C. Otto Gehrckens GmbH & Co. KG (COG), hosts its own O-ring Academy seminars for designers, engineers and users of fluid power seals.

First up is the compact seminar, “O-rings explained in detail” on March 30 at the company’s headquarters in Pinneberg, Germany (near Hamburg). In addition to learning how to properly use O-rings, and understand their testing and failure analysis, attendees will also learn:

• The task of a seal
• History of the O-ring
• Mode of action of O-rings
• Rubber and elastomers (recipe set-up)
• Materials and their application possibilities (e.g. FKM, NBR, EPDM)
• Treatment methods for O-rings (e.g., coating), advantages and disadvantages
• Manufacturing process of O-rings
• Physical properties (e.g. hardness DVR)
• Thermal properties
• Media resistance
• O-ring test methods
• Material approvals and approvals
• Standards (eg ISO 3601)
• Storage of O-rings
• Types of installation and operation of O-rings in piston, rod and flange sealing
• Cost composition and possibilities for cost reduction
• Product trends / prospects

Seminar Fee is € 490, plus taxes. Registration includes meals, documentation and the O-ring Academy Certificate of Participation.

A more intensive, two-day seminar, “Expert O-rings: Testing and failure analysis” will be held May 17 and 18. Day one of the seminar will cover:

• Function of an O-ring seal
• O-ring installation and operation
• Elastomer material customer
• Advantages and disadvantages of different elastomer sealing materials
• Application areas of various elastomer sealing materials
• Elastomer material testing
• O-ring test methods
• Damage analysis of elastomers gaskets including manufacturing and manufacturing errors

On day two, seminar leaders will cover:

• Practical exercise in damage analysis
• Error analysis with assignment to damage patterns
• Laboratory inspection including laboratory demonstrations and exercises
• Typical methods for measuring hardness and tear propagation resistance
• Control mechanisms for quality assurance
• Material approvals and approvals
• Standards (eg ISO 3601)
• Cost composition and possibilities for cost reduction
• Product trends / prospects

The cost for this seminar is € 750, plus taxes. It also includes meals, documentation and the O-ring Academy participation certificate.

C. Otto Gehrckens
www.cog.de