Of all the industries affected by the development and implementation of hydraulic power, it might be said that no industry has been affected quite as much as the construction industry. From the powerful excavators that are such a common sight at construction projects to compact equip

Pumps may become inefficient or even catastrophically fail simply because the wrong type of hydraulic fluid is used. How do you know if you are using the right kind of fluid for your hydraulic pump? The answer to that question is dependent on several factors, including the type of pu

When a hydraulic system stops working as intended, whether it is due to a major leak or a failing pump, it can bring productivity to a grinding halt (both literally and figuratively). The process of tracking down the source of the problem involves troubleshooting, which takes conside

Hydraulic cylinder cavitation is a nightmare for any hydraulic system, leading to a cascading series of damaging issues that will eventually destroy critical (and costly) components within your hydraulic system. While most people associate cavitation issues with pumps and motors, cav

Grease is a semi-solid lubricant that is useful in a variety of situations where traditional lubricants (e.g., oil, dry lubricants) do not provide the necessary performance. However, just because grease can function like oil in many respects does not mean that the two substances are

There are many things that hydraulic systems have in common, including hydraulic hoses that connect to pumps, motors, valves, and cylinders. These joint connections must not only seal in pressurized hydraulic fluid but also seal out contamination and maintain the connection even in t

Hydraulic cylinders are critical to your productivity, and when one fails you need it repaired quickly and accurately. The repair process for a hydraulic cylinder may seem rather straightforward, but there are certain important aspects that must be kept in mind for the repair to be

Your hydraulic system has gone down, and everything has come to a grinding halt. You need the system up and running as soon as possible, which starts with finding the source of the problem. Modern hydraulic systems can be extremely complex, and the problem could be caused by anything

You depend on your hydraulic system and when it fails it can cause an unscheduled shutdown, resulting in a serious loss of productivity, major issues for production, expensive repair costs, and other headaches. However, there are a few things that can significantly improve hydraulic

Experts agree that over 75% of hydraulic system failures are directly tied to contamination in the hydraulic fluid. With numbers like that, it is obvious of the importance of reducing hydraulic fluid contamination. Loss of efficiency, downtime, expensive repairs, catastrophic failure

When it comes to the repair and maintenance of hydraulic systems, there are certain hydraulic equipment mistakes that occur more often than others. Whether it is changing hydraulic filters too often or using the wrong type of hydraulic fluid, these errors can lead to serious problems

One of the major causes of hydraulic failure is contamination in the hydraulic system. Some estimates hold that 75% of failures can be traced back to contaminated or aging hydraulic fluid, while others claim that 80% are due to contamination alone. However, you can minimize contamina

Hiring a local maintenance provider for the hydraulic equipment you are responsible for is a major decision not to be taken lightly. There are several important reasons why you should entrust your equipment to a maintenance provider and some key considerations when it comes to select

There are times when commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) parts simply will not do the job. It could be due to time constraints involved with shipping from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), especially if the parts have to come from overseas. It could be a budgetary issue that pre

Hydraulic systems are crucial to the operation of many aspects of modern life, from massive plants that depend on hydraulics to manufacture parts to the hydraulic system that powers a local garbage truck. As massive and powerful as these systems may be, they do have a proverbial Achi

When most people think of a hydraulic fluid leaks, they envision a puddle of fluid on the floor and the need to locate a hole in a hydraulic hose or perhaps a leaking seal. However, not all leaks reveal themselves as puddles, and not all leaks can be solved so easily. And even though

There are several major considerations for maintaining pneumatic cylinders and several typical situations that can cause them to fail. Ultimately, the key to problem-free, long-term performance from any pneumatic cylinder configuration is to ensure that the specified pneumatic cylind

Experts agree that the number one cause of hydraulic system failure is contamination. Hydraulic filters aid in trapping contamination before it can head downstream in the system, but a neglected filter can be worse than having no filter at all. Not only can a clogged filter release c

Leaks are a regular problem with hydraulic systems, and hydraulic fittings are a common source of these leaks. Repairing hydraulic fitting leaks is not as simple as just replacing a fitting, however. There are some important safety precautions to be taken, cleanliness issues, and bas

The correct installation of hydraulic hoses is a critical step in ensuring that your hydraulic equipment runs efficiently and reliably. For many systems, flexible hoses are much easier to route and assemble than rigid pipes, and they allow for some movement. They are also faster and