What is a pneumatic wiper?

A pneumatic wiper is installed around the piston rod at the outer side of a pneumatic cylinder. The wiping lip runs along the rod and removes contamination before it can enter the cylinder during the inward stroke.

This not only helps keep the inside of the cylinder clean, but also protects the pneumatic rod seal and other internal components against contamination and premature wear.

Protection of the piston rod and cylinder

Dust, moisture and other particles on the piston rod can be carried past the seals when the rod retracts. A correctly selected wiper therefore forms the first line of defence against contamination of the pneumatic cylinder.

Difference between pneumatic and hydraulic wipers

Although pneumatic and hydraulic wipers perform the same basic function, their operating conditions differ significantly. Pneumatic cylinders generally operate at lower pressures and under drier conditions than hydraulic cylinders.

Low friction in pneumatic applications

In pneumatic systems, compressed air is the working medium. As a result, the continuous oil film that may be present in a hydraulic application is often absent. A wiper lip that presses too firmly against the rod can therefore cause unnecessary friction.

When selecting a pneumatic wiper, not only wiping performance and wear resistance should be considered, but also sliding behaviour, speed and the risk of stick-slip.

Examples of mounting grooves for pneumatic wiper seals

The drawings below show the difference between an open groove, a closed groove and a closed groove for a double-acting wiper seal. The shape of the mounting groove is an important factor when selecting the correct wiper profile for a pneumatic cylinder.

Open groove

Closed groove

Closed groove – double-acting

Separate wiper or combined seal?

In pneumatic cylinders, wiping and sealing can be performed by separate components. Combined profiles are also available in which both functions are integrated into a single element.

Separate pneumatic wiper

With a separate wiper, the most suitable material and profile can be selected individually for the wiping function and the rod seal. This provides additional flexibility under demanding or specific operating conditions.

Combination wiper

A combination wiper combines the functions of a wiper and rod seal. This can be particularly useful in compact pneumatic cylinders where installation space is limited.

Materials for pneumatic wipers

Pneumatic wipers are available in various elastomers and engineering plastics. The correct material depends on friction, wear, temperature, speed, lubrication and the environment in which the cylinder operates.

NBR

NBR is widely used in general pneumatic applications. It combines good elastic properties with an attractive price and good resistance to many oils and greases.

Polyurethane (PU)

PU offers high wear resistance and good mechanical properties. It can therefore be a suitable choice for cylinders with frequent movement or applications where a long service life is important.

PTFE

PTFE has a very low coefficient of friction and can be useful at high speeds, with dry compressed air or where stick-slip must be minimised. Depending on the design, PTFE profiles can be energised by one or more O-rings.

FKM / Viton

FKM/FPM, commonly referred to as Viton®, can be used where higher temperatures or improved chemical resistance are required.

EPDM

EPDM performs well with water, steam and various cleaning agents. However, it is unsuitable for many mineral oils and greases. Always check the lubricant and operating medium before selecting the material.

Friction, speed and stick-slip with pneumatic wipers

The wiping lip must make sufficient contact with the rod to remove contamination without creating excessive resistance. Especially in pneumatic cylinders operating at low pressure, excessive friction can immediately affect cylinder performance.

Stick-slip

If static friction is too high, the piston rod can initially remain stationary and then suddenly start moving. This phenomenon is known as stick-slip and can cause jerky or irregular cylinder movement.

Lubrication

Many modern pneumatic cylinders are lubricated for life. If additional lubrication is used, the lubricant must be compatible with the wiper and the other seals in the cylinder.

Environment and cleaning

The operating environment has a major influence on the choice of pneumatic wiper. In a dry production environment, removing dust and fibres may be the main requirement, while in wet or hygienic environments chemical resistance can be more important.

Food industry

In the food industry, cylinders may regularly be cleaned with water, detergents or disinfectants. The temperature, chemical resistance and any specific material requirements should therefore all be considered.

Outdoor and cold applications

For outdoor use or refrigerated environments, low temperatures, moisture and weather exposure must also be considered. The correct material is important to maintain flexibility of the wiping lip.

Determining the dimensions of a pneumatic wiper

Four important dimensions are generally required to select the correct pneumatic wiper: the inside diameter, outside diameter, installation height and overall height.

Inside diameter (d)

The inside diameter d is matched to the diameter of the piston rod over which the wiper lip runs.

Outside diameter (D)

The outside diameter D is determined by the groove or bore in which the wiper is installed.

Installation height (h)

The installation height h indicates the section that is actually installed in the groove or bore.

Overall height (H)

The overall height H also includes the section of the profile that protrudes outside the groove. Because a used wiper may be deformed, it is often advisable to measure the piston rod and mounting groove directly as well.

Pneumatic wipers for ISO cylinders

With standardised pneumatic cylinders, important dimensions can often be determined from the cylinder type and bore size. This can make selecting the correct wiper easier.

ISO 15552 and ISO 6432

ISO 15552 and ISO 6432 are used for various standardised pneumatic cylinders. If the cylinder type is known, the rod and bore dimensions can often be determined from the applicable standard or the manufacturer's specifications.

When should a pneumatic wiper be replaced?

A worn wiper may no longer remove sufficient contamination from the piston rod. Dirt can then enter the cylinder along the rod and damage other components.

Damaged or worn wiping lip

Check the wiping lip for cracks, cuts, hardening and uneven wear. A damaged lip may no longer make contact with the piston rod around its entire circumference.

Dirt around the piston rod

Increasing contamination around the cylinder head or piston rod can indicate insufficient wiping performance. Also check the condition and alignment of the piston rod.

Piston rod guidance

A wiper can only operate evenly when the piston rod is properly guided. Side loads or misalignment can place more stress on one side of the wiping lip.

This can cause uneven wear and reduce service life. If problems occur, also inspect the pneumatic guide strips and other guiding components.

Also inspect the piston rod for scratches, corrosion and damage. A damaged rod surface can accelerate wear of both the wiper and the rod seal.

Different brands of pneumatic wiper seals

Techniparts supplies wiper seals from various well-known manufacturers for pneumatic and other industrial cylinders. Below you will find an overview of brands, commonly used types and materials. In addition to current product series, older type numbers have also been retained to make existing seals and machine components easier to identify.

Logo	Brand	Types	Materials
	Freudenberg Sealing Technologies	PU 5, PU 6, PU 11, P 8, P 9, PT 1, PT 2, AUAS, AUPS, AS, ASOB, AUPS, AUASOB, P6, PU5, PU6, PU11, PT1, PT2, P8, P9, PRW 1, AU ASR, MRW, DMRW2	PU, polyurethane, PTFE, NBR, Viton, HNBR, 95 AU V149, 95 AU V925, Disogrin
	Dichtomatik	AD 48, AD 51, AD 60, ADM 55, AE 40, AE 41, AE 42, AE 47, AM 43, AM 44, AM 45, AM 55, AM 54, AD 61	NBR, EPDM, PUR/TPU, polyurethane, PTFE, Teflon, bronze, graphite
	Angst & Pfister	LWPU5C, LWPU6C, LWPU7C, LWPU8C, LWPT1C, WR-01, WR-01A, WR-02, WR-02A, WR-02B, WR-02C, WR-04, WR-07, WR-08, WR-11, WR-12, WR-17, WR-18, WR03, W13, WR14, WR15	NBR, PUR/AU, PTFE, POM, FKM, bronze-filled PTFE, Ekonol-filled PTFE, glass-filled PTFE
	Bal Seal	Series 13, 14, Series 32X Rod Wiper Seal	UHMW-PE, PTFE, glass/MoS₂, carbon fibre, TA, G, GC, GFP, GFPM, GL, SP, UPC, FDA
—	Claron	PWB, PWO, PWS, PWM, WM, PWE, CSW, CSWM, PMW, PFB, PFP, UPWM, PWD, EW, 931, 941, 951, PWH, PWN, PWC, PWK	NBR 70 Shore, NBR 90 Shore, AU, polyurethane, PA/MoS₂, PTFE
	Dichta	DAS, DP6, DP7, DP8, DRS, DWR, DP9, CPPT1, CPPT2, WM, CPWTFA, CPWTFB, Linear Wipers	NBR, polyurethane, PUR, polyester, PTFE, Teflon, FKM, Viton
	DLI Seals	B, MDK, ICL, MWM P, IWM, MWS, IWS, WRM, EWS	NBR, TPU
	ERIKS	RX, EHD, MES, 930, 007F EMF, 008N, 007N EMN, 006P	NBR, Viton, FKM, FPM, EPDM, PU, AU, polyurethane, brass, stainless steel, PTFE
	EVCO	590, EPA, GHK, GHW, GPW, GPY, RCM, ALPHA 00, ALPHA 02, GHM, EVH, CSW, GHP, RDB, RCMP, RMN, RCMV	PTFE, PU, polyurethane, AU, NBR, FKM, PA/polyamide, metal
	Guarnitec	GHM, GHK, GHY, GHW, GPA, GHP, GPW, GHF, GGW	AU, PU, NBR, rubber-metal
	Hallite	38, 33, 520, 831, 834, 839, 842, 846, 860, 862, 37, 335, 521, 820, 839N, 844, 847, 864, E2W, E5W, ELA, EXF, EXG	NBR, polyurethane, PUR, polyester, PTFE, Teflon
	Hecker	AB, ABR, ABP, ABR1, ABR2, ABR3, ABF1, ABF2, ABP1, ABP2, ABP3	Rubber, NBR, PTFE, PU, AU, GI
	Hunger	AI, AI-D, AIST, A-EIS, A-EIS-S, A-EIS-SL, AI-ST, AI-SF, AI-OD	NBR, PU, PTFE, POM, plastic, PA6, PA-CF, UHMW-PE, PEEK, Hytrel, MVQ, FPM, FMVQ
	James Walker	Wiper L Split, Wyclip Heavy Duty, Scraper W3 Lionsele, Lionsele W1, Lionsele W2	NBR, polyurethane, PU
	JM Clipper	SSW, P, H	FPM, NBR
	KACO	QAN (NM), QHW (NGU, VGF, NGF, VGFU), QHLH (VGU), QHLP (RGU), QFN (VG), QFS, QVN PVS (NF)	NBR, ACM, VMQ, FKM, FPM
	Kastas	K05, K06, K07, K09, K10, K11, K12, K27, K703, K30, K52, K13, K92, K93, K94, K101, K102, K103, K105, K107, K606, K705, K706, K708, K716	PU, NBR, steel, polyurethane
	Nordex	ARAN, AWSW, AWBB, AWSN	PU, polyurethane
	Parker (Prädifa)	A1, A2, AM, AH, AF, AY, A5, A6, A7, Y3, Y4, AD, AG, AT, W7 Poly-Pak, AV	NBR, polyurethane, Viton, HNBR, PTFE, FKM, FPM, P5008, P5009, P6000, P5004, P5000, P5001, P5062, P5075, P5007, P5070, P5011, P5080, P5010, P5012, P4300, P5500, N3571, N3570, N3578, N3580, N3584, N3582, E3676, E8536, E8608, V3664, V3656, V3638, V3681
	Polilas	PT, PT1, PTM, PBT, PBT1, PBS, PTS, PTS1, PTS2, PTS3, WR01, WR01A, WR02, WR02A, WR02B, WR02C, WR02D, WR03, WR04, WR07, WR08, WR11, WR12, WR17, WR18, W50, W51, W53, W54	NBR, AU, PU, polyurethane
	Polypac / Sealtech	WRM, WRMP, WRMC, WTF, DSR, DSR U UP, 10, DK, DSR/P, 10GA, GA P, GA R, NW, PPW, PWB, PW G U, SWP, UWR, UWR/P, UWR/PI, UWR/PN, WRM-H, WRM-P, WRM-PI, WRS, DR, UWR/PC	NBR, HNBR, MVQ, FPM, EPDM, Viton, PTFE, PT01, PT, polyurethane, PUR, AU, HDPE, PA, PF, PBTP, PU02, PU05, PU08, PU10, PU12, PU14, PU20, PU21, PU22, PU23, PU25, PU26, PU27, PU30, PU40
	SKF	A01-A, A01-B, A02-A, A02-B, A02-I, A03-A, A04-A, A04-B, A07-A, A08-A, A-08-B, A09-A, A10A, A11-A, A11-I, A12-A, A13-A, A25-F, A26-F, A27-F, A05-A, A05-B, A05-I, A06-A, A12-B	Ecopur, H, G, T, X, S, XH, XS, TPU, CPU, NBR, HNBR
	Trelleborg Sealing Solutions	Excluder 2, Excluder 5, Excluder 500, DA22, DA24, ASW, WNE, WNV, WRM/PC, WP, WRM/C-WSA, WRM, DA17, Turcon T01, T05, T10, T12, T16, T19, T24, T25, T29, T40, T42, T46, T47, T51, T52, T59, T78, T99, M12, Q2J, MO2, M83, Zurcon Z201, Z20, Z22, Z24, Z43, Z431, Z48, Z51, Z52, Z80, Zurcon Excluder Z, Turcon Excluder F, Turcon Excluder S, Turcon Excluder SN, Turcon Excluder SR, WSA, Turcon Variseal M2S, Zurcon Heavy Duty Scraper WAE, DA24 Venting, DA27	NBR, FKM, HNBR, EPDM, FFKM, PTFE/Turcon, PUR/Zurcon, UHMW-PE

Is your brand or type number not listed? Send us the brand, type number, material and dimensions of the existing wiper seal. If possible, also include a photograph or technical drawing. Based on this information, we can search for a suitable version or technical alternative.

Pneumatic wiper seal cross-reference chart

Use the cross-reference chart for wiper seals below to compare different types from well-known manufacturers. If you have an existing wiper seal from Freudenberg, Hallite, Dichtomatik, Trelleborg, Parker, Sealtech, Kimman or FPE Seals, the table can help identify the corresponding Techniparts profile.

The listed types are intended as a cross-reference and identification aid. Before ordering, always check the dimensions, profile, material, groove design and operating conditions. For pneumatic applications, friction, operating speed and stick-slip behaviour are also important selection criteria.

Profile	Material	Techniparts BV	Freudenberg	Hallite	Dichtomatik	Trelleborg	Parker	Sealtech	Kimman	FPE Seals
	NBR	WS-10	P6	33	AE 40	WRM	A5	WRM	WSM	-
	PU	WS-10	PU6	831	AE 42	WRM	A5	WRM-P	WSM-P	MSWE
	NBR	WS-11	ASOB	-	AE 41	ASW	A1	DSR	DP8-H9	-
	PU	WS-11	AU ASOB	834	AE 47	ASW	A1	DSR/P	DP8-PU1	MSWS
	Polyester	WS-17	-	38	AE 38	-	-	WRM-H	WSM/HP	MW38
	NBR - Metal	WS-20	AS	37	AD 51	WSA	AM	GA	DAS-H9	MCWN
	NBR - Metal	WS-21	P7	32	AD 53	-	-	GA/R	RS-H9	-
	PU - Metal	WS-22	AUAS	860	AM 43	WRM-PC	-	PW	P/DAS	MCWE
	PU - Metal	WS-23	AUPS	862	AM 54	SWP	*AF*	SWP	SWP-PUR	MCWI
	NBR	WS-D14	P8	-	AD 51	DA17	-	DSR/UP	DA17-N90	MSWHN
	PU	WS-D14	PU8	-	-	DA17	-	-	-	-
	NBR	WS-D15	P9	839N	AD 53	DA22	AY	UWR	UWR	-
	PU	WS-D15	PU 11	839	AD 48	DA22	AY	UWR/P	UWR/P	MSWH
	NBR - Metal	WS-D24	-	-	ADM 55	-	-	PW	-	-
	PU - Metal	WS-D24	-	864	-	-	-	PW/U, UWR/PC	DAS/SCB/PU	MCKBI
	PTFE / NBR	WS-30	-	-	A 80	Excluder	-	-	-	-
	PTFE / NBR	WS-D31	-	E2W	AD 60	Excluder 2	-	WE 3	TF 157	MWTF
	PTFE / NBR	WS-D32	-	A5W, E5W	AD 61	Excluder 5	-	WE 5	TF 159	MWTF

Is your current type not listed in the cross-reference chart? Send us the brand, type number, material and dimensions of the existing wiper seal. If possible, also include a photograph or technical drawing. Based on this information, we can search for a suitable Techniparts version or technical alternative.

Other seals for pneumatic cylinders

During an overhaul, it is advisable to inspect the other sealing and guiding elements of the pneumatic cylinder in addition to the wiper.

View our pneumatic rod seals for sealing around the moving piston rod.

Pneumatic piston seals are available for sealing between the piston and cylinder wall.

Pneumatic guide strips can also be used to support the moving components.