Frequently Asked Questions

FFKM (also written FFPM) is a perfluoroelastomer: a rubber whose polymer backbone is entirely fluorinated, with no C–H bonds. That is what gives it resistance to almost all organic media and to very high temperatures. FKM contains C–H bonds and therefore has a more limited chemical and temperature range. In practice FFKM is specified where FKM would swell, harden or fail — ketones, esters, amines, strong oxidisers, or sustained service above 200 °C.

No. FFKM is an elastomer, so it has rubber elasticity and can be used for dynamic sealing. PTFE is a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer with no meaningful elastic recovery, so a PTFE seal normally needs a spring-energised or convoluted design. Where temperature, chemical exposure and elastic recovery are all required at once, FFKM is usually the better engineering choice.

Start from the constraint that is hardest to change: temperature. Then narrow by medium, then by motion. Above 300 °C continuous, only OME7505 qualifies. Below −20 °C, only OM7542 qualifies. For static seals in etch and CVD where metal ions matter, OMS7102. For plasma service, OMS70S. For chemical delivery and flow meters, OM7502. For high-pressure gas or extrusion-critical service, OM9090. The grade pages give the full property table for each.

Compression set is the permanent loss of shape an elastomer takes after being held at a defined deflection, temperature and duration — it is the reason a static seal stops sealing. The value is only meaningful alongside the condition it was measured under. A grade tested at 200 °C will perform worse at 300 °C than a grade whose higher reading was measured there. Every grade page on this site states the exact condition used.

Store below 25 °C, protected from light, moisture, heat sources and ozone-generating equipment. Under these conditions the shelf life of finished FFKM parts is typically 5–7 years. Uncured compound requires cold storage per the supplier's specification.

The OM-series compounds occupy the same hardness, temperature and compression-set bands as many mainstream perfluoroelastomer grades, and are offered as a comparable, cost-effective alternative — particularly where lead time is the binding constraint, since imported specialty FFKM grades commonly quote 12–16 weeks. The cross-reference page pairs each grade against named third-party grades with their published figures. Because performance depends on your actual conditions, we recommend supplying them for engineering review and validating with a sample before switching an approved part.

FFKM is a fluoropolymer and therefore contains fluorine. We do not claim the material is free of PFAS, and no such claim should be inferred. Restrictions proposed under EU REACH include a dedicated assessment and possible exemptions for sealing applications. We monitor ECHA developments and can provide compliance documentation on request.

Outgassing is measured to ASTM E595 (total mass loss and collected volatile condensable materials) and is quoted per grade rather than as a single site-wide figure, because the compound and the surface treatment both affect the result. Our stated targets are TML ≤ 0.1 % and CVCM ≤ 0.01 %. Grade-specific test reports are issued on request. Where a project has its own acceptance threshold, tell us the value and we will quote against it.

We work with flexible order quantities rather than a fixed MOQ. Standard sizes and custom parts can both be quoted from small quantities — samples from a single piece, and low-volume trial production is supported.

Free samples are available for evaluation against your own test protocol. Production lead times, tooling lead times and the price breaks by volume are confirmed in the quotation rather than advertised here, because they depend on grade, geometry, quantity and current tooling. Send your requirements and we will quote all three explicitly.

A groove drawing (PDF, DXF or DWG), a 3D model (STEP or IGES) or a physical sample. Alongside that: the media and its concentration, the continuous and peak temperature, whether the seal is static or dynamic, pressure, and the quantity per year. If a drawing is not yet available, a description of the equipment and the failure you are trying to solve is enough to open the conversation.

Yes. Sending the incumbent part, or its part number, is the fastest route to a quote. We will reverse-engineer the geometry and identify the closest OM-series grade, then flag any parameter where the match needs your engineering review — typically upper temperature or compression set.