Air is a troublesome contaminant in hydraulic fluid. Once it enters and becomes entrained, it's a pain to remove. If it goes undetected or unmitigated, it can delay system response, decrease performance, degrade the fluid, and wreak havoc on hydraulic pumps. “It’s not like the bubbles that rise to the surface in your glass of beer. The air … [Read more...] about Hunting ghosts in your machines with sonar
Featured
How do you check for hydraulic leaks?
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Pretty much the only time it’s easy to check for hydraulic leaks is when the power unit and machine are spanking new. The pristine, glossy epoxy paint used on power units makes an excellent canvas for the soft amber sheen of hydraulic oil. And to be fair, testing and startup are the most likely occasions when … [Read more...] about How do you check for hydraulic leaks?
How do seal geometries affect performance?
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Let’s start by stating the obvious: seal geometries matter, or the fluid power realm would use only geometrically simple O-rings. The other two critical factors for effective seal performance are polymer composition and a machined groove to call home. However, even considering the latter, a seal geometry of … [Read more...] about How do seal geometries affect performance?
How do you prevent microbes in hydraulic oil?
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Microbes aren’t the most common contaminant in hydraulic oil, but they do become a problem when conditions are ripe for their proliferation. Anaerobic bacteria of various forms are the most common to be found within hydraulic fluid, although it’s not unheard of to see fungi (molds and yeasts) in very … [Read more...] about How do you prevent microbes in hydraulic oil?
Hydraulic oil analysis part 8: a round-up of all oil analysis tests
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor As the last article in the series on laboratory-based hydraulic oil analyses, we thought we’d provide a single article to recap the tests in one convenient location. For the past six months we’ve discussed just as many topics important to your predictive maintenance program. Each one of these parameters is … [Read more...] about Hydraulic oil analysis part 8: a round-up of all oil analysis tests
Hydraulic oil analysis part 7 – additives keep fluids performing optimally
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Although a hydraulic machine could run off highly crude forms of hydrocarbons, without a complement of additives, the performance and longevity of your hydraulic machine would suffer. Welcome to Part Seven of the Hydraulic Oil Analysis series, where we dig deep into the various additives that are always or … [Read more...] about Hydraulic oil analysis part 7 – additives keep fluids performing optimally
Where does built-in hydraulic contamination come from?
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor When I sat in my first fluid power class 18 years ago, I remember learning about built-in contamination and how the reservoir was the biggest offender. The welds and their slag were the biggest problems, the teacher stated, but a close second was the debris from pipe threading machines. Looking back, it’s … [Read more...] about Where does built-in hydraulic contamination come from?
Unlocking the potential of spin-on filters
By Donald Krause, Industry Consultant, Ohio Fabricators Company Exploring the basics of spin-on filters: design and functionality Spin-on filters have cemented their position as a cornerstone of liquid filtration and tank breather applications, thanks to their unique design and operational efficiencies. These filters consist of a self-contained … [Read more...] about Unlocking the potential of spin-on filters
New biodegradable fluid meets environmental and performance standards
A closer look at Chevron's Bio EliteSyn AW biodegradable hydraulic fluid. Concern continues rising over stern tube leakages and operational discharges that were once considered part of normal operation in marine vessels. A popular 2010 study estimated that marine shipping vessels leak 4.6 to 28.6 million liters of lubricating oil from stern … [Read more...] about New biodegradable fluid meets environmental and performance standards
Hydraulic oil analysis part 6 — what is spectrometry?
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor This is part 6 in this series on hydraulic oil analysis, and if you've missed any of the previous issues, you can find them here — part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, and part 5. I've covered everything from viscosity to water saturation already, and we're not done with the qualities that an oil analysis lab can … [Read more...] about Hydraulic oil analysis part 6 — what is spectrometry?
