33.

Friction optimization on hydraulic piston rod seals

Thomas Papatheodorou
Parker Hannifin GmbH Prdifa Packing-Division
Arnold-Jger-Str. 1, D-74321 Bietigheim-Bissingen

Walter Igers
Parker Hannifin GmbH Prdifa Packing-Division
Arnold-Jger-Str. 1, D-74321 Bietigheim-Bissingen

furthermore the reason for seal noises, like squeaking

and groans, which will result into a formidable noise
exposure for the environment.

ABSTRACT
Everywhere, where high forces have to be transmitted
and linear movements have to be performed, the use of
hydraulic cylinders is a common praxis. In this case the
so called characteristics of convenience are getting
more and more important for the operators of modern
hydraulic systems. In first line the friction performance of
rod and piston seals has to be stated. High friction forces
will cause a higher use of energy connected with a
worse degree of efficiency. High friction can create also
a higher wear on the used seals and this will result into a
significant reduction in life time of the hydraulic system.

Due to this reason nearly all seal suppliers were more

and more involved into new product developments to
full-fill the requirements of the producers of hydraulic
cylinders and their end customers in development of
friction optimized sealing solutions. The focus of the
product developments is mainly addressed to the
development of new piston rod seal designs, where
critical lubrication boundary conditions can occur and
where high requirements regarding leakage free
applications exist.

INTRODUCTION
BASICS
Friction and wear of rod seals and rod sealing systems
have a significant influence on efficiency and life time of
a hydraulic cylinder or hydraulic system. As long as
sufficiently high hydraulic power of the pump is available,
the influence of seal friction will be of minor importance
regarding the effectiveness of the hydraulic system. In
this case, the primary task of the seals and scrapers
installed in a hydraulic cylinder is to prevent leakage and
the prevention of intrusion of dirt into the hydraulic
cylinder system.

Depending on the areal dimensions different tribological

effects can be distinguished. These parameters are as
follows:

In many applications, though, this type of functional

performance is no longer sufficient. Particularly with
regard to positioning accuracy in cylinder applications or
defined control behavior with small hysteresis, the
friction behavior of a hydraulic rod seal can be of crucial
importance. In this case, not only the absolute friction
level is of interest but also the sealing behavior in terms
of stick-slip, with the total friction band width depending
on such conditions as pressure, velocity, temperature
and mating rod surface. A too high sticking friction and
also a too high sliding friction will have a negative impact
on the wear behavior of the used seals within a hydraulic
cylinder and can result into stick-slip effects or into
undesirable too high break-off friction after longer still
stand periods, for example over a longer weekend. This
effect is also known as so called Monday morning
effect. Inappropriate friction characteristics are

Surface effects
Tribomutations
Material effects
Fluid effects and
Construction

All these parameters as shown in the illustration below

have a significant influence on the behavior of the
sealing partners from the nm to the mm scale range
and are important in terms of friction, wear and abrasion
on the mating contact partners. Figure 1 shows the
major influences surface and lubrication - on the
tribological system seal.
The nm scale at the upper end of the pyramid shows
the atomic boundary of the seal body as it will be
characterized by effects of the surface physics. The next
level shows the effects of tribomutation in the scale of
nm to m. Here the changes on the seal surface in
the contact area can be considered, which occur during
the use of the seal by the generated friction forces and
therefore the temperature generation between seal
surface and piston rod surface. In the last level at the

833

ground of the pyramid the friction behavior of the sealing

material will be defined depending on the composition of
the rubber compound and the processing of the material,
the structural design of the seal with the values pressure
activation, pre-stress and tolerances. Parallel the
lubrication characteristics of the used fluid are of
importance at this level of pyramid.
The significance of the rod surface treatment is shown in
the centre part of the pyramid. The rod surface can be
described by surface texture parameters, like mean
roughness, roughness depth and material ratio.

Figure 2
Seal design with multiple sealing edges
as oil lubrication reservoir

Figure 1
Pyramid of influences on the sealing
systems with seal design lubrication and counter
surface

CONCEPTS / STATE OF THE ART TECHNICS

Figure 3
channels

Together with standard U-cups of rubber and

thermoplastic materials most seal suppliers offer also
some friction optimized seal designs to the Customers.
These seal designs are developed to optimize the
lubrication in the sealing gap. On the market there are Ucups available with multiple sealing edges (Figure 2),
which have the function of retaining lubrication oil
between the sealing lips or designs with so called backpumping channels (Figure 3), which should result into a
better lubrication of the seal during the in-stroke of the
piston rod.

Seal

design

with

back-pumping

As alternative to U-cups, there are also PTFE piston rod

seals, based on filled PTFE compounds on the market,
which were also defined as low friction seals. This is
right in new condition of the seals, but with increasing life
time and therefore increasing smoothness of the seal
surface in the contact area after a certain run-in period,
the friction force increase partially dramatically, special
when high pressures and temperatures were applied to
the seals.

Additional there are seal designs available, where the

sealing area behind the sealing edge has a specific
pattern (Figure 4), which should also result into a better
lubrication behavior of the seal and into a significant
reduction of friction forces.

Compared to normal U-cups the sealing edge of a PTFE

seal is also rounded faster, which has a direct input on
the generation of the out-stroke lubrication film.

All standard U-cup designs have the similar behavior,

that the seal surface is contacting the piston rod surface
relatively fast holohedral, even under low applied
pressures.

The target of this development was to develop a seal

design, which fulfills under all applied conditions the
demands regarding low friction in static but also in
dynamic modus. This should result into less stick-slip for
the seal and also in a significant reduction of the
Monday morning effects. The seal should have equal
or even better behavior compared to standard U-cups
regard leakage, wear and extrusion. Additional the seals

DEVELOPMENT OF ROD SEAL DESIGN HL

Even for the friction modified U-cup seal designs it could

be detected, that they generate a distinctive contact
zone under applied low pressures.

834

should be able to be installed into grooves defined under

DIN ISO standard 5597.

Modulus 300 %

DIN 53504

N/mm2

>18

Ulitimate
elongation

DIN 53504

>400

Ultimate tensile
strength

DIN 53504

N/mm2

>50

Rebound
resilience

DIN 53512

>40

Tear
propagation
strength

DIN 53515

N/mm

>80

Low
temperature
properties TR10

ASTM
1329

-33

Compression
set

DIN ISO 815

7.5.1

%
28

70 h / 70 C

Figure 4
Seal design with micro structured
pattern on the sealing surface behind the sealing edges

25
24 h / 70 C

Required performance parameters for the new seal

design
Pressure [bar]
Temperature [C]
Piston rod speed
pv-value
Fluids

Together with the material P6030 a seal geometry has to

be developed, which will reduce the generated friction
values in the contact zone together with a optimal
sealing function of the piston rod seal under nearly all
applied performance conditions.

<= 250
-35 to 110
<= 1
<= 50 (bar * m/s)
All kind of mineral
based oils and PAOs

For the function of a U-cup the pressure activation is of

importance. In the pressure-less condition both sealing
lips, inner dynamic and outer static sealing lip were
activated by the radial pre-stress due to the overlap of
the sealing lips with the groove dimensions. By applying
pressure the inner dynamic sealing lip will be activated
on the inner faces of the radial groove. This will generate
a higher pre-stress at both sealing lips against their
counter surfaces (Figure 5).

Due to their significantly high physical performance data

regarding wear, abrasion, high pressure and extrusion
resistance, rod and piston seals based on thermoplastic
Polyurethane materials were common used in all areas
of hydraulic applications. One of the main elements of
the new seal development of type HL was the
development of the new Polyurethane material P6030,
which adds optimized friction characteristics to the
above mentioned attributes.
This especially for the hydraulic market developed seal
material consists of a very good fluid resistance and is
also characterized by an increased temperature
capability, a higher wear resistance and a lower
compression set.
Test

Standard

Dimension

Result

Hardness

DIN 53505

Shore A

93 5

Spec. gravity

DIN 53479

g/cm3

1,2 0,02

Modulus 100 %

DIN 53504

N/mm2

>10

Figure 5
cup seal

Pressure activation of a piston rod U-

At the dynamic sealing lip this will result into a higher

friction force. Together with the pressure activation, the
pre-stress of the dynamic sealing lip and the size of the

835

contact area between sealing lip and counter surface are

of importance for friction and leakage behavior.

step depending on the applied pressure. In the pressureless condition only the first sealing edge will have
contact with the piston rod surface. With increasing
system pressure first the second sealing edge will come
into contact with the piston rod surface and then the third
sealing edge. This significantly reduces friction in the
pressure-less state and in low-pressure conditions. The
small contact area reduces the generation of heat and
friction as well, thus enabling higher travel speeds.

Because the seal has to compensate any eccentricities

and roundness errors between piston rod and bore
diameter together with different elongation behavior of
the used materials for the components under applied
temperatures, the seal has to have a certain radial prestress. Therefore at the design evaluation for the new
rod seal design HL, the areas of sealing contact and the
pressure activated groove flanks within the seal have
been optimized in several iterations during the
development process. This finally has result into
following seal solution (Figure 6).

Figure 6
profile HL

Due to the pressure depending activation of the sealing

edges the oil film generation on the piston rod will be
reduced with increasing system pressure, which results
also in an increased sealing function of the seal. The
new seal design development has been supported by
finite element analysis, which is shown as an example in
Figure 8.

Seal design of new developed rod seal

The development was based on the knowledge, that

only seals with a low axial length like U-cups of type C1
(Figure 7) will generate low friction values, therefore it
was decided to go with the groove defined in DIN ISO
5597-T4 for axial short U-cup designs. This has the
advantage, that the cylinder manufacturers can minimize
the cylinder heads even more.

Figure 7

Figure 8

U-cup design type C1

FE analysis of rod seal profile HL

The FE analysis shows the functional principle of the

new seal design. Under low pressures only the first
sealing edge will be in contact with the piston rod. With
increasing pressure also the other sealing edges will get
into contact to the piston rod step by step.

At the new seal design the inner dynamic sealing lip has
been shortened compared to the outer static sealing lip.
Parallel a seal design has been developed with 3
cascading sealing edges, which will be activated step by

836

TEST EQUIPMENT
All dynamic seal tests were performed on the universal
hydraulic test rigs for rod seals and rod sealing systems.
The test rig shown in Figure 9 allows friction
measurements on piston rod seals, depending on
applied pressure, oil temperature and velocity.
Typical parameters for friction tests are:
Pressure
Rod velocity
Oil
Temperature
Rod diameter
Stroke length

0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 bar

0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 and 4
m/min
Mineral oil Fuchs Renolin MRX 46
30, 60 and 80 C
36 mm
250 mm

Figure 10
Hydraulic endurance test rig for rod
sealing systems

Each pv-value is applied for a minimum of 3 cycles,

starting at low pressure with incremental increases in
speed. These friction tests, performed at oil
temperatures of 30, 60 and 80 C, are followed by a
short endurance test over 72 hours at 20 MPa and 4
m/min. After the short endurance test, the friction tests
are repeated to determine the influence of wear as well
as the profile changes between seals in a run-in state
and new seals.

In the leakage endurance test following test parameters

were used:
Pressure
Rod velocity
Oil
Temperature
Rod diameter
Stroke length

0 to 200 bar, depending on stroke

direction
0.15 m/s
Mineral oil Fuchs Renolin MRX 46
65 C
36 mm
250 mm

The dimensions of the test seals were evaluated before

and after the test according to ISO 7986 specifications.
The test rods, as well, were evaluated before and after
the test.
All tests have been performed on hard chrome plated
rods (Figure 11), but also on alternative treated piston
rod surfaces.

Figure 9

Hydraulic friction test rig for rod seals

The hydraulic endurance tester (Figure 10) allows the

performance of seal tests according to ISO 7986
specifications. In this case, these specifications refer to
testing at 0 to 30 MPa, depending on stroke direction, for
1,000,000 cycles at a stroke of 300 mm and an oil
temperature of 65 C. Test results obtained at this test
rig are leakage, rod wear as well as deformation and
wear of seals or complete sealing systems.

Figure 11
Typical hard chrome plated piston rod
surface for the sealing tests

RESULTS OF INTERNAL TESTS

The endurance tests performed with the new piston rod
seal design showed after the performed test cycles only

837

very few wear marks in the sealing surfaces and

absolutely no abrasion on the mating piston rod surface.
At the sealing edges and sealing surfaces there was no
wear detectable. After the performed endurance test all
seals were in the same condition as they were new. No
colorization was detectable on the mating sealing
surfaces as normally be detectable on standard U-cup
seal designs performing under the same test conditions.
All tested seals showed only a slight compression set.
None of the tested seals showed a significant extrusion.
The seals showed a loss of pre-stress less than 25%.
Standard U-cups showed under this applied conditions
normally a loss of pre-stress in the range between 35
and 45%.

reduction in friction values versus standard U-cup seal

designs.

INSTALLATION AND APPLICATION EXAMPLES

The piston rod seal type HL can be used in different seal
configurations. In a standard sealing system the HL can
be used as single element together with a scraper or
wiper and a guiding element (Figure 14).

The comparison of friction forces of the new U-cup

geometry compared to standard U-cup designs shows a
significant reduction in the measured friction forces.
Compared to standard U-cup design a reduction of up to
80% (Figure 12 and 13) can be retrieved and compared
to also friction optimized U-cup seals a reduction of
around 60%. The reduction of friction forces for the new
profile HL has also result in the advantage of less risk
regarding development of stick-slip in a hydraulic
cylinder application and this throughout all tested
temperature and pressure areas.
Figure 14

U-cup HL in a single seal configuration

In applications with higher pressures a double sealing

system will be recommended, in this case the U-cup
profile HL can be used as secondary rod seal together
with a buffer seal, for example a PTFE slipper seal
(Figure 15).

Figure 12
Comparison of friction forces of different
U-cup designs depending of applied test pressure

Figure 13
Comparison of friction forces of different
U-cup designs depending of applied test speed

Figure 15
Piston rod seal HL in a double sealing
system configuration together with a slipper PTFE piston
rod seal

Especially in the low areas of speed travel the new

piston rod seal profile type HL shows a significant

838

In all kind of mobile or stationary hydraulic applications,

where hydraulic cylinders will be used and low friction is
required, the use of piston rod seal type HL will have a
big impact on the performance of the system. A typical
application can be for example tail-lifts at transporters or
vans (Figure 16), where a stick-slip free movement is
required not to damage easy breakable goods during
transportation or to create too big noises in early
mornings. Other applications can be test cylinders in
hydraulic test applications, where low friction and low
loss of power is required. In future all type of
applications, where only less overage of hydraulic power
is available, will require low friction rod seals.

CONCLUSIONS
The new rod seal design type HL supports all hydraulic
end user in their demands for use of low friction
applications. The new active principle of the incremental
pressure activation of the sealing edges generates a
very low friction under nearly all thinkable performance
conditions. Especially under very low piston rod speeds
stick-slip behavior is almost excluded. High break-off
friction after longer periods of still stand can be
dramatically reduced. Additional with the decrease in
friction advantages regarding wear behavior and energy
saving can be received. Together with the friction
optimized function this will give the Customer a suitable
aid in reducing his operating expenses.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my team for supporting me in the
preparation of this paper by preparation of the test
results in an appropriate manner.

Figure 15 Application of use for low friction piston rod

seal design type HL

839

840