Finding the right gasket material for sealing critical applications can be a challenge. Before engineers can even begin to think about installing and testing a new gasket, they face the critical responsibility of selecting a material that can withstand a range of operating temperatures and pressures, harsh environmental conditions, and yet is flexible enough to achieve a proper seal without failure. It is not an easy task.

As mechanical engineers push the limits of what systems can achieve, the demands put on all component parts also increases. Traditional parts made of metal, plastic, or rubber simply cannot keep pace with the demands of modern defense or industrial applications. Even in existing applications, parts are expected to last longer and reduce replacement costs. Few other gasket applications are as critical as having fail-safe gaskets on an underwater vehicle.

What's cooler flying drones? Intelligent underwater robots!

While high-flying drone vehicles have been in the news quite a lot this year, a new generation of stealthy underwater drones have gone through an amazing evolution. Underwater robots, also known as Unmanned Underwater Vehicles or UUVs, have been around for a while. UUVs are basically any vehicle that's able to operate underwater without a human on board. Some UUVs need a human to directly control them, and are aptly named Remotely Operated underwater Vehicles or ROVs. However, a new generation of intelligent unmanned underwater vehicles are now available. Known as Autonomous Underwater Vehicles or AUVs, and they have allowed us to  explore the mysteries under the sea, as no other underwater technology to date.

Great strides are being made introducing various composite materials for Industrial and Marine applications.  Composites are radically changing the cost/performance curve in the development of new products.

The Design Challenge

Globe Composite Solutions was recently contacted by an international company that was developing a new generation of outboard marine engines to fulfill the emerging global demand for energy-efficient engines. Their new engine required greater cooling capacity than typical outboard engines. In addition, the manufacturer was under a tight timeline to come up with a cost-effective solution. Globe Composite is well known for designing and manufacturing composite components that can withstand adverse operating conditions. Globe’s 30+ years of experience in providing components for pump applications was particularly relevant to address this challenge.   

What Does Self-Lubricating Mean?

Self-lubrication by definition means that the lubricating agent must be an integral element of the original material.  The lubricating agent can't be a material added on or attached to the original material.  It can't break down and must be a part of the original material for the part's life's expectancy. One of our most popular self-lubricating products is the our Globe impeller, or the Run-Dry^® Impeller. 

America's Next Top Model (ANTM) -- the popular modeling contest pitting amateur models against each other for a professional modeling contract -- now in its 20th season, has turned to the composite's industry to make the runway evermore death defying.