Technical Support
![O-Rings](/inthegroove/-/media/tss-media-repository/tss_website/banners/o-rings.jpg?rev=a72f09cff1804a61a580cba0dd2d64a7&w=800&hash=6B796CAA802B769C2F86F3B6935DA112)
![](/inthegroove/-/media/tss-media-repository/itg/images/edition-36/o-ring.jpg?h=350&iar=0&w=600&rev=7771338022e2453099ac630cbf488f63&hash=DB0A5A0AA1B5EFCE4611C2C8ECE90144)
![](/inthegroove/-/media/tss-media-repository/itg/images/edition-36/seal1.png?h=350&iar=0&w=600&rev=e81890f7ba4a411db50032dc5b5b47a5&hash=260DC9C3333CFF92C6DD9D9EACDA104A)
Indications: Blisters, cracks, voids or discoloration.
Contributing Factors: Incompatibility with the chemical and/or thermal environment.
INSTALLATION DAMAGE
Indications: Small cuts, nicks or gashes
Contributing Factors: Sharp edges on glands or components. Improper sizing of elastomer. Low-modulus / hardness elastomer. Elastomer surface contamination.
![](/inthegroove/-/media/tss-media-repository/itg/images/edition-36/seal2.png?h=350&iar=0&w=600&rev=617a6ca0112046aa9a84362329b56af3&hash=559423840484ABD9131C976F37C3D6CC)
CONTAMINATION
Indications: Foreign material on the surface or within the cross section
Contributing Factors: Process environment deposition. Reactions or degradation of the elastomer.
COMPRESSION SET
Indications: Flat-sided cross section corresponding to mating seal surfaces
Contributing Factors: Excessive compression. Excessive temperature. Incompletely cured elastomer. Elastomer with high compression set. Excessive volume swell in chemical.
![](/inthegroove/-/media/tss-media-repository/itg/images/edition-36/seal3.png?h=350&iar=0&w=600&rev=89a8d3af31c74256bf848058fc724f7f&hash=15973F8217B3CAA58175A813E9A992AB)
EXPLOSIVE DECOMPRESSION
Indications: Surface blisters, pits or pocks. Absorption of gas at high pressure and subsequent rapid decrease in pressure; elastomer surface blisters and ruptures as pressure is rapidly removed.
Contributing Factors: Rapid pressure changes. Low-modulus/ hardness elastomer.
PLASTICIZER EXTRACTION
Indications: Often difficult to visually detect; may exhibit a decrease in cross-sectional size
Contributing Factors: Improper or improperly cured elastomer. High vacuum levels. Low hardness/ plasticized elastomer.