Why does a labyrinth seal need its own clearance and alignment check?

LILY Bearing | 2026-10-28

Best answer

A non-contact design still needs controlled relationships

JTEKT describes labyrinth sealing as a path formed by the relationship between rotating and stationary components.

Its intended operation therefore depends on their assembled geometry. Too little unintended clearance can create rubbing, while a changed gap or path can alter the intended sealing behaviour. Selecting an aligning bearing does not automatically verify the labyrinth around it. The housing, shaft, cover and bearing arrangement must be considered together. Obtain the applicable seal drawing and movement limits for the exact assembly rather than copying dimensions from an unrelated catalog example. The absence of a contacting lip does not mean that dimensional control is unnecessary.

Check the motion envelope as well as the nominal drawing

Record the specified radial and axial relationships, the components that establish them and the permitted movement during assembly and operation.

Include any axial float or alignment accommodation required elsewhere in the shaft arrangement. If a cover is replaced or a shaft location changes, identify which labyrinth dimensions are affected. Document measured evidence where the approved procedure calls for it, without inventing an acceptable gap. The review should show that the intended path remains compatible with the actual component positions. This prevents a bearing substitution or housing repair from silently changing a seal interface that was never checked as part of the bearing's own catalog data.