NTT Blog

Hydraulics Troubleshooting: Tips and Tricks to Keep Your Facility Running

Just like any other system, hydraulic systems will fail from time to time. However, these system mishaps are usually preventable with proper maintenance and early detection of common system problems. This takes some excellent hydraulics troubleshooting.

What are the Common Signs of System Failure?

Hydraulic systems are known to be very reliable but only when well maintained. Poor maintenance leads to high repair costs that vary with the different parts of the system.

There are three common hydraulic system mishaps that you should look out for:

Increased Fluid Temperatures: A systems’ inability to dissipate heat through the reservoir or an increase in a systems heat load results in high fluid temperatures of above 180F.

High temperatures cause the fluid in the reservoir to thin, which reduces lubrication and may result to pump leaks. It also reduces system performance and pipe efficiency.

Besides, the temperatures bring about oxidizing or vaporization, which causes thickening and creation of deposits and varnish of the fluid. The thickening reduces the ability of the liquid to cool and lubricate different parts of the system or block the fluid flow.

Installing a fluid alarm and effectively lubricating system components will help you prevent heat damage. The heat exchanger must be inspected regularly, and debris around the reservoir should be cleared to avoid blockage in the core.

Abnormal Noise: Noise is a pointer of aeration or cavitation. Contamination of the hydraulic fluid cause’s aeration, the air in the fluid makes an alarming knocking or banging sound with compression or decompression of the air.

Aeration causes damages to the system components through overheating, burning of seals, and loss of lubrication. Air enters through the pump’s inlet. You can stop it by; ensuring the fluid level is not low, pump intake lines are in good shape, and all clamps and fittings are tight.

On the other hand, cavitation happens when the demand for fluid by any part of the system is higher than the supply. It can be a cause of the noise, metal erosion, fluid contamination, and even worse, mechanical failure of system components.

It mostly occurs in the pump. Therefore it is essential to ensure your inlet strainer or filter is not clogged and replace old and damaged intake pipes.

Slow Machine Operation: Longer cycle times and slow operation are signals of reduced machine operations. A loss of speed is a sign of loss of flow through either external or internal leakages.

Internal leakage brings about the generation of heat and pressure drops. Components that are affected by internal leakages can be detected using an infrared thermometer. However, for more efficiency, there may need to use hydraulic flow-tester.

What is the Importance of Hydraulics Troubleshooting in Industrial Work?

Hydraulic systems are considered efficient power transmitters. They are easy to control and maintain due to the few moving parts. Hydraulics hardly cause sparks. Hence, they are safer to use in chemical plants and mines.

Here are four significant benefits of hydraulic systems that make them efficient in transmitting power:

• The system has easy accuracy control.
• It has power multiplication capabilities which are achieved easily because there are no leaver, gears, and pulleys.
• Simple, safe, and economical as it has fewer parts as compared to mechanical and electric systems.
• Hydraulic systems can provide constant force and torque despite no changes in speed since they operate with fluid.

How Effective is Formal Training your Workers to Troubleshoot Properly?

Formal training is effective in equipping your workers with necessary troubleshooting techniques. The knowledge acquired should help them maintain the systems better and prolong their lifespan as well as ensure high reliability.

To achieve this, you should enroll your employees in a training program that empowers them with skills which they can use to identify and fix hydraulic system malfunctions effectively.

The training should offer theoretical knowledge and practical exercises on various troubleshooting topics.

Your teams will be able to identify minor problems before they snowball into major breakdowns.

The workers who work with the system are the ones that need to be trained to know the system better and avoid further damage when troubleshooting.

What are the Major Benefits of the Training program?

• Helps workers understand essential hydraulic components, the way they work, and their functions in a hydraulic circuit.
• They learn and implement safe work practices.
• Your workers learn how to confine hydraulic fluids through the whole system.
• Training your employees will make your workplace safer and increase their job satisfaction.

Give NTT a Call

NTT offers your workers an ACCET accredited training program in hydraulic system troubleshooting. This includes training in a four day-seminar on Hydraulics and System Troubleshooting. Connect with us today to find out more information!