Hermetic sealing describes any process of creating a container or object with an airtight seal. It is most commonly used for electronics and functional glass objects, but these seals are hardly confined to these applications. A variety of hermetic seals, including cable seals, wire seals, and terminal seals, can all be found across many different industries.
Here is a deeper look into the world of hermetic seals — from their most popular applications to the strengths and advantages of these seals.
What Industries Use Hermetic Seals?
Engineers began using hermetic cable seals starting in the 1960s. Around the same time, the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries began adopting their use as well — as did the military. The aerospace industry and modern electronics also take advantage of these durable and lasting seals. Specifically, you might find hermetic seals put to use in the following scenarios:
- aircraft and aerospace navigational equipment
- Class III medical equipment and parts, like pacemakers
- satellites
- delicate electric ware or microelectronics
- lightbulbs
- deep sea sensors and global positioning systems (GPS)
The Strengths Of Hermetic Seals
Hermetic seals, whether cable seals or terminal seals, are so widely used because they are extremely hardy. These seals give manufacturers and industry professionals a peace of mind that equipment and parts will work as intended, even under extreme conditions and in some of the most demanding applications.
It stands to reason, for example, that the aerospace industry cannot take any unnecessary chances. The integrity of spacecraft and spacecraft seals must hold up in space, where the conditions are very different from the ones on Earth. That means seals must remain intact under pressure, in a vacuum, and at extreme temperatures. Learn more below.
- Hermetic seals withstand very high — and very low — temperatures. Exact specifications may vary, but hermetic seals used in the aerospace industry may be able to withstand temperatures as low as -269 degrees Celcius and as high as 450 Celcius (842 degrees Fahrenheit!).
- Seals hold up in extreme weather conditions. Whether used for household applications like refrigeration or air conditioning or — for industrial applications — the equipment, machinery, and the joints attaching these mechanisms may be fully or partially exposed to the elements. These parts may be outdoors or in an open-air environment, for example. For that reason, it is important for seals to resist rough weather — and they do. Well-chosen hermetic seals or cable seals hold up against heavy rains, lightning storms, and water vapor from especially foggy mornings. That is an impressive feat, given that lightning bolts average 100 million volts each.
- Packs impressive compression strength. Hermetic seals with high compressive strength remain intact even when exposed to highly variable pressures. These seals are also able to withstand sudden events, like impacts or shock.
- The right seal is corrosion-resistant. Corrosion occurs when any element, like sodium, is able to permeate barriers and wear away the material in question. Hermetic seals make sure this does not happen.
- Strong seals are water-proof, humidity-proof, and voltage-proof. Finally, as these seals are used underwater, for electronics, and while engineering with live wires, they are water-, humidity-, and voltage-proof. It is even possible to opt for explosion-proof wire seals should the circumstances require it.
You will find hermetic seals across many different industries and especially in industries that require reliable and robust parts and equipment. Contact us to find out if hermetic sealing is the right fit for your industry or particular application.
