Should a Hydraulic Tank Be Painted Inside and Out?

pressurized hydraulic systems are dangerousA large part of being “smart” in any area of expertise comes from doing your homework. And this is especially true with hydraulics. Here’s a story from one of our members which illustrates this point:

“I’m fairly new to hydraulics and I thought coating the interior of a hydraulic tank I’d made with a zinc spray (cold galvanizing in a Read more

The #1 Predictive Maintenance Technique For Hydraulic Machines

big question markIn the appendix of Reliability-Centered Maintenance II, John Moubray lists 102 proactive maintenance techniques in six categories:

1. Dynamic effects: monitoring of vibration, pulses and acoustic emissions (17 techniques)
2. Particle effects: monitoring of particles in the component’s operating environment, e.g. lubricant (15 techniques)
3. Chemical effects: monitoring of chemical elements in the component’s operating environment, e.g. lubricant (27 … Read more

Where to Take a Hydraulic Oil Sample and When

hydraulic oil drumFrom a predictive maintenance perspective, there is little real benefit from taking an oil sample directly from the hydraulic tank. Sure, an oil sample taken from the tank can be used to establish the cleanliness of the hydraulic fluid, and the condition of its base oil and additives.

But these days, most hydraulic systems feature a return filter, and so … Read more