Your autoclave door gasket is a small part of your facility’s equipment.
But have you ever thought about how important it is?
Your autoclave can’t hold a vacuum, pressure, or keep its contents inside without leaking out if the door gasket fails.
And an autoclave that’s out of commission is going to put a grinding halt to your production.
No production = no revenue.
Not good.
Regular maintenance is key for making sure your autoclave door gasket is in good shape and ready to withstand the great pressure it’s under.
It’s important to care for your autoclave door gasket because production can shut down completely when it’s not working properly.
Here are five maintenance tips for keeping the autoclave door gasket in prime operating condition.
You want to make sure the gasket is properly seated in its groove.
You’re looking for any foreign objects that can build up inside the groove over time.
This dust, dirt, and debris keep the autoclave door gasket from properly sealing. It could also fall out of the groove, which results in leaks and/or cutting of the gasket.
We recommend you perform this autoclave maintenance task on a quarterly basis.
You must use GREAT CARE when doing this. Any gouging of the metal within the groove will result in leaks!
3. Wipe down both sealing surfaces of the door.Do this before you close the autoclave door.
You should also wipe the face the door’s gasket is installed in and the opposing surface that the gasket is pressed against when the door is closed.
If you notice the gasket and/or sealing faces of the door are dry during your visual inspection, it’s time to lubricate.
The product you use will vary, depending on the item you’re processing within the autoclave and the type of material your gasket is made of.
Just be sure the product is designed to lubricate under high pressure and, if applicable to your process, high temperature.
Failure to do so may cause difficulty in opening the door.
This may seem like common sense to most, but you would be surprised how often this is not the case.
If you need spare gaskets for your autoclave, contact us. We keep o-ring type gaskets in stock for 72″, 78″, 84″, and 96″ diameter doors – so we can easily help you keep up with autoclave maintenance.
These five tips will ensure that you don’t experience any lags in your process due to your autoclave door gasket.
Do a visual exam, regularly clean out the gasket’s groove and wipe down the sealing surfaces of the door.
Use an approved lubricant to lubricate gaskets and always have spare gaskets on hand in case you need one quickly.
It’s well worth the time and effort to maintain these small but important parts.
Are you in need of some door gaskets to have on hand in case you need to make a quick replacement?
