Pump-Zone Archived Article Mechanical Seal Failure Analysis Don't let mechanical seals be the weak link in your pumping system.
Every failure leaves clues.
Read the signs and prevent future damage. A.W. Chesterton Co. Mechanical sealing devices are often the weak link of fluid handling rotating equipment. Proper material specification and environmental controls will lead to long mechanical seal life. Failed mechanical sealing devices often will leave clues that can be used to increase the life of the replacement seal installed in the equipment. The basic principle of a mechanical sealing device combined with the observations of the damage to the seal help us to better understand the causes and therefore the solutions to our mechanical seal failures.