Hastings invented the three-piece oil control ring with patented Flex-Vent® technology. Flex-Vent has become an industry standard and is offered in a wide range of designs and sizes. We also designed and patented the Hyper-Vent® oil control ring.

1070 Steel
• Tough, wear resistant, high carbon spring steel
• Resists fatigue and permanent set
• Used to manufacture oil ring rails

201 and 301 Stainless
• Chromium-nickel stainless steels capable of attaining high tensile   strengths through cold working
• Corrosion resistant
• Can be nitrided
• Used to manufacture Flex-Vent expanders

The Flex-Vent expander oil ring is energized by two steel rails, which receive uniform pressure from the expander to assure positive oil control. The three-piece design allows rails to be manufactured with a small cross-sectional area for better conformability to the bores of today’s low-tension, low-friction engines. The rails thin wall contact also allows for quick break-in time. Hastings rails are normally chrome plated to extend engine life.

The Flex-Vent expander regulates the tension of the oil control ring assembly. Other advantages include:

• Both straight and angled tabs for better side sealing
• Step pad for increased expander stiffness
• Designed to conform to cylinder wall with uniform pressure

For new application solutions, our parametric design for product and tooling enables rapid prototyping.

Hastings offers a wide range of designs and sizes in cast iron oil control rings, primarily used for diesel engines. The oil control ring types include single-piece cast iron and coil-spring- and inner-spring-backed two-piece cast iron rings. The spring-backed oil control rings and the cast iron oil rings have essentially the same range of peripheral forms, which consist of two scraping lands of various detailed form.