Aviation Seals and Aircraft Insulation

When designing aircraft, seals and insulators serve as crucial components that may heavily affect the performance and safety of flight operations. Although seals and insulating materials may serve similar areas of an aircraft and share certain characteristics and features, both types of aircraft parts serve their own unique and important roles for assemblies. With seals and insulators both serving to increase safety and performance with their implementation within aircraft, having a basic understanding of each can be very useful when procuring or maintaining parts.

Regarding seals, such components are mechanical devices that may be used to join systems or mechanisms together. With such an assembly, the seal may be used to prevent leaking, contain pressure, or prevent contamination. Despite conventional seals highly ranging in their performance and construction, those that are used within the aviation industry are designed to withstand extreme weather, temperatures, airflow pressures, chemicals, and much more. As a result, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will go great lengths to ensure that their sealants meet the performance requirements necessary to maintain safety and airworthiness.

With a variety of engineered seals and solutions available for aircraft, such aviation parts may be used for a number of applications depending on their type. For example, aircraft hatch seals are commonly used for maintaining cabin pressure and mitigating the flow of fluids, and they are designed with high strength and are quite resistant to corrosion. With such seals, the hatch cover, cargo doors, galleys, and other sections may be sealed with similar components. Seals can also protect assemblies from hazards such as fire, as is seen with fire barrier sealants. With fire barrier sealants, walls, floors, pipes, ducts, vents, and other areas of the aircraft can be treated to prevent the spread of fire.

With aircraft insulation, noise reduction, fire resistance, electrical resistance, and temperature control may all be achieved with various material types. As aircraft generate a great amount of noise with all their operating systems and environment, noise reduction insulators are paired with acoustic blankets, elastomeric isolators, and other materials to create quieter interiors. As aircraft will typically travel at extreme altitudes with freezing temperatures, insulation can also serve to maintain comfortable cabin temperatures through the retention of heat. While various types of aircraft insulation may provide for different needs, many areas will utilize multiple insulating types to combine their properties and benefits.

When procuring insulation for aerospace parts, durability is an important characteristic to consider for making a decision. While passenger safety is of the utmost importance, durability can reduce overall costs and ensure that insulation does not fail during operations. Generally, the fiber blend and fabric construction of materials are the most important aspects to look over, as durable fibers will provide optimal abrasion resistance and may have higher tear strength. The cleanability of materials is also important, as the constant presence of aircraft crew mem bers and passengers each flight can lead to stains, bacteria, or damage to materials if not tended regularly. Lastly, static resistance can be highly beneficial for aircraft insulation as such electricity can create hazards due to the systems and devices present on the aircraft.

With aircraft parts such as window gaskets, gap seals, rubber tubing, and other insulating materials and sealants, the performance and safety of various systems and devices may be improved. At ASAP 360 Unlimited, we are the premier purchasing platform for top quality aircraft parts. With over 2 billion new, used, and obsolete items in stock, we can fulfill your operational requirements with ease, providing competitive pricing on items sourced from leading original equipment manufacturers. If there are items from our website that you wish to source, begin the purchasing process today with a personalized quote when you fill out and submit an Instant RFQ form as provided on our website.