For anyone who runs machinery, downtime is the ultimate enemy. Apart from adding another headache to your already busy day, a broken-down machine costs you money every minute.
One crucial part of your machinery that will need repairs or replacing over time is the hydraulics. Thankfully, parts like hydraulic cylinders usually give you a few warnings that a repair or replacement is needed. We’ll talk more about that later.
So, when you need to remove a hydraulic cylinder or replace a component what’s your first step? Just remember this, Drop N Swap™. Hydramech’s Drop N Swap™ system lets you drop off your old cylinder or component and swap it for a fully refurbished one. That means you can get back to work right away without waiting for repairs to be completed. Minimal fuss and minimal downtime.
Let’s look at the potential issues your hydraulics could have and how you can use the Drop N Swap™ system to your advantage.
Signs that hydraulic repairs are needed
The best way to avoid a sudden shutdown of your machinery is to look and listen out for the warning signs. Hydraulic cylinders will naturally wear over time but if you can plan your repairs or exchange of part, you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.
- One of the first signs of issues will be unusual noises. If you start to hear banging noises, you may have air in the hydraulic fluid or there’s not enough fluid reaching parts of the hydraulic circuit (known as cavitation). If either of these issues are occurring, the parts will not get the required lubrication and this may overheat components and burn seals.
- Hydraulic cylinders should be operating smoothly and consistently. If you notice any jerky movement in the hydraulic cylinder, you shouldn’t ignore it. The juddering effect may be a sign of too much friction which can lead to even bigger issues.
- Whether it’s from increased friction or another issue, if you notice any type of overheating in your hydraulics, you should seek urgent advice. Make sure you’re aware of the maximum temperatures your cylinders can operate at.
- A harder working hydraulic cylinder will become a more costly part of your operation. Make sure you keep an eye on the energy usage. If it goes up, that could be a sign that something is wrong with the hydraulics and other parts of the machine are working harder to compensate for this.
- Look out for wear and tear on the cylinder. If the hydraulic cylinder isn’t operating as it should and is NOT moving in a straight line, you’ll notice wear on one side. Again, this is something that should be looked at immediately or your chances of long-term damage will increase.
How to Drop N Swap™ your hydraulic cylinders and components
If you’ve identified an issue with a hydraulic cylinder or component and need a new part, you’ve got two options – repair or replace. The great thing about Hydramech’s Drop N Swap™ system is that you can do both.
Whether you use Caterpillar, Sandvik or Epiroc (Atlas Copco) you can call or go online and find the part you need. The Service Exchange Inventory makes it easy and quick to see if your part is in stock.
Once you’ve found what you need, put in your order and Hydramech will get the part to you or you can pick it up. As for your old hydraulic cylinder or component – if you want to have that repaired, you can.
But isn’t this just Service Exchange? No! Drop N Swap is a fixed price service with no hidden fees. You provide a fixed price PO, swap your failed component, and swap it for one of our repaired components. There are no additional core fee’s or charges, and we won’t be chasing a core return as you’ve already completed your Drop!
If you want your component now but would prefer a full failure analysis you also have the option to run your component through Hydramech’s repair process. Your used part will be stripped and assessed. You’ll receive a full analysis of any damage, including photos and a quote to repair.
The number one benefit of Drop N Swap™ is reduced downtime. You get a fully refurbished part right away so your operations can continue and there’s no mad rush to repair the broken part.
You can read more about Hydramech’s Drop N Swap™ system here or if you need to get a quote on a replacement part, simply fill in your details and the team at Hydramech will get back to you.
