cascade gasket & Mnfg. co.

Cascade Gasket assisted in the design and then manufactured this flight critical exit door seal for a commercial aircraft. The seal effectively blocks both air and water from the aircrafts interior, in flight and while grounded, and is composed of three materials: BMS 1-57 silicone rubber, D2000 inter-weave fabric, and inconel metal inserts at the top of the seal. Although rubber compression molding was the primary manufacturing process, several steps were involved in creating the door seal. First, the inconel metal inserts were pre-fabricated and coated, in preparation for receiving the rubber and fabric. Next, the part was hand formed and laid in the mold in four separate sections, blending together only at areas indicated by the print design. The mold was then placed under extreme heat and pressure for 4 hours, allowing the rubber to flow and fill the mold, assuming the shape of the final component, with a final tolerance of +- 0- .030. After the molding was complete, the part was cleaned and placed in an oven for 3 hours at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, to set the shape and cure the rubber. The final process involved the addition of a secondary seal, applied on the header section of the seal, for extended sealing and management of the product. The final exit door seal is both air and water tight, and measures 48 long by 27 wide.

This compression molded insulation flange seal is manufactured in a series of steps. First, a foam insert (BMS 1-68) , molded in 2 parts, is bonded together into the designated shape. Next, fabric (D2000) is blended with a red silicone compound (BMS 1-74) using a red iron oxide ingredient which renders the component heat-retardant. The silicone and fabric combination is then hand applied around the foam insert to achieve the proper level of thickness, and then placed in a cool mold. A total of 6 different rubber coated fiberglass inserts are applied to the seal, at specified locations, to create the reinforced attachment points for the seal. The mold is then placed in the press at 320 degrees Fahrenheit (F) for 30 minutes, removed, cooled, and cleaned. The final component shape is set by post curing the seal at 400 degrees F. The completed insulation flange seal is used extensively in engine areas of a commercial aircraft.