President’s MessageTerry Galanis, Jr.

In This IssueGasketing/Converting ExpoPage 1

President’s MessagePages 1 & 2

Future Meeting SchedulePage 2

New Association MembersPage 2

Company ProfilesPages 3, 5 & 6

Press Releases Page 7

Meet the New GFA Officers and DirectorsPage 9

Expo PhotosPages 10 & 11

What’s Going On In The GFA?Pages 12, 13 & 14

Photographic Images of Gasket Failures and ProblemsPages 15, 16 & 18

Membership AnniversariesPage 19

Benchmarking Report Page 19

Volume 31 Number 2 August 2012

Our 4th Expo was better than ever!!!

The 2012 Expo was a huge success, with 111 booths and well over

500 participants. It was great to partner with the IADD, ISD, and the

FSA. One thing that everyone commented on was how busy the

show was all day. At previous shows, the afternoon activity waned

pretty quickly after lunch. At this Expo, the exhibit hall was full until

closing. The atmosphere was terrific. Just wait till you see the Expo

video that captured some of the highlights; it is amazing!!!

It seems like only yesterday when Jack Pierson, of Preco Industries, had an idea in a Long Range

Planning Committee meeting about some sort of trade show for GFA members. Believe it or not,

that was in 2004. I remember because I was sitting next to Jack when we were brainstorming

about how to bring more value to every member of the GFA. Jack appointed himself chairman of

that first Expo and worked very hard to make sure it was a success. Like most everything Jack has

done in his life, success was the only option. Successful it was, with over 400 attendees and just

under 100 booths.Continued on page 2

The Gasketing/Converting Expo Strikes Again!The Gasketing/Converting Expo ‘12, presented

by the Gasket Fabricators Association (GFA)

and held at the Hilton Orlando, was a triumph,

drawing well over 500 attendees and over

100 exhibitors to a trade show devoted

exclusively to the gasketing and converting

industries. The event was co-sponsored by the

International Association of Diecutting and

Diemaking (IADD), the International Sealing Distribution Association (ISD), and the Fluid Sealing

Association (FSA).

The program featured a full-day Expo with a cost-effective table top display format which

allowed a broad range of exhibitors to have unprecedented exposure to gasket fabricators and

converters without having to arrange for elaborate displays and logistics. The feedback has been

extremely positive from both attendees and exhibitors alike. Several attendees commented

that it was “the best Expo yet.” The next Gasketing/Converting Expo is already being planned

for the spring of 2014. If you have not yet attended a Gasketing/Converting Expo, or if you are

not currently a GFA Member, please e-mail your contact information to expo@gasketfab.com to

receive information on the Gasketing/Converting Expo ‘14.

Fall 2012 Semi-Annual Meeting

October 2-4, 2012

The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa

Denver, CO

Spring 2013 Semi-Annual Meeting

March 19-21, 2013

Harrah’s Hotel

New Orleans, LA

Spring 2013 Semi-Annual Meeting

March 19-21, 2013

Harrah’s Hotel

New Orleans, LA

Fall 2012 Semi-Annual Meeting

August 2012Page 2

GFA Future Meeting ScheduleMany people do not realize what a game changer the Expo has been

for the GFA. In the early days, supplier members did not have much

say in the GFA. In fact, in the decades of the 80s and 90s, suppliers were

not able to bring their literature to pass out at the meetings. Suppliers

had to make the best of networking at the cocktail party and then try

to get a customer or two to dinner one night. Then there was golf,

which was a good time to get a sleeve of logo balls and, if a supplier

was lucky, he could try to get the Golf Chairman to arrange a foursome

with his best customers. You can bet it was hard to justify to your boss

that you needed to go to a GFA meeting twice a year where your best

opportunity to sell your product was on the golf course.

Finally, a younger and more entrepreneurial group of leaders really

started to understand what a valuable tool the GFA could be for their

businesses. We understood how important the supplier relationship

was to the converter members. We wanted to see the latest products

and hear about the latest methods of converting. The GFA was the

perfect platform to promote those items. Suppliers were no longer

treated as “second class citizens” of the GFA, but as equal partners and

very important to the overall value for all GFA members. Today, supplier

members have good representation on the GFA Board of Directors, have

a supplier council and, more importantly, hold the coveted position of

“Golf Chairman”.

In the years ahead, our organization will continue to evolve, being more

innovative and providing more opportunity for our members. Our new

members are brighter and eager to do better. They want more out of the

GFA. Our leadership is well aware of this directive and will continue to be

very proactive in delivering a formula that will guarantee our members

will look forward to attending future meetings.

This October, we will be traveling to Denver for a little change in venue

from our usual resort type locations. The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa is

located in the heart of Denver. This city location provides unlimited

dining and sightseeing possibilities for those of you who want to

venture out and enjoy Denver while you are there. Denver also has some

great golf courses and we will be taking advantage of that when we hold

our golf tournament at the Fossil Trace Golf Club in nearby Golden. It will

be a great meeting. My wife, Nancy, and I will be there and we hope to

see you there, too.

President’s Message(Continued from Page 1)

FabricatorsAction Fabricators Inc.

www.actionfab.com

Automated Gasket Corporation

www.automatedgasketcorp.com

Diversified Foam Products

www.diversifiedindustries.com

Kent Manufacturing Company

www.kent-mfg.com

MCL Industries Inc.

www.mcldiecutting.com

Scott Foam Technologies, LLC

www.scott-mfg.com

Soundown Corporation

www.soundown.com

SuppliersDer-Tex Corporation

www.dertexcorp.com

V. Himark USA Inc.

www.vhimarkusa.com

New Association Members

August 2012Page 3

Company Profiles

Company Profiles continued on page 5

Automated Gasket is a full-service cutter, fabricator,

and material converter of non-metallic and soft metallic

materials. From one custom made order, to millions, we have

the people and equipment to deliver.

AG was established in St. Louis, MO and has been die

cutting gaskets for 45 years. Since its inception in 1967, the

company has always put the customers first.

Today, the company continues its history of success. AG

specializes in close tolerance, intricate parts fabricated from

sheet and rollstock materials for OEM, rebuild, and end-

user customers. We service multiple industries including

medical, HVAC, automotive, small engine, appliance, marine,

chemical, agriculture, food processing, racing, lighting, and

equipment manufacturers.

We stock a large number of materials including rubber,

plastic, felt, cork, foam, and sponge. Being an authorized

fabricator for several different material producers makes

it much easier to solve your needs. We also offer custom

assembling, packaging, and kitting solutions.

At AG, quality is paramount. We employ a staff of

highly-trained operators and hand fabricators to ensure

that products are made to your specification. Before a

product ships from our docks, we have quality assurance

professionals and processes in place to ensure unsurpassed

quality to all customers - big and small.

For more information about AG, please visit our website at

www.automatedgasketcorp.com or contact us directly at

314-646-5353. Also, visit our sister company ALM at

www.alm-inc.com.

Headquartered in Oyonnax, France, GERGONNE has gained

wide experience manufacturing industrial Pressure Sensitive

Adhesive Tapes (PSAs) and fabricating (kiss cut/die cut)

components. As a recognized main player in our markets, we

develop technical solutions in accordance with the needs of

our customers.

Our commitments include offering competitive pricing,

quality products, on-time deliveries, and environmental

protection. With five fabrication plants located in France,

Slovakia, Spain, China, and Mexico, GERGONNE has been

serving the global market in a variety of industries since

1962. Our main customers are found in industries such as

automotive, electronics, construction, HVAC, climate control,

and furniture, among others.

Its Laboratory and R&D Department offers wide expertise

in the formulation of water and solvent-based acrylic,

rubber, phenolic, and silicone PSAs, along with a variety of

carriers and release liners designed for suitability to specific

applications. Other capacities include manufacturing and

converting of adhesives tapes, laminating - coating, and

converting (die/kiss cutting).

GERGONNE is committed to quality having obtained its

first certification in accordance with ISO 9002 in 1992.

All our components comply with a particular technical

specification. Continuous control is carried out at all

stages of the manufacturing process. Our plants work in

compliance with the following international standards:

• ISO 9001:2008 – France, Spain, Mexico, Slovakia

• ISO 14001:2004 – France, Mexico, Slovakia

• ISO TS 16940:2002 – France, Spain, Mexico, Slovakia

• OHSAS 18001 - Slovakia

August 2012Page 4

740, rue Galt Ouest, bureau 302, sherbrooke (québec) canada j1h 1z3 T 819 562-2222 F 819 562-2336 www.ciblesolutions.com

No de projet - Project No: 2392-36

Client: American Biltrite

Agence - Agency: CIBLE solutions d’a�aires

Publication - Magazine: GFA

Date de parution - Issue: January 2010

Format - Size: 3,5” x 2”

Nombre de couleurs - #colors: CMYK

Linéature - Line screen: 150 lpi

Date de tombée - Deadline: 2010, Jan. 28

2392-36 AB-PubPSRjan10.ai CMYK

1.888.275.7075 | �www.american-biltrite.com

Manufacturer of sustainable cork, recycled rubber and cork/rubber

products for the following markets:

www.ecoreindustrial.com

• Industrial• Aerospace• Automotive• Sealing

• Gasket Cutting• Packaging• Friction Materials• Anti-Vibration

Economical, reliable, on time.Custom-engineered PVC foam and foam tapes

Novagard Solutions™

5109 Hamilton AvenueCleveland, Ohio 44114Phone:1-800-380-0138www.foam-seal.com

August 2012Page 5

Frenzelit Sealing Systems, Incorporated was formed in 2005

to facilitate Frenzelit's global expansion throughout North

America. Frenzelit Sealing Systems, offers non-asbestos

products, including graphite sheet, compressed sheet,

millboard, heat shield, and beater addition roll goods.

Frenzelit Sealing Systems is unique in the materials sector of

the gasket fabricators network.

Frenzelit Werke GmbH, headquartered in Bad Berneck,

Germany, has been producing gasket and sealing materials

for industrial applications since 1881. As a privately owned

company, Frenzelit has earned its reputation in the world

market as being an innovator in new technology, as well

as a Tier 1 supplier of high quality products for the global

industrial and automotive markets. Due to its broad

production machinery base, Frenzelit has the ability to

produce and supply a major portion of all of the products

typical to the gasket fabricator.

Frenzelit is a global leader in gasketing and insulation

innovation and technology. Frenzelit was one of the first

companies to launch a non-asbestos gasket material

sheet in 1982 and was also one of the first gasket material

manufacturers to go completely non-asbestos. Today,

Frenzelit manufactures some of the highest quality materials

available to the global market. Due to an innovative

engineering approach toward superior temperature,

pressure, and media resistance, these materials became the

logical high quality solution to the needs of the asbestos

replacement market.

Our Novatec product family of compressed graphite

reinforced with Kevlar® and blended with nitrile butadiene

rubber, has allowed us to gain significant market exposure.

In addition, Frenzelit also offers the traditional compressed

non-asbestos sheet products, insulation and gasket

materials, such as millboard, graphite, mica, and beater-

addition. Add to this mix various products representing

the glass filled PTFE product sector and you will find an

innovative, creative supplier that can address the industrial

needs for both today and tomorrow.

Please visit our website at www.frenzelitsealing.com for

more information, or email us at info@frenzelitsealing.com.

Company Profiles continued on page 6

August 2012Page 6

Company Profiles(Continued from Page 5)

As a family owned and operated business, Scott Industries,

LLC began in 1946. Since then we have expanded to

Scott Manufacturing and Scott Foam Technologies. Scott

Manufacturing began in 1960 and is a leading fabricator

of fiberglass insulation products in North America. Scott

Manufacturing owns and operates facilities in Sebree, KY,

Stuttgart, AR, Marshalltown, IA, and Oklahoma City, OK.

Scott Foam Technologies, located in Henderson, KY, began

operations in 1990 and supplies a variety of foam insulation

products worldwide.

Scott Foam Technologies, LLC is an ISO 9000:2008 company

founded on LEAN and Green principals of business. We

custom design and fabricate flexible foam product solutions

for Original Equipment Manufacturers. Our Product

Development and Research lab group works with customers

to establish effective solutions to their needs. Since our

customers have unique requirements, we build our own

tooling and custom machinery in house to ensure JIT flow of

products to satisfy their expectations.

We have always been committed to customer satisfaction

and utilize the most effective manufacturing techniques. For

more information regarding Scott Foam Technologies, LLC,

please visit us at www.scottfoam.com.

• Die-cutting Presses• 60" Heat Laminators• Horizontal Splitters

Converting Equipmentfor Non-metallicMaterials

Ttarp Mfg. Corp.

800-871-7596 • www.Ttarp.com

Foams as Pure as Nature

Protecting People and Products with Purity

55 Precision Drive • Walton, Kentucky • 41094 • 859 371 4046 • TOLL-FREE: (800) 362-8358

HIGH-PERFORMANCEPOLYOLEFIN FOAMS

PLASTAZOTE®

August 2012Page 7

Press Releases

E.F. Walter Inc. is pleased to announce the sale of our Industrial

Products Division to Jacobs and Thompson Inc. (J&T) of Toronto,

Ontario, effective April 30, 2012. As part of this acquisition,

equipment and inventory will be transitioned to J&T. John Smith,

Tanya Sociedade, and Clive Moody will join the J&T team as your

main points of contact.

J&T has been converting flexible materials for over 60 years and

has stood out among all possible candidates. E.F. Walter has had

the opportunity to work with the J&T team and has been very

J. Robert Leighty, CEO of Thermoseal Inc.,

announced that Scott Peters joined the

company as President, effective May 1,

2012. Mr. Leighty will continue as CEO

and senior advisor to the firm.

Scott comes to Thermoseal with over

25 years of business and leadership

experience in both military and industry roles. Originally from

Ohio, he graduated from West Point and was commissioned a 2nd

Lieutenant in the US Army where he served as an aviation officer

flying helicopters and commanding an air traffic control unit.

Scott began his career as an engineer and technical sales

manager. Experience at Michelin Tire Company, Dayton

Walther, and MacLean Fogg Company led to increasingly

senior management roles including Vice President of Sales

and Engineering and later Vice President, General Manager of

MacLean’s Royal Oak (Michigan) division. Scott and his family

returned to Ohio when he became Vice President of Sales and

Marketing for Lauren Manufacturing. Most recently he served as

a Director at Performance Elastomers.

For more information about Thermoseal Inc., please visit our

website at www.thermosealinc.com or send us an email at

info@thermosealinc.com.

impressed with the J&T responsiveness and their commitment to

service levels.

Polyonics has introduced a family of double

coated antistatic tapes. These tapes provide

very low tribocharging when applied and

removed, making them ideal for bonding

static sensitive devices (SSD). They are offered

in a wide variety of materials, adhesives (PSA),

and liners to best suit each application. The

double coated tapes are well suited for applications involving

extreme high temperatures and harsh environments including

chemical resistance.

Polyonics double coated antistatic tapes use TriboGard

technology that helps prevent tribocharging. The tapes generate

less than 100 v/sq-in when their liners are removed and again

when the tapes are removed from substrates. This allows the

tapes to be applied and removed without adding any significant

electrostatic charges, thus preventing the potential of an

electrostatic discharge (ESD).

The ability of the Polyonics double coated tapes to be diecut and

auto-applied allows them to be converted into the exact shape

required for each bonding application. The precise thicknesses of

the tapes allow components to be accurately bonded while their

thin, conformal bond lines help reduce tolerance stack up and

total component and product dimensions.

Tape constructions are offered with 0.5mil (13µm), 1mil (25µm)

and 2mil (50µm) polyimide and 2mil polyester (PET) and

aluminum. Amber and black polyimide tapes are available as are

white and clear PET. A variety of acrylic and silicone PSAs and

liners are also available. Flame retardant, custom constructions

(including dissimilar PSAs), and low volume orders are readily

accepted.

For further information, contact Dave Genest at 603-352-6327 or

at tape.expert@polyonics.com

Scott Peters Joins Thermoseal Inc. as President

Walco Industrial Products Acquired by Jacobs and Thompson

Polyonics Introduces Double Coated Antistatic Tapes

August 2012Page 8

800.858.0482www.BRPmfg.com

BRP Manufacturing CompanyIndustrial Rubber Sheeting, Extruded & Molded Products

1/64” to 3” Thick • Slit to Width • Buffed to Tight TolerancesAdhesive Ready • Cloth Inserted or Unsupported • Mil-C-882

Phone: (262) 786-5300 Fax: (262) 786-5503www.frenzelitsealing.com info@frenzelitsealing.com16550 West Ryerson Road New Berlin, WI 53151

Bringing German Engineered Materials to the North American MarketCompressed Non-Asbestos • Beater Addition • Modified and Expanded PTFE

Mica • Expanded Graphites • Metal Reinforced Materials • Mill-Board

To see the Gaska Tape difference for yourself, visit www.gaska.comor call 800-423-1571

PERFORM

Automotive: HVAC

HVAC/R Equipment

Commercial/Industrial Chillers

www.kfl exusa.com 800-765-6475

PERFORM

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CCoommmercial/Industrial CChhilleersCCC

wwwwwww.kkww flflkk ussaa.coom exxu eeflfl-664475576655-880000-766

PERFORMANCE FOAMS

August 2012Page 9

Ken StoberVice President Ken Stober is President

and CEO of Mueller Die

Cut Solutions. Mueller,

with manufacturing

locations in Charlotte, NC

and Suzhou, China, has

been a member of the

GFA since its founding.

Don Stober, Ken’s father,

was a past President of the GFA. Ken has served as the

Committee Chair of the Programs and Locations Committee,

and is presently the Chair of the Membership Committee.

Ken EatonSecretary/TreasurerKen Eaton spent his first

10 years in business as

Laboratory and Technical

Director for an adhesive

and sealant manufacturer,

and the next 30 years

as President of various

chemically related

retail and industrial

manufacturing companies. Over 1/3 of his total career

has been spent as a turnaround artist for companies

in serious overall trouble. Aside from North American

experience, he has set up a polymer plant in Mexico and

supervised marketing and new product development in

Israel, Venezuela, India, Australia, New Zealand, and other

countries. For over 15 years, Mr. Eaton has been President of

the Jacobs & Thompson group of companies and, as of May

13, 2011, he along with Chris Brand became sole owners of

the group.

Terry Galanis, Jr. President Terry S. Galanis, Jr. is the

President and CEO of

Sealing Devices, Inc. Terry

joined Sealing Devices

in 1972 and became

President in 1984. Sealing

Devices, Inc., a family

company founded by

Terry S. Galanis, Sr. in

1963, has three branches – Rochester and Syracuse, New

York, and Erie, Pennsylvania. He is a Past President of the

Parker Seal Distributor Advisory Council and the World

Presidents Organization (WPO). Terry lives with his wife,

Nancy in Marilla, New York, and has three daughters and six

grandchildren.

Meet the New GFA Officers and Directors

Chuck KeeleyBoard Member Chuck Keeley is the

President of CGR

Products. The company

was established in 1963

in downtown Greensboro,

NC. Operations moved

to its current location

in Greensboro in 1971.

Valley Products was

acquired in 1991 and operates as a part of CGR Products in

Decatur, AL. The Greensboro, NC facility burned down in

2001 and was rebuilt in the same location. We have been a

member of the GFA since 1992. Our purpose is to give every

constituent of our company the opportunity to experience

an extraordinary sense of accomplishment.

Visit us online at:www.gasketfab.com

August 2012Page 10

Gasketing/Converting Expo ‘12 PhotosHilton Orlando

Terry Galanis, Jr. (right) presenting Steve Hanson with a plaque

for his contributions as President from 2010 - 2011

John Spence with John Spence LLC

presenting during the General Session

GFA Members lead

Cutting Methods Technical Session

GFA New Members and

First Time Attendees

GFA New Members and

First Time Attendees

August 2012Page 11

August 2012Page 12

Continued on page 13

Membership Committee Ken Stober, Chairman

Wow! Even though our company

has been a member of the GFA for a

long time, I am still amazed at how

successful the Expo was in March. I

truly believe that it was our best Expo

to date. We just keep getting better and better.

At this year’s Expo, we were able to squeeze in a well-attended

Membership Committee meeting. I am pleased to report that in

the months prior to the Expo, the GFA added 17 new members.

Also at the Expo, there were over 60 non-GFA members (or

qualified prospects as we like to call them) who attended.

The Committee’s main mission is to contact each one of these

Communications Committee David Soliday, Chairman

The primary function of the

Communications Committee is to

coordinate and monitor activities

related to the newsletter, surveys,

alerts, website, social media sites,

and public relations. With a very full agenda when meeting, we

have been able to put together an aggressive campaign that

will keep our members informed on key topics while we market

ourselves for continual new membership growth.

Our newsletter, published three times a year, continues to be a

great media piece for sharing organization information. Please

circulate an issue with your colleagues, and a few copies in your

office reception area to generate more interest in the GFA.

Website visits are up this year with the Expo marketing activities

contributing to the increase in hits. Lauron Sonnier is assisting

us with suggestions for content improvement and design

enhancements to the site. The Communications Committee

has also introduced a Marketing Subcommittee to explore

methods for the GFA to leverage social media. Shirley Monte with

Flexcon and Christine Brouder with Sekisui Voltek co-chair the

Subcommittee. Preliminary discussions drive attention towards

several attributes, that when finalized, will be implemented with

the initiatives of Lauron’s marketing plan for the GFA. Some of

those topics include: developing a policy statement for social

media content and how it will be flowed through selected

outlets; determining what media tools such as LinkedIn and/

or Twitter may be used for communications; determining how

the GFA website will benefit with the media piece in place;

exploring what assistance can be provided to members through

webinars and training that provides an understanding of where

social media is tracking and its usefulness when selected and

appropriate conversation pieces are in place. As we continue to

define the parameters and guidelines for the GFA website, our

finished product will ensure accurate, professional content in a

consistent format.

What’s Going On In The GFA?The key performance indicator survey has been revamped

and will be sent out soon. With your input, the content has

been modified to solicit and report results on only the critical

elements of business. The survey should not take more than

15 to 20 minutes to complete. With the new look, we expect

a greater response from members which means more data

to benchmark against. Also, considering the sensitivity of

content, please make sure the GFA is aware who the survey

should be sent to at your business. Contact the GFA office at

info@gasketfab.com if your current contact information needs

maintenance.

The Quick Surveys are not real quick at the moment, but we

should be ready to roll again. We have a number of questions

that were submitted and with a little massaging on wording, we

will be ready to restart the process. Thank you for your patience

as we learn how to effectively manage the content and intent of

the questions.

Thanks again for your assistance and participation with not only

the Communications Committee, but any other GFA committees

on which you serve. The GFA’s strength and future is directly tied

to your support and contributions. If you have any questions,

please email me at davidsoliday@chicagowilcox.com. We look

forward to seeing you at the Fall Meeting in Denver.

August 2012Page 13

Continued on page 14

What’s Going On?(Continued from Page 12)

prospects and get their feedback on what they thought about

the Expo and specifically what they thought about the GFA. The

way we look at it is that there is not a better time to see if these

prospects are interested in joining the GFA. Our Committee

is calling each one of these companies and asking if they are

interested in becoming members. Hopefully we will get a great

response from these efforts.

Another important part of the Committee’s responsibilities is to

make sure that our newest members are getting the value that

they expected from the GFA. Therefore we are calling each of the

17 new members and we are asking them if the GFA and the Expo

delivered what they were expecting. We use this information to

make sure that we are still on the right track and if we are not,

we want to make sure we make the appropriate adjustments.

New membership is the lifeblood of any organization and we

can use all the help we can get. If you are interested in joining

the Membership Committee, please let me or the GFA office

know. Also, remember you do not have to be on the Membership

Committee to recruit great new members to the GFA. If you have

any questions, please email me at kstober@muellerdcs.com. We

will see you in Denver.

Programs and Locations CommitteeShelby Ricketts, Chairman

With the Gasketing/Converting

Expo ‘12 in the books, it is time to

turn our attention to the upcoming

Fall meeting in Denver, CO. Before

looking ahead, it is important to take the opportunity to reflect

on the success of the Expo. Thanks to the planning efforts of

Terry Galanis, Steve Pendergast, and the Programs and Locations

Committee members, we were once again able to host a one-of-

a-kind event in our industry. The meeting was very well attended

and I received extremely positive feedback from long-term GFA

members and new attendees alike. The slightly altered format

of the Expo meeting allowed us to appeal to a wider array of

attendees that come to the Expo, and I think that everyone took

something of value away from the meeting.

The Fall 2012 meeting will be held at The Brown Palace Hotel in

Denver, a 116 year-old hotel which is within walking distance of

all that downtown Denver has to offer. Downtown Denver offers

many interesting attractions, including the State Capitol, the

Lower Downtown (LODO) District, the Denver Mint, and great

shops and restaurants. In addition to great attractions and some

cooler weather, attendees will be treated to a presentation from

Jeff Dietrich of the Institute for Trend Research. Jeff has more

than 30 years of experience as a keynote speaker on economic

trends and always has provided our group with a unique and

relevant economic outlook. In addition, we will continue with our

roundtable discussions, including the popular CEO luncheon on

the first day of the meeting.

The Spring 2013 meeting will be in New Orleans, LA and

the Committee is looking at final locations for the Fall 2013

meeting, which will most likely be held near Albuquerque, NM.

We are always looking for content, so if you have any ideas or

suggestions, please feel free to contact the Committee Vice

Chairman, Bill Hibner, or myself at shelby@concote.com. We look

forward to seeing you in Colorado!

Technical CommitteeJim Ward, Chairman

The principal function of the Technical

Committee is to inform and educate.

The Technical Committee of the

GFA directs the programming of

technical information available to the

membership during the semi-annual meetings, through the GFA

newsletter, and through the GFA website. The Committee also

organizes the placement of member information available on the

website.

The search for the Vice Chairman of the Technical Committee

has been completed. Mr. Matt Weiss of JBC Technologies in

North Ridgeville, OH has graciously offered and accepted the

appointment as Vice Chair of the Committee. Matt is a Fabricator

member of the GFA and will offer the much needed perspective

of the Fabricators to the operation of the Technical Committee.

Please take the time to introduce yourself to Matt, offer him

NewsletterThe Gasket Fabricator is published by the GFA and is distributed to all members and prospective members.

President ......................................................................Terry S. Galanis, Jr.Vice President .......................................................................Ken StoberSecretary/Treasurer................................................................Ken EatonExecutive Director..................................................................Peter LanceManagement Advisor....................................................Robert H. EckerAdministrative Director/Newsletter Editor..................Brian SchaafCommunications Committee Chair.............................David SolidayLong Range Planning Committee Chair......................Steve HansonMembership Committee Chair....................................Ken Stober Progam & Locations Committee Chair......................Shelby RickettsTechnical Committee Chair......................................................Jim Ward

Members are encouraged to contribute articles and items of interest to the Gasket Fabricator. All contributions should be addressed to: Executive Director, GFA, 994 Old Eagle School Road, Suite 1019, Wayne, PA 19087-1866, (610) 971-4850, Fax (610) 971-4859, E-mail: info@gasketfab.com.

Articles appearing in this publication may not be reproduced without written consent from the Association. Articles appearing in the Gasket Fabricator are the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the Association.

© Copyright 2012 Gasket Fabricators Association

Communications Committee Chair.............................David SolidayLong Range Planning Committee Chair......................Steve HansonMembership Committee Chair....................................Ken Stober Progam & Locations Committee Chair......................Shelby RickettsTechnical Committee Chair......................................................Jim Ward

Members are encouraged to contribute articles and items of . All contributions should be

addressed to: Executive Director, GFA, 994 Old Eagle School Road, Suite 1019, Wayne, PA 19087-1866, (610) 971-4850, Fax (610) 971-4859, E-mail: info@gasketfab.com.

Articles appearing in this publication may not be reproduced without written consent from the Association.

Gasket Fabricator are the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the

© Copyright 2012 Gasket Fabricators Association

is published by the GFA and is distributed to all members and prospective members.

President ......................................................................Terry S. Galanis, Jr.Vice President .......................................................................Ken StoberVice President .......................................................................Ken StoberSecretary/Treasurer................................................................Ken EatonExecutive Director..................................................................Peter LanceManagement Advisor....................................................Robert H. EckerAdministrative Director/Newsletter Editor..................Brian SchaafCommunications Committee Chair.............................David SolidayLong Range Planning Committee Chair......................Steve HansonMembership Committee Chair....................................Ken Stober Progam & Locations Committee Chair......................Shelby RickettsTechnical Committee Chair......................................................Jim Ward

Members are encouraged to contribute articles and items of Gasket Fabricator

addressed to: Executive Director, GFA, 994 Old Eagle School Road, Suite 1019, Wayne, PA 19087-1866, (610) 971-4850, Fax (610) 971-4859, E-mail: info@gasketfab.com.

Articles appearing in this publication may not be reproduced without written consent from the Association.

NewsletterThe Gasket Fabricator

Association.

© Copyright 2012 Gasket Fabricators Association

August 2012Page 14

What’s Going On?(Continued from Page 13)

your congratulations (or maybe condolences), and bring any

suggestions you might have for future technical programming to

his attention.

The Technical Committee had completed the latest webinar on

materials used in fabrication prior to the Gasketing/Converting

Expo. The information from this webinar is readily available

through the GFA website. It was very well attended and

provided useful information to those who had the opportunity

to participate. The next webinar series will commence in late

summer. Current topics under discussion for the webinar include

adhesives and their applications, and cutting options and

methodology. If you have any suggestions for this webinar or

future webinars, please do not hesitate to share your thoughts

and ideas at the Technical Committee meeting.

As a volunteer service of the GFA, the Technical Committee

welcomes all members to participate and join in the process of

informing and educating the future leadership of our industry.

Please invest an hour during the next GFA meeting to see what

the Technical Committee is all about or contact me at

jimw@brpmfg.com.

The GFA, in collaboration with the International Association of

Diecutting and Diemaking (IADD), is offering a special service

to its members. TechTeam™ is a dedicated and experienced

team of industry professionals who stand ready to assist you.

Their mission is to quickly research and answer GFA Members’

technical diecutting and diemaking questions in an unbiased,

confidential, current, and direct manner.

GFA Members can access the service by clicking on Members

Only on www.gasketfab.com, the GFA’s homepage. Members

who have forgotten their name and password should contact

the GFA office at 610-971-4850 or info@gasketfab.com.

Joining a committee is one of the best ways to take advantage of your GFA

membership. Contact the GFA office at 610-971-4850 or

info@gasketfab.com if you would like to join a

committee.

August 2012Page 15

Photographic Images of Gasket Failures and ProblemsBy: Larry Pyle

For the past 8+ years I have written articles about various

aspects of gasket critical issues, testing and important features

which affect gasket performance. My background is in the

development, testing and analysis of primarily automotive and

diesel engine gaskets with particular emphasis on cylinder head

gasketing. These are more complex gaskets than most of you

deal with because of the multiple sealing requirements:

• High temperatures

• Multiple fluids being sealed (combustion gases, lubricating

oils, coolants)

• Reciprocating elevated combustion pressures

• Dynamic temperature fluctuations

What I am attempting to do in this article is to put some images

before you that illustrate some the important issues that I have

written about in previous issues.

X-rays; It Takes Load to Seal

Fig. I: (Cyl. Hd. Gasket with rule cut openings)

Fig. II: (with hard tooling)

X-rays show the internal relationships of the various components

of the gasket - in this case the core, the diameter of the opens, and

the armor. The greater the stackup of metals, the lighter the image.

In this case, even the perforations are visible as well as the extent

of the heel and the overlap of the armor or metallic nose which

wraps the gasket body around the combustion opening. X-rays see

many flaws which cannot be detected by the naked eye:

• The void between the nose of the armor and the opening in

the gasket body is excessive in Fig. I because rule dies are not

capable for cutting precision holes. Even if made “on the money”,

the rule bends and dulls with use and the opening diameter

would change.

• As rule gets dull, it tends to tear rather than shear the metal.

This can be seen in Fig. I.

• Fig. II illustrates the gasket when the combustion openings

are cut using hard, fixed tooling. The relationships between the

various diameters can be easily maintained and the void

between the nose of the armor and the gasket body opening is

minimized.

I would venture to say that if the total areas of the bright

(dense) areas of the x-rays are directly comparable to load on

the combustion seal (a reasonable assumption), the rule cut

gasket load to seal would be ½ or less than that cut with hard

tooling. That gasket would exhibit a performance level which is

considerably better. Excessive nose voids can also lead to collapse

of the nose leading to armor cracking and premature combustion

seal failure.

Surface Finish / Roughness

Fig. III: Carbon tracking

Continued on page 16

August 2012Page 16

Photographic Images(Continued from Page 15)

Fig. IV: Resultant burnout, gasket failure

Fig. III and Fig. IV illustrate the importance of maintaining

acceptable surface roughness of the mating flanges being

sealed. In this case, the surface was too rough for the metal

armor material to conform to the surface of the mating flange.

This resulted in low surface pressure in between the ridges

left by the machining process of the mating flanges. Fig. III

already shows carbon tracking left by combustion gas leakage

across the gasket armor. Fig. IV shows the ultimate failure of the

combustion seal by leaking combustion gases into an adjacent

coolant opening. This would cause coolant loss in the engine and

overheating with rapid degradation of the gasket. A good, thick,

heat-resistant coating would have improved the performance, but

the true culprit was the lack of control on the surface roughness

in the flange machining process.

Core Shift / Over Machining

Fig. V: Core shift in a cylinder head

Some gasket failures are not due to the gasket design. In the

case of the example illustrated in Fig. V, this compressed cylinder

head gasket for a GM small block Chevrolet engine shows the

encroachment of the coolant opening in the cylinder head into

the area of the combustion seal armor. This could be caused by

the shift of the casting core as the cylinder head was originally

manufactured but, most likely, it was the result of over machining

of the cylinder head during repeated remanufacturing of the part.

The walls on the inside of the casting are tapered so that when the

cylinder head is refinished during the remanufacturing process,

the hole gets larger. This remanufacturer obviously went a step

too far. The effective load on the combustion seal in this location

would be substantially decreased, leading to probable combustion

seal leakage directly into the cooling system with disastrous

results.

A Little is Good - More is Better?

Fig. VI: Too much help

Fig. VI is a photo of an intake manifold gasket for a Ford V8 engine.

This engine is designed with coolant ports and intake ports in the

manifold casting. Because of the complexity of the fit between the

manifold, block, and cylinder head, a soft, thick, perforated core

gasket was necessary at that time with formed embossments to

increase the compressibility of the overall gasket. This combination

did not give the best sealing performance and often the coolant

would seep into the adjacent intake opening. Since this could

not be tolerated, a fix was made to allow any seepage to escape

Continued on page 18

August 2012Page 17

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August 2012Page 18

via a groove embossed in the gasket as shown in the photo. In

this particular application, the mechanic was supposed to only

apply a tiny bit of RTV at the connection joint with the molded

rubber or cork end seal (between the manifold and the block). By

applying an excessive amount, the purpose of the escape groove

was negated. More is not always better.

Molded Rubber with Plastic CarrierFig. VII below illustrates an intake manifold gasket consisting of

a molded plastic carrier with a molded-in silicone rubber sealing

element. As seen in the photo, the two grooves on either side of

the sealing bead are essential elements to the design of the seal.

Remember that molded rubber does not change volume when

compressed; it can only change shape. Without the grooves, the

rubber has nowhere to expand and will exert very high pressure

on the sides of the groove in the plastic carrier. These grooves

must be sufficiently large to accommodate the displaced rubber

and to accommodate any volume increase due to swell in both

coolant and fuel. In this picture, you may also see two metal

discs in the carrier. Because this is an end of the gasket where the

bolt load is not shared by an adjacent seal, these discs prevent

deforming the plastic at the ends. Typically the plastic which

has been used for these carriers is Nylon 66, which can flow at

operating temperatures and high compressive loads.

Fig. VII: Typical plastic and rubber intake manifold gasket

Photographic Images(Continued from Page 16)

Fig. VIII

Fig. IX

Fig. VIII and Fig. IX illustrate what can happen when the grooves

are filled (in this case by hand applied RTV). The purpose of the

carrier is to locate the seal into the proper location and to hold

the compression of the rubber to acceptable levels in order to

prevent rupturing the rubber. These carriers have a rectangular

groove molded into each side with a thin web of plastic holding

the carrier together. At the bottom of each groove, there are

numerous “through holes” which allow rubber to flow through

them and the two sides of rubber to bold together. Without these

holes, the rubber does not adhere well to plastic. This rubber-to-

rubber bold holds the rubber/plastic together. This web is the

weak link in the carrier. By filling the grooves in the rubber, on

compression, the rubber has nowhere to go without creating

pressure on the sidewalls of the plastic carrier. This pressure can be

sufficient enough, as in this case, to fracture the web causing what

you see in this example.

Below are the results from the Benchmarking Survey, which was undertaken to give GFA members a thumbnail sketch of how other members are fairing at this time.

We had 42 out of 77 Fabricator responses.1. Most Recent Quarter Sales Compared to Previous Quarter UP DOWN SAME 32 (76%) 3 (7%) 7 (17%) 2. Most Recent Quarter Sales Compared to Same Quarter Last Year UP DOWN SAME 34 (81%) 4 (9.5%) 4 (9.5%)

3. Current Quarter Sales Projection Compared to Last Quarter UP DOWN SAME 24 (57%) 6 (14%) 12 (29%)

4. Current Quarter Sales Projection Compared to Same Quarter Last Year UP DOWN SAME 31 (74%) 5 (12%) 6 (14%)

We had 45 out of 69 Supplier responses.1. Most Recent Quarter Sales Compared to Previous Quarter UP DOWN SAME 30 (66%) 7 (16%) 8 (18%) 2. Most Recent Quarter Sales Compared to Same Quarter Last Year UP DOWN SAME 36 (80%) 5 (11%) 4 (9%)

3. Current Quarter Sales Projection Compared to Last Quarter UP DOWN SAME 24 (53%) 9 (20%) 12 (27%)

4. Current Quarter Sales Projection Compared to Same Quarter Last Year UP DOWN SAME 32 (71%) 7 (16%) 6 (13%)

Benchmarking ReportBelow are the results from the Benchmarking Survey, which was undertaken to give GFA members a thumbnail sketch of

Benchmarking Report

1. Most Recent Quarter Sales Compared to Previous Quarter SAME8 (18%)

2. Most Recent Quarter Sales Compared to Same Quarter

SAME 5 (11%) 4 (9%)

3. Current Quarter Sales Projection Compared to Last Quarter SAME

9 (20%) 12 (27%)

4. Current Quarter Sales Projection Compared to Same

SAME 7 (16%) 6 (13%)

Below are the results from the Benchmarking Survey, which was undertaken to give GFA members a thumbnail sketch of

1. Most Recent Quarter Sales Compared to Previous Quarter

2. Most Recent Quarter Sales Compared to Same Quarter

3. Current Quarter Sales Projection Compared to Last Quarter

6 (14%) 12 (29%)

4. Current Quarter Sales Projection Compared to Same Quarter Last Year UP DOWN 31 (74%) 5 (12%) 6 (14%)

We had 45 out of 69 Supplier responses.1. Most Recent Quarter Sales Compared to Previous Quarter

UP DOWN 30 (66%) 7 (16%)

2. Most Recent Quarter Sales Compared to Same Quarter

UP DOWN 36 (80%) 5 (11%) 4 (9%)

3. Current Quarter Sales Projection Compared to Last Quarter UP 24 (53%)

We had 42 out of 77 Fabricator responses.1. Most Recent Quarter Sales Compared to Previous Quarter DOWN

3 (7%) 7 (17%) 2. Most Recent Quarter Sales Compared to Same Quarter Last Year DOWN 34 (81%) 4 (9.5%) 4 (9.5%)

Quarter Last Year 32 (71%)

August 2012Page 19

Membership Anniversaries In 2012, the following companies are celebrating

anniversaries. We would like to thank them

for their ongoing support.

25 Years

Frank Lowe Rubber & Gasket Co. Inc.

20 Years

Rubberlite Inc.

10 Years

Novagard Solutions

5 Years

Fouty & Co., Inc.

Frenzelit Sealing Systems

Glassfiber del Norte SA de CV

Prescotech Industries, Inc.

Rogers Foam Corporation

Syntac Coated Products LLC

If you have questions you would like to see

answered in future issues, please send

them by email to lfptech@gmail.com

August 2012Page 20

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