Adding a custom-made gasket helps to provide an extra sealing element and can be done at a relatively low incremental cost.
The choice of material and the shore hardness properties are critical for the engagement of the seal in the assembly, and this is an area where technical experts at GTK can provide guidance to customers on the most suitable material for their specific application.
Hennessey stated: “We work in collaboration with our customers through the entire design and manufacturing process. We provide guidance on the gasket material selection and its location within the assembly, and provide prototypes that the customer can test before going into volume production. Robust testing is critical to ensure that the mated connectors are sealed sufficiently and meet any additional industry requirements, such as IP rating. We provide cable assemblies that incorporate sealing features to customers for use in a wide range of different applications, including marine electronics, automotive and industrial machinery.”
Tooling costs for bespoke gasket designs are relatively low with a typical tool costing around £1,000. The cost of the manufactured gasket is volume related but represents a small fraction of the overall cable assembly cost.
Hennessey concluded: “Many customers are pleasantly surprised by the relatively low cost of gaskets as part of the overall assembly cost.”