UK Industry Leader
Of cellular solutions
Global Accreditation
IATF16949 & ISO14001
Experience of
Over 50 years
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UK Industry Leader
Of cellular solutions
Global Accreditation
IATF16949 & ISO14001
Experience of
Over 50 years
Automotive seals are essential to preventing leakage, containing pressure and resisting contamination, but which parts are ideal for your project? Discover the six best automotive seal products and materials on the market.
Automotive seal products are required to withstand various elements, whether that’s toxic chemicals or extreme engine temperatures. They shouldn’t fluctuate depending on the weather conditions.
Car manufacturers must choose their sealing products and materials correctly to fulfil correct product procedures and standards. For an automotive seal to make the grade, it must firstly and foremost have excellent resistance properties. Here is a list of the top six automotive seal products and materials for you to bookmark.
Sealing the interior of the car is just as important as the exterior. For example, the ideal automotive seal for a dashboard/console would be an adhesive strip made from Nitto foam. Foam strips work well as an automotive glass seal solution.
Nitto foam adhesive strip is an effective automotive seal against water, dirt and dust due to its semi-closed cell foam range design. Offering durability and incredibly popular as an automotive weather seal, Nitto foam adhesive strip provides superb chemical resistance to any harmful acids and alkalis.
This automotive seal solution is also water and ozone resistant, fungus-free with increased longevity and is capable of adapting to all sealing, NVH, acoustic and thermal purposes. The standard Nitto foam measurements can range from 3mm to 25mm and are available in multiple varieties, including:
Some manufacturers will offer this ideal automotive seal with customised perforations and creases to enable folding to create 3-D products.
Perhaps the most integral automotive seal is positioned towards the back of the vehicle in the fuel tank. Here the seal must apply both NVH (noise vibration and harshness) and petrochemical resistance. For this reason, we’d recommend using a neoprene blend material for your fuel tank adhesive pads, as it blends the best characteristics of both neoprene and EPDM materials. Neoprene adhesive pads are also available in rubber or sponge. This versatile automotive seal comes in measurements from 1mm up to 58mm, and specifications include:
A neoprene blend pad provides watertight sealing capabilities under compression with unrivalled chemical resistance against petrol. It’s perfect for fuel tank protection while offering excellent weatherproofing, age resistance, UV, ozone and oxidation.
Automotive gaskets are perfect as a protective seal within an air conditioning unit. We expect an adhesive gasket to safely seal against water, chemicals, dust and any other ingress or contaminants. We believe the ideal material for an adhesive gasket of this nature is polyethylene foam. The advantage of a polyethylene foam gasket is its unrivalled strength and lightweight properties compared to other heavier chemical formed foams.
Polyethylene foam has a smooth surface to offer consistency, gauge control and low water absorption with vapour transmission. Standard measurements for polyethylene foam adhesive gaskets range from 3mm to 145mm and can come in various forms, including:
Adhesive gaskets are very durable with ozone, UV, chemical and water resistance. They are suitable for acoustic, NVH, thermal and high-performance sealing properties.
When it comes to air duct solutions, adhesive tape is a popular sealing solution. For this purpose, we’d recommend the ideal material to be polyurethane foam for providing appropriate acoustics and airflow through a low-density open-cell design. Air ducts require a thermal conductive solution and ease of airflow, making polyurethane foam the ideal adhesive tape of choice. It’s incredibly lightweight and works as an excellent seal for water, dust, dirt and air.
Polyurethane foam adhesive tape can be produced as a self-adhesive or double-sided adhesive in multiple sizes, thicknesses, widths and lengths:
This automotive sealing solution is available in specialist grades, such as conductive, static dissipative and flame-retardant solutions. Adhesive tape is ideal as an automotive door seal solution too.
Rubber washers provide a perfect automotive seal solution to counteract chemicals, greases, and oils, particularly in and around the engine. We recommend the ideal rubber material for an automotive washer to be nitrile.
Nitrile rubber washers are a common choice in the automotive industry, acting as a watertight seal that handles contact with oil and harsh chemicals. The thickness of nitrile rubber generally varies from 0.5mm up to 12mm, with capabilities including:
As an automotive washer, nitrile rubber offers exceptional resistance to abrasion and provides necessary tensile strength.
Inside the interior cabin, it’s integral to include NVH (noise vibration harshness) insulation made from non-woven felt. We all know most cars aren’t quiet, so while NVH insulation works as an overall seal, it also effectively applies an acoustic solution with proven sound dampening qualities.
NVH insulation made from non-woven felt can typically be produced in thicknesses ranging from 1mm to 20mm and are available in a variety of capabilities, including:
Non-woven is a very lightweight material made from bonded staples and long fibres. It works as a superb automotive seal for its mechanical properties, thermal control and sound dampening ability.
Ramsay is a trusted provider of various types of automotive seal products and materials. With over 50 years of experience and global accreditation, you can trust us to meet your automotive sealing requirements with the perfect sealing solutions.
For more information about our products and services, contact us today. Keep up to date with industry and product news by following us on LinkedIn.
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Ramsay Rubber & Plastics Limited
Vulcan Road, Bilston
West Midlands WV14 7HT
T +44 (0) 1902 407150
F +44 (0) 1902 407160
