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Poole based seal and moulding specialist, DP Seals, have now been granted a UK patent for their unique tooling and moulding system.

Originally created by the company’s founder, David Piper, almost 40 years ago, the basic concept was for a moulding tool incorporating locating plates that not only allowed free and easy movement during assembly and disassembly, but could also be locked into position to ensure the closed cavities remained closed and so drastically reduced any potential for flashing.

The combination of practicality and ingenuity immediately gave DP Seals an advantage over their competitors and enabled it to produce small, close tolerance, flashless mouldings that no-one else could match.

The system has been an integral part of its production process ever since and now the ownership of the idea has been signed, sealed and delivered with the
granting of UK patent GB 2 513 012.

Leading seal and moulding manufacturer DP Seals is setting an unrivalled standard in components conforming to the rigorous NORSOK M‐710 benchmark – being one of the very few companies to insist on only using materials which meet the full requirements of just the top two grades.

Originally developed by the Norwegian petroleum industry, M‐710 has now become the internationally recognised standard for non‐metallic seals and bearings, offering oil and gas companies an unequivocal assurance of quality, performance and durability in components made to operate in hostile sub‐sea environments.

To meet M‐710, materials must achieve accepted criteria for both rapid gas decompression (RGD) – also known as explosive decompression (ED) – and sour gas ageing (H2S), both of which are proven indicators of long-term performance and viable life expectancy.

DP Seals has been working to the NORSOK standard virtually from its inception, and has developed and supplied a wide range of seals and custom-moulded components to customers in the UK, Scandinavia and further afield.

“High quality components have been the cornerstone of our success,” said MD, Andrew Piper, “and adhering to M‐710 is simply one more way in which we can be sure of meeting the stringent specifications of our customers in the oil and gas industries.”

Leading custom rubber moulding and seal manufacturers, DP Seals, has significantly increased its cryogenic cleaning and de-flashing facilities with the addition of another state-of-the-art machine.

Supplied and installed by AW Maschinen & Anlagen Technik Gmbh, the new AWS 20 effectively doubles the company’s capability – not only speeding up the work flow in general but also eliminating the prospect of costly downtime if one of the units should be out of action.

The AWS 20 is one of the most advanced machines of its kind, operating at temperatures down to -150°C and able to run fully customised multiple programmes linked to DP’s own management systems. The operator simply has to scan the docket accompanying each batch of components and the unit automatically selects the appropriate programme for the part, thereby ensuring quality control and traceability are maintained throughout the process.

“With the increases in production we’ve seen in the past couple of years, additional de-flashing facilities were an obvious area of investment for us, ” said MD, “Andrew Piper, and the new machine ensures we can meet our customers’ requirements more comprehensively and cost-effectively than ever before.”

Gas fluorination is another of the comprehensive range of services DP Seals offers its customers, enabling them to modify the surface properties of components without any effect on the core material itself.

Already used in industries such as automotive, pharmaceutical, packaging and construction, gas phase fluorination is a well-proven process that’s equally effective on plastics, polymers and rubber – and can be precisely controlled to deliver consistent and repeatable improvements in a variety of specific criteria.

Greatly reduced coefficient of friction is the principle benefit of fluorination, but it can also be used to enhance adhesion and bonding, increase chemical resistance, control permeation and improve wettability.

Because the gas accesses the entirety of the surface at a molecular level, fluorination is ideally suited to small or complex components, ensuring the desired effects are maintained across all edges, angles, openings and holes.

With UK car sales recently reaching a six-year high, DP Seals can confirm the resurgence of this particular market sector with the unprecedented success of one of its automotive products.

The component in question is a high-spec natural rubber ball that DP Seals produce for the hydraulic engine mounts made by DTR VMS Ltd. In the past year alone, well over five million have been supplied – an increase of more than 300% since the depths of the recession in 2009.

Trowbridge based DTR VMS is a first tier supplier to the likes of Audi and VW, with its advanced technology products helping to reduce noise, vibration and harshness in a wide range of vehicles.

“The company first joined forces with us in 2002, making their choice on the basis of outstanding QCD performance indicators, and since then, we’ve consistently been recognised as one of their most reliable and trusted suppliers,”

Andrew Piper, DP Seals Managing Director

Although a seemingly simple product, every single ball we produce has to meet exceptionally stringent standards of size, sphericity and quality, since it is instrumental in preventing leakage from the engine mount to ensure the desired characteristics are maintained throughout its lifetime.

For DP Seals, this production increase reflects the stability and growth they’re seeing in more and more of their customers’ activities, and with continuing investment in people, resources and facilities, they’re now looking to the future with a considerable degree of optimism and confidence.

DTR VMS Limited is a full service supplier, manufacturing advanced technical products to address noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) and improve vehicle comfort. Their comprehensive product offerings can be found in powertrain, suspension and chassis applications in Audi and VW vehicles.

www.dtrvms.com