In the current economic climate, the debate concerning peak oil (the end of cheap mineral oil) and global warming (the end of the planet as we know it) have been somewhat sidelined.

But these two major issues have not gone away. And they will almost certainly influence the source and cost of our energy needs in the not-too-distant future.

And … Read more

Most hydraulic systems will operate satisfactorily using a variety of fluids. These include multigrade engine oil, automatic transmission fluid and more conventional anti-wear hydraulic oil. But which type of fluid is best for a particular application? While it is not possible to make one, definitive recommendation that covers all types of hydraulic equipment in all applications, the following are some … Read more

In a condition-based maintenance environment, the decision to change-out a hydraulic pump or motor is usually based on either remaining bearing life or deteriorating efficiency, whichever occurs first.

Despite recent advances in predictive maintenance technologies, the maintenance professional’s ability to determine the remaining bearing life of a pump or motor, with a high degree of accuracy, remains elusive.

Deteriorating efficiency … Read more