Compression resistance may be one of the most important characteristics of the flexible materials within your equipment. Choosing the right material that can withstand compression is important in keeping your machinery and technicians safe.
What is compression set resistance?
Compression set (c-set) resistance is the measurement of how well a material can revert back to its natural shape after being compressed by a load. A material that returns close to its original thickness is said to have ideal compression set resistance.
If a product such as a gasket has low compression, it may affect the sealing or absorption capabilities within your equipment. For this reason, C-set resistance may be one of your biggest criteria concerns in choosing a material for your gasket, bumper, spacer or insulation.
Testing c-set resistance
Technicians will often test flexible materials for compression resistance at higher temperatures to simulate age acceleration. This way, materials can be tested at near-to-total accuracy in a shorter period of time. 158°F is frequently used in testing.
How we can help
While most materials won’t regain all of their initial shape or thickness after being compressed, many different types will come very close and can continue to perform through many repetitions. If you need help choosing the ideal material for your application, give us a call. Our materials experts can help you pick the perfect material for your bumpers, spacers, gaskets, and more.
