Why should you opt for a hydraulic power pack over the competition, including pneumatics?

As a multi-functioning and essential component to any hydraulic system, hydraulic fluid is responsible for lubricating components such as transmissions, and also gets involved in heat transfer and wear related conveyance.

When replacing hydraulic fluid, it is tempting to believe that the new oil will be clean and free of contaminants, and that it can be put straight into the reservoir without any problems. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. If you use hydraulic oil from a large drum, there is a high chance that it already contains some water and dirt particles; new hydraulic oil typically has a cleanliness level of ISO 4406 23/21/18, which is more than most hydraulic systems will tolerate. If the syst...

Of course, the very basic actions that need to be undertaken when changing from one type of hydraulic fluid to another is to completely drain the system, flushing out any remnants of the old oil and replacing the filters before refilling with the new product. This is an excellent time to carry out a quick maintenance check while the machinery is off and empty. It is especially important to check and replace the seals and hoses if you are changing to a higher viscosity hydraulic fluid, as the inc...

Some companies run a lot of different hydraulic equipment. Firefighters are one example of a workplace that uses a range of hydraulic equipment, each with its own specification of the type of hydraulic fluid that is indicated for use. Construction, healthcare and agriculture also use a range of different hydraulically powered equipment, from hospital beds to hay balers and everything in between. Being in charge of maintaining all this equipment is a large undertaking, and a common theme for t...

Eco-friendly hydraulic fluids are in demand for use on environmentally sensitive projects, such as work on nature reserves, as well as sub-sea applications. The requirement for a biodegradable fluid is often specified by the landowner or project owner, as they cannot risk a fluid leak contaminating the land and getting into the water systems in the area. There are biodegradable hydraulic fluids available on the market, and these typically use canola, sunflower or soybean oil as the base rather...

It has been a reasonably warm autumn and winter so far, barring a couple of very cold days here and there. If you regularly monitor the temperature and check this against the peak operating temperature of your chosen hydraulic fluid and oil, you may not have had to make any adjustments so far, but it is inevitable that hydraulic equipment that is used or stored outdoors will require a fluid change at some point during the change of the seasons.

During the development of modern hydraulics water was the fluid used most often. Freely available and cheap to acquire, water was the obvious choice. However, as technology moved on mineral oil became the fluid of choice; from the 1920s mineral oils were chosen due to their lubricating nature and higher viscosity than water. Mineral oil also has a much higher boiling point than water, so could be used in applications where heat was an issue for hydraulic machinery using water. Mineral, natur...

With hydraulic fluid contamination being the cause of more than 75% of hydraulic system failures, it’s important to know how to reduce it.Hydraulic fluid contamination can cause many negative effects. For example, it can degrade fluid and prematurely age it. It can also raise the rate of internal leakage which will impact on performance and also decrease the efficiency of components such as motors, cylinders and pumps. Valves that have been affected by contamination will have a greater challeng...

It’s no secret that hydraulic systems are sensitive to contamination from fluid or oil. Those that are kept clean and protected against the introduction of dirt or water, can run reliably. However, if any contamination is allowed to slip then there will be problems ahead.