Hydraulic Reliability
Assessments and
Preventive Maintenance
Schedules

Checking the Case Drain Flow of a PumpChecking the Temperature of a Fixed Displacement Pump to Determine if it is Bypassing

 
The only preventive maintenance and reliability functions that most plants perform is to change the filters regularly and to check the oil level. When the machine fails, there is little or no information about the system to refer to when troubleshooting.  Our consultant will first perform a customized Reliability Assessment on each of your in plant machines. You will receive a Reliability Report on each system with recommendations for immediately improving the system operation, shock, heat, leakage, speeds, etc. You will also be provided with a Reliability and Preventive Maintenance Schedule that can be used to check the condition of the system on a regular basis, reducing un-scheduled downtime. The recorded information will also provide a valuable reference for troubleshooting if a failure of the machine should occur. Pictures will be included throughout the report to identify the reliability test points in the system.  The Assessment will be conducted while the machine is operating and will include the following: 
  • Testing of the pump(s) to determine if the proper volume is being delivered to the system. By making this test regularly the pump can be replaced on a down day and not when it fails and interrupts production.
  • Checking the accumulators to make sure they are properly pre-charged which is necessary to achieve the desired speed to maintain production.
  • On any given hydraulic system, there should be some lines that are hot (above 130 degrees), warm (100-130 degrees), and cool or at ambient temperature. By checking the temperature of these lines on a regular basis a component failure can be found before the system fails completely.
  • One of the main issues in a hydraulic system is leakage. One drop of oil that drips once per second will lose 405 gallons a year. If leakage is occurring there is a reason for it. Our consultant will identify the cause of the leak and recommend the necessary fix to prevent it from occurring in the future.
  • One of the biggest problems in systems today is that the pressures are out of adjustment which causes excessive force, heat, leakage and wasted electrical energy. Our consultant will identify any pressure setting issues and many times correct them during the assessment.
  • Check to verify that the pipe and tubing clamps are properly spaced and are of the proper type. 
    Make sure that the hoses are properly installed to prevent pre-mature failure and oil loss.
  • Check the condition of the filters if a visual or electrical indicator is available.
  • Verify that the air and water heat exchangers are operating properly to reduce the oil temperature to an acceptable level. If the oil temperature is above 140 degrees then oil will start breaking down causing sludge and varnish in the system. 
  • Check the condition of the breather cap and recommend a maintenance schedule.
  • Sound checks to determine pump cavitation, aeration or valves bypassing in the system.


Schedule a Reliability Assessment at your plant today for a full report on the condition and recommended improvements for your systems. Then by using the customized Reliability and P.M. Schedule downtime, parts cost and oil loss will be reduced. 

Click here to view a sample report  (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Al,
I wanted to thank you for the report we received last week . Took a while to digest. I have created a lengthy list of repairs to follow. Of the first dozen ‘immediate’ repairs, we’ve managed to fix 9 of them! Guess that’s a good average for us.
The PMs look good. I’m thinking we need a good temp gun to make this happen (and of course, designate someone to following the PMs).  
Thanks again. Jim C. Maintenance Planner  

Consultant Alan Dellinger Making Heat & Pressure Checks in the SystemContaminated Breather Element

 
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GPM Hydraulic Consulting, Inc
PO Box 1376
Monroe, GA 30655
gpm@gpmhydraulic.com

Phone:  (770) 267-3787
Fax:  (770) 267-3786