Do end users and specifying engineers know about the Fluid Sealing Association (FSA) and its respective divisions? Do they know where to find technical information on fluid sealing products for piping and ducting systems?

Sealing piping and ducting systems has been a concern for end users and specifying engineers who, up until this point, might not think there is one spot to get technical data on Mechanical Seals, Packings, Gaskets, Rubber Piping and Fabric Expansion Joints. While the FSA has been around since 1933, end users and specifying engineers may not know that the FSA is the leading association in the USA for fluid sealing technical handbooks and guidelines for sealing fluid and ducting systems.

End users and specifying engineers should look at a “systems approach” to sealing instead of a “piece by piece” design. Sealing is important. From the end user’s perspective, are they losing energy in a system due to leaking piping or ducting joints, leaking mechanical seals in a pump or packings in a valve, leaking between flanges with no gaskets or the wrong gasket? Losing energy means cost of production rises. Conversely, if you have a leaking system, what does that mean for the environment? Consider also the cost to the end user in money spent on penalties and fines.

The FSA, with its member companies and many experts in sealing, is a reliable resource for end users and specifying engineers to use and a great group with whom to confer. So where do I go to find information on sealing products for my piping or ducting system? Take advantage of the FSA KnowledgeBase, a repository of information related to fluid sealing. (fsaknowledgebase.org) Here end users and specifying engineers can research this vast database on subject matter that pertains to their piping or ducting system.

The goal of the FSA is to ensure proper sealing of piping systems for the end user. End users and specifying engineers have one place to find information on fluid sealing. Choosing to do business with FSA’s members will ensure that the piping & ducting systems in operation or being designed use the technical knowledge presented to industry by the experts in fluid sealing.

Handbooks are available for free download at http://www.fluidsealing.com/publications. To join the Fluid Sealing Association mailing list, email info@fluidsealing.com and put “Please sign me up for the electronic newsletters” in the subject line.