In 1998, the Society of Aerospace Engineers (SAE) issued Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) 5316. It was intended to fully replace MIL_HDBK-695C as the industry standard for the shelf life of aerospace elastomeric seals. However, ARP 5316 can also be used as a useful guideline for shelf life of many industrial and commercial grade elastomers as well.
The information in ARP 5316, and the chart below, is intended to be utilized by those organizations who do not already have specific recommendations for the control of elastomeric seals.
It should be noted that the packaging of the elastomeric seals prior to assembly into a product is an integral part of the controlled storage procedure. It provides a positive means of product identity from the time of manufacture, to the time of assembly.
ARP 5316 does not establish limitations for storage times in assembled components, nor does it in any way provide a guideline for the operating life span of a particular compound.