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12.03.2025 Fluid Handling Industrial Machines

Saving $400K with Reverse Engineered Seals

Discover how reverse engineering a custom seal saved customers $400K, ensuring their lift truck's longevity and performance. Learn about this innovative solution and its impressive results!

In the world of heavy machinery, equipment reliability, and longevity are paramount. Companies invest heavily in their fleets, expecting them to perform under the most demanding conditions over many years. When a critical component like a custom seal becomes unavailable due to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) ceasing operations, it can spell disaster.

The Problem

This is the situation that our distributor Zatkoff Seal & Packings was asked to help solve for their customer. The customer, an end user, owned a very large lift truck that utilized a very custom seal. Unfortunately, the OEM no longer existed, making the seal they needed no longer available. Prior to involving Zatkoff they had tried reaching out to several seal suppliers, but none had a solution. Their efforts to create a custom solution had also failed. Most attempts to replace the seals involved using multiple seals in conjunction, but this proved ineffective. The customer was eager to find a sealing solution, as buying a new motor due to the seal issue would cost upwards of $400,000, making it incredibly costly. They reached out to Zatkoff for support, who quickly contacted Freudenberg Sealing Technologies to see if they could reverse engineer the seal.

Heavy-duty lift truck hoisting a shipping container at sunset.

Source: Freudenberg Sealing Technologies

The Solution

Zatkoff sent us a picture of the original seal, the application requirements, and examples of some of the attempted solutions tried before the customer involved them in the project. By utilising our extensive resources to review all available information, we were able to produce an accurate reverse-engineered solution. The team provided a single-piece compression-molded 11.5-inch outside diameter motor seal with a triple lip and energized spring, all made from NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber) with a shore A hardness of 85 durometer.

The Outcome

With the reverse-engineered seal available, the customer now has a reliable solution to ensure their lift truck will operate effectively long-term. The solution proved to be a highly effective replacement for the original equipment manufacturer's design. Best of all, the solution resulted in significant financial savings for the customer, as they ordered 30 seals for only $4,231 instead of spending over $400,000 on a new motor. This was a huge win for them.

Are you having trouble finding a seal that meets your application? Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has a vast portfolio of standard solutions and exceptional technical expertise to reverse engineer a solution that can keep your equipment operating. Fill out the form below to have a sealing expert contact you to find the right solution for your applications requirements.