Machinery Lubrication

Machinery Lubrication November December 2016

Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation

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20 | November - December 2016 | www.machinerylubrication.com HYDRAULICS Simple Tests to Increase of Your Reliability Hydraulic By Al Smile y, GPm HydrAulic conSultinG Often the only tests and actions performed on a hydraulic system involve changing the filters, sampling the oil and checking the oil level. As long as the system is operating, the mentality of "if it ain't broke don't fix it" frequently prevails. However, on any given system in your plant, you should perform 15 to 20 regular reliability tests while the system is operating. There are also several checks and procedures that should be completed during shutdowns or down days. The following preventive main - tenance and reliability tests can help improve the efficiency and operation of your hydraulic systems and machines. Check the Oil Reservoir A good time to check the oil reservoir is when your plant or system is down. Maintenance mechanics and electricians usually chuckle when I tell them that the reservoir should be cleaned at least once a year. One mechanic at a large wood products plant told me that the reservoir on one system hadn't been cleaned since the mill started up 17 years ago. Other than oil storage, the two main purposes of the reservoir are to dissipate heat and to allow contaminants to settle. If the reservoir is not cleaned, not only will its ability to dissipate heat be dimin- ished, but it will act as a heat sink. Temperatures can easily soar well above the maximum recommended level of 140 degrees F. Oil will then start breaking down, leading to sludge and varnish in the system. If the contaminants are not removed from the reservoir, they will be drawn into the pump, causing premature failure of the system components. Many reservoirs contain a suction strainer to keep large particles from entering the pump. Most suction strainers have a 74-micron rating, whereas the tolerances inside pumps and valves are typically 3 to 8 microns. Always use a lint-free cloth when cleaning a reser voir. If a solvent is employed, be sure it is recommended for hydraulic systems. Even small amounts of the wrong solvent can impair certain additives. System Cleaning and Flushing When oil is removed from the reser- voir, it should be filtered going into a storage tank with a flushing and filtering unit, which can remove solid contami- nants and water. Use a quality, Systems 1 = Heater thermostat 2 = Suction strainer 3 = Switch settings 4 = Breather cap 5 = High-temperature switch 6 = Heat exchanger An example of an oil reservoir in a hydraulic system the

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