Defined as the segment of small electric vehicles for personal transport and recreation, micromobility, also referred to as electric light mobility, is rapidly transforming the way we move around urban areas. From an engineering point of view, it requires extremely specialised sealing solutions. In fact, these vehicles must withstand harsh environmental conditions, from humidity to dust, and guarantee reliable operation. Parker Hannifin, a global leader in industrial manufacturing, is revolutionising this sector with state-of-the-art sealing solutions designed specifically for compact and innovative electric vehicles.
The engineering demands of micro-mobility
Sealing solutions for micro-mobility have to meet several specific requirements, related to the structure, type and operating conditions of the vehicles. Some of the main requirements include:
- ease of installation: gaskets must provide an effective seal with low installation force, as many components of micro-mobility vehicles are made of plastic or composite materials, which can deform when subjected to excessive forces;
- ease of maintenance: some parts, such as batteries, must be easy to remove and replace. Sealants that are complex to clean and restore make these operations more difficult and expensive;
- adaptability to dimensional variations: in many applications, manufacturing tolerances do not allow for perfect fits. Seals must therefore be able to compensate for mating tolerances without compromising tightness;
- flame resistance: to reduce the risk of fire, especially in battery systems, it is essential that the materials used meet safety standards such as UL 94.
Parker’s answers
Parker is redefining sealing standards for light electric mobility, offering innovative solutions that meet the growing needs of a rapidly evolving market. The company offers different types of seals, divided between traditional products (moulded or extruded) and liquid seals (applied directly onto components and vulcanized in site. Parker Hannifin’s sealing solutions for the micro-mobility sector offer a wide variety of options to meet the needs of environmental sealing, flame resistance, serviceability and ease of installation. By combining innovative materials and engineered design, these solutions contribute to the reliability and safety of light electric vehicles. The sealing solutions Parker offers the world of micro-mobility fall into two major families: traditional seals and liquid seals.
Traditional seals
Traditional seals include:
- O-rings: available in standard or customised versions, made from high-performance elastomers such as silicone, EPDM and FKM.
- Flange gaskets or PIP (Press-in-Place): static gaskets designed to stay in place without the need for adhesives, simplifying assembly and reducing installation time;
- Diamond seals: seals designed to seal complex systems, reducing the number of components required. They are custom molded to fit different grooves geometry;
- Hexapod seal: excellent for low pressure applications. It is extruded and spliced, making it an excellent choice for large enclosures. Applications include batteries for electric vehicles and heavy-duty motors;
- Keyhole: extruded and spliced, the Keyhole gasket reduces deflection and the number of fasteners due to its low load. This easy-to-install PIP gasket is also good for environmental sealing (low or no pressure) and larger tolerances. Applications include plastic housings and molded.
- Jigsaw seals: extruded and supplied in continuous length without the need for joints. Jigsaw gaskets can be cut to length and do not require adhesive. They do, however, require overlapping grooves. Applications may include multiple grooves where only one part number can be used for the entire assembly, and field installations where it may be impossible to install a pre-cut or continuous length seal.
- Hollow O-Rings: Lightweight and flexible solutions, these seals are extruded, spliced and low load, which allows the number of fasteners or clamps to be reduced. They are easily customizable and slightly oversized in relation to the groove. However, they will not overfill the groove like a standard O-ring. Like other hollow profiles, the hollow O-ring is not suitable for high-pressure applications.
Liquid gaskets
These are sealing materials applied in liquid form directly onto mating surfaces and then cured to form a solid, permanent seal. In this family, Cured-in-Place (CIPG) gaskets are a technology that offers an alternative to PIP seals, particularly advantageous for large-scale applications where ergonomics and installation time are crucial. These seals eliminate the need for grooves, reducing the possibility of crevice corrosion. CIPG materials are designed to be applied directly onto a mating surface and cured in place; this process takes place with rapid cure times. Gaskets can be applied directly onto the component and cured in place, ensuring a reliable and repeatable seal. Form-in-Place Gaskets (FIPG), which create an adhesive bond between the two mating surfaces, also belong to this family.
A question of materials
Parker’s seals are made advanced elastomeric materials, including silicone, which is resistant to high temperatures and has excellent adaptability properties; EPDM, which is ideal for environmental sealing and generally more economical than silicone; FKM and HNBR, which are ideal for applications exposed to fuels and oils; and UL 94-compliant materials, which are required for applications that must meet stringent fire safety standards.
How to choose?
The choice of the most suitable seal depends on the specific application, operating conditions and vehicle requirements. In high-pressure systems, such as braking or suspension systems, it is essential to ensure a secure and durable seal, so solutions such as O-rings and Diamond Seals are particularly effective. When the priority is ease of installation and maintenance, such as in the case of batteries or electronic modules, seals that do not require adhesives and can be easily removed, such as Press-in-Place (PIP) Seals and Jigsaw, are preferred.
For surfaces with large assembly tolerances, it is necessary to opt for solutions that can adapt and compress properly, such as Hexapod Seals and hollow seals. For applications exposed to high temperatures, on the other hand, it is essential to choose heat-resistant solutions, such as silicone and FKM. Finally, in large-scale production processes, where efficiency and automation are crucial, CIPG and FIPG liquid seals are optimal choices to reduce assembly time and improve productivity.
