Expert Witness
Smithers is one of the largest independent investigators of failed plastic and rubber products and components. Our highly qualified and experienced team provides support across every stage of a dispute.
If the worst happens, and your business has an issue with a sealing solution, Smithers polymer seal experts can help:
As well as this, in the UK and Europe, our teams are available to support with legal disputes and litigation scenarios. For more information, please get in touch.
- Determine the root cause of the issue
- Act as an expert witness
- Ensure that appropriate actions are taken to prevent future issues
- Provide specifications to prevent failure
- Advise on future design solutions to help optimize material usage and functionality
Causes of seal failure
There are many reasons as to why seals, O-rings and gaskets can fail. Often it is a combination of factors that leads to an issue. Smithers seal and gasket experts commonly see these weaknesses:- Incorrect material selection
- Poorly specified applications
- Physical and/or thermal stress
- Chemical attack and a lack of chemical resistance - whereby a corrosive or harsh chemical degrades material performance over time
How to prevent seal failure
Smithers’ experts believe that appropriate time and effort spent on the specification, material selection and design phases will help prevent seal failure. This includes understanding the environment, the fluids in contact with the seal and the surrounding environmental characteristics.Seal chemical resistance
When a seal lacks the correct chemical resistance properties for the end-use environment, you will see accelerated aging and degradation in performance. Depending on the materials involved, an issue can often develop very quickly.Expert witness for a seal failure
If the worst happens and a seal has an issue, our consultants can support with understanding the root cause(s) and ensure preventative measures are put in place.As well as this, in the UK and Europe, our teams are available to support with legal disputes and litigation scenarios. For more information, please get in touch.
