Systems Seals Advances HAGC Performance and Control

Rolling steel mills with Hydraulic Automatic Gauge Control systems (HAGC) appreciate the importance of precision down to the hundredth of a millimeter. But operators remain vigilant about a host of outside disturbances that can quickly derail production, such as extreme side loading, inconsistent steel, varying hardness and deformation of the mill stand.

The challenge in HAGC seals is striking the precise balance between performance and control. These systems require heavy-duty seals robust enough to resist extrusion and prevent metallic scraping. But they also must minimize friction to remain extremely responsive and dynamic. It’s a difficult equilibrium, but finding the sweet spot between precision and reliability in each HAGC system is what sets System Seals apart.

This is why the world’s leading HAGC manufacturers and steel mills increasingly turn to System Seals to improve equipment performance and reliability. It’s an industry focus that has distinguished the company through decades of experience inside steel mills with a relentless drive toward engineering excellence.

System Seals approaches each piece of equipment by developing a full body diagram of the HAGC system. Engineers examine grove dimensions, tolerances, fluids, clearances, guidance within the cylinder and the guide bushings, which play an essential role governing side loading and preventing metal-to-metal contact inside the cylinder.

System Seals tests and refines all new designs in its in-house research-and-development facility. And to avoid time-consuming and expensive repairs, System Seals can perform a failure analysis for a better understanding of the equipment and make recommendations for preventive maintenance.

System Seals also works closely with HAGC manufacturers to customize seals for optimum performance. In some cases, engineers suggest ways to decrease the size of hydraulic pistons for a more compact design that reduces build materials, costs and manufacturing time. And System Seals shares its customers’ sense of urgency to always develop the best solution as quickly as possible.