Hydraulic cylinders are the quiet workhorses of hundreds of commercial and industrial operations, providing the linear force needed to drive everything from agricultural tractors and bulldozers to factory robots and automobile lifts. When these rugged components fail unexpectedly, it can lead to costly downtime, repairs, and infuriating diagnostics.
Awareness of the most prevalent culprits of a failed hydraulic cylinder is the solution and prevention. Why, then, would a hydraulic cylinder fail at random? Let’s explore the probable causes.
Did a Seal Fail? The Hidden Danger of Seal Degradation
How Do Seals Affect Hydraulic Performance
Seals in a hydraulic cylinder prevent hydraulic fluid from leaking around the rod and piston. During regular use, these essential components can deteriorate due to friction, time, or exposure to heat and lead to hydraulic fluid leakage.
What Happens When Seals Deteriorate?
Hydraulic fluid fluid loss leads to unbalanced cylinder motion and decreased power.
Rod and cylinder misalignment with the seal leads to faulty operation.
In extreme conditions, a total seal failure may render the cylinder unusable.
Was There an Unanticipated Pressure Loss? Studying System Pressure Problems
Why Hydraulic Pressure Is Important?
A hydraulic system relies on adequate pressure to function. An absence of adequate system pressure or flow from the pump is one of the primary causes a hydraulic cylinder is malfunctioning.
What Could Cause a Pressure Loss?
- A defective hydraulic relief valve pressure regulating system.
- Wear and tear of parts in the pump resulting in the deficiency of power.
- Wear on internal system components leading to low cylinder output.
Have You Recently Checked Your System Pressure? Unexplained loss of capability to build or retain pressure can be the key to having your cylinder running smoothly.
Was Something Impacting the Cylinder? The Role of Physical Damage
How Could Physical Damage Affect Performance?
Although they are built to be rugged, hydraulic cylinders are not immune to damage. Outside forces can lead to:·
- System poor performance.
- Hydraulic pressure loss.
- Damaged components.
- Fluid contamination.
- Starvation of fluid.
- Leakage of outside fluid.
Why Regular Maintenance is Essential?
Maintenance can detect minimal damage before becoming a serious matter. Can that little scratch or dent actually cause your cylinder to fail?
Is the Rod Troubled? The Hazards of a Bent Cylinder Rod
How does a rod get bent?
- Overloading and usage stress.
- Improper installation or abuse.
How does use become affected by a bent rod?
- Inadequate travel and limited movement.·
- Seal and cylinder housing damage.
- Excessive component wear to premature failure.
Did a Critical Connection Fail? The Ramifications of Hose Problems
Why are Hydraulic Hoses so vital?
Hydraulic hoses transfer pressurized fluid between segments. A faulty or leaking hose will cause a system pressure loss immediately and prevent hydraulic cylinders from operating.
How Do You Prevent Hose Failure?
Periodic inspection of hoses for cracks, wear, or leakage.
Replace hardened or worn hoses prior to failure.
Proper routing so that no additional bending or rubbing is necessary.
Was a seemingly trivial hose blowout the cause of your cylinder’s refusal to respond?
Has Contamination Sneaked In? The Deceptive Effects of Contaminates
How Does Contamination Damage Hydraulic Systems?
Dirt, dust, water, and particulate contamination will seep through the hydraulic fluid and damage costly components.
What Are the Effects of Contaminated Fluid?
- Abrasive contamin wears down internal surfaces and seals.
- Water contamination deteriorates oil lubricity and promotes premature wear.
- Contaminates cause hydraulic drift and inefficiency.
Are Temperatures Increasing to Record Levels? The Impact of Heat and Cold on Seals
How Does Temperature Impact Hydraulic Seals?
- High heat stretches out seals and distorts seal shape, creating leakage.
- Seals will become brittle and crack with extreme cold.
- Poorly rated seals will prematurely fail when subjected to temperature extremes.
Are extreme temperatures impacting the performance of your cylinder?
Was the System Exposed to Overpowering Force? The Hazards of Overpressure
What Does Overpressurization Do to a System?
- Seal extrusion is when pressure forces seals out of their grooves.
- The cylinder barrel can expand and cause structural failure.
- The cylinder rod is able to bend or get damaged due to excess force.
Is There a Gradual Loss of Position? Hydraulic Drift
What Causes Hydraulic Drift?
- Leakage around the piston due to worn-out seals.
- Dirtied hydraulic fluid reducing the sealing effectiveness.
- Creeping movement due to erratic pressure.
Is Rust Becoming Permanent? The Corrosive Power of Water and Oxygen
How Does Rust Affect Hydraulic Cylinders?
- Rust Ages Cylinder Walls and Breaks Down Structures.
- Rust Introduces corrosive materials into the hydraulic fluid.
- Pitting and cracking can occur, resulting in performance compromise.
- Moisture contamination could lower hydraulic fluid quality.
Was the Installation Done Properly? Why Proper Installation is Important
Why is correct installation important?·
- Misalignment will result in excessive rod and seal wear.
- Misinstalled cylinders will bind and collapse.·
- Sideloading can lead to premature component failure.
Shining Hydraulics: Your Trusted Partner for Reliable Hydraulic Power
We at Shining Hydraulics specialize in the manufacture and design of heavy-duty hydraulic cylinders for universal use on construction machinery, farm equipment, and mining trucks.
We have refined our skills and quality-tested our products to the highest standards of performance and durability over more than 30 years.
Why Use Shining Hydraulics?
- Products made to customer specification.
- Our customer service is excellent from consulting to after-sales service.
Choose Shining Hydraulics for durable and dependable hydraulic cylinders that make your operations smooth.
The Role of Preventive Maintenance
How Can Maintenance on a Regular Basis Avoid Failures?
- Early detection of abnormal noises, jerky motion, or overheating.
- Regular fluid level checks, lubrication, and control of contamination.
With proactive maintenance, you are able to extend the life of your hydraulic cylinders by a wide measure and limit costly downtime. And whenever you need high-performance, high-quality hydraulic cylinders, Shining Hydraulics is the way to go.
