrate lapping seamlessly into the manufacturing process, reducing bottlenecks and improving turnaround times.
What This Means for Our Customers
For our customers, this means:
- Tighter tolerances and superior sealing performance
- Faster development cycles and shorter lead times
- Increased reliability in demanding applications
- Lowered risk of uneven wear
- Increased contact between mating faces, minimizing leaks
- More consistent wear tracks, increasing seal longevity
- Enhanced customization for unique engineering challenges
“This lapping room allows us to do internal tribology testing, minimizing the lead times when dealing with lapping vendors. This allows us to test different flatness and finishes quickly,” Maheras notes.
Commitment to Innovation & Excellence
At Ergoseal, innovation never stops. By expanding our in-house capabilities, we are streamlining production, improving quality, and driving new advancements in sealing technology.
Want to learn more about how our precision manufacturing capabilities can enhance your sealing applications? Get in touch with our team today.