We are committed to working closely with governments in support of fluid seal design and supply to enhance their defence capabilities. This co-operation naturally extends to equipment manufacturers and maintenance contractors concerned with military vehicles, surface vessels, submarines, and military and commercial aircraft on a global basis.

The longterm partnerships we have fostered with customers in these fields over the past 125 years have proved to be among the most valuable key strengths that James Walker can offer.

We are fully accustomed to working to the exacting materials specifications and quaility requirements of defence and aerospace customers - and hold test equipment for all relevant BS, ISO, ASA, API, ANSI, DIN, DTD and NATO standards.

The quality systems at our relevant facilities are third-party registered to BS EN ISO 9001:2000. We are also regularly assessed and quaility approved by a wide range of industry bodies and individual customers including multinational corporations, government organisations and utilities.

We have a great many product ranges that are applicable to the defence and aerospace sectors, including:

• Custom-designed products.
• Hydraulic sealing components.
• 'O' rings.
• High performance specification grade elastomers.
• Kalrez^® perfluoroelastomer fluid sealing and handling items.
• Radial lip seals.
• Flat gaskets and sheet jointings.
• Metallic gaskets and ring joints.
• Expansion joints and bellows.
• Compression packings.
• Anti-slip decking and flooring.

Custom-designed products

This is our greatest area of expertise. The research and development facilities of James Walker Technology Centre, combined with our world-class manufacturing capabilities for high performance elastomers and engineering plastics, enable us to approach any fluid sealing problem with confidence. Much of our high-level work for the defence and aerospace sectors is confidential, and we are accustomed to operating under these conditions and fully respect the security issues involved.

Hydraulic sealing components

Our high-integrity hydraulic seals for rods/glands and pistons provide optimum equipment performance for almost every application. We mould seals in a wide range of standard and high performance elastomers, and custom-compound special materials for specific duties. Our products are used for control systems as well as heavy duty equipment on bow doors and deck gear.

'O' rings

We manufacture 'O' rings in over 100 general and high performance elastomers, and stock seven million ready for immediate despatch. Customised material and sizes are readily supplied. Typical duties include hydraulic systems, hatches, diesel engine cylinder liners and heads, fuel systems, pumps and valves.

High performance specification grade elastomers

We process 10 elastomer types in over 70 specification grades for high-integrity fluid seals and other precision moulded components needed by the aerospace and defence sectors.

Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer fluid sealing & handling items

We are authorised UK distributor for the design, supply and technical support of sealing and fluid handling parts made by DuPont Performance Elastomers from its many grades of Kalrez^® perfluoroelastomer FFKM. Various Kalrez^® grades are recommended for critical and/or high purity sealing applications the defence and aerospace sectors.

Radial lip seals

Walkersele^® radial lip seals retain lubricant within a rotary system and can also prevent the ingress of foreign matter. They are extensively used in stern glands, stabilisers, bow thrusters, variable pitch propellors and gear boxes. Our patented Walkersele OSJ-2 on-site joining technique allows high-intergrity lip seals to be replaced without a major strip-down - which significantly reduces time in dry dock for busy vessels.

Flat gaskets & sheet jointings

Our precision cut gaskets and sheet jointings are extensively used for marine and land-based flange sealing duties - pipelines and pumps, valve flanges and bonnets, fuel systems, engines and gearboxes. Our sheet jointings cover almost all fluid handling requirements. We have a full range of compressed fibre materials, plus Nebar^® cork/elastomer and Supagraf^® graphite-based products. Supagraf ^® has been extensively tested by third parties to offer the Royal Navy a single material to replace all CAF products.

Metallic gaskets & ring joints

Metakamm^® Kammprofile and Metaflex^® spiral wound gaskets are specified for pressure vessels, pipelines and hydraulic plant where the temperature, pressure, flow rates or vibration are beyond the capability of conventional jointing materials. Manufactured by API-licensee James Walker Moorflex, our metal ring joints conform to both ASME and API standards. Products include R, RX and BX ring joints, as well as lens, convex, wedge, double-cone and weld ring metal gaskets.

Expansion joints & bellows

Comflex composite expansion joints and ranges of flexible bellows are widely used for marine and shore-based duties. Typical applications include air intakes, gas turbine exhausts, steam turbine exhausts, diesel ventillation systems, cooling ducts, and protectors for hydraulic rams.

Compression packings

Our extensive range of compression packings covers every marine and shore-based gland sealing duty - from centrifugal and reciprocating pumps and valves to rudder posts and stern glands. As well as highly-advanced synthetic fibre packings such as Fluograf^® and Liongraf, plus Supagraf^® Premier and Supagraf^® Control VOC emission control products, we also manufacture traditional marine packings including Fluolion^® Sturntite and Sextant.

Anti-slip decking & flooring

The Treadmaster^® range of tough anti-slip deck coverings is widely used on marine vessels of every class and size. Specific grades of this cork-elastomer product are recommended for exposed decks, engine rooms or internal areas. In addition, Treadmaster^® safety flooring provides comfortable, slip-resistant surfaces for maintenance environments, gantries, catwalks, machine rooms and offices.

For more information on Tiflex products including Treadmaster, click here.

Click here to download the Sealing guide to Defence & Aerospace pdf (1300KB)