Caring For Cylinder Seals In Your Hydraulic System

The hydraulic cylinder seals you use in your industrial shop on a day to day basis are easy to ignore. However, when they fail and there's a leak in your shop, it can bring all work to a grinding halt and delay completion of work projects. That's why it's essential to do what you can to keep the seals intact. With the pointers below, you can ensure your seals continue to do their job.

Paint Surfaces to Lower Temperature

Hydraulic systems can become very hot as they operate during the day. In fact, inability to withstand such high temperatures is one reason that seals begin to fail. That's why it's important to do everything possible in order to keep temperatures down.

It might surprise you to learn that one way to accomplish lower temperatures is to paint metal tubes and surfaces. Painting can lower temperatures in your system by enabling better heat rejection. When the system temperature is cooler, you should find that you aren't replacing seals as often. To be safe, you should also check with the seal manufacturer to ensure that the seals you're using are appropriate for the kinds of temperatures your system is likely to reach on a regular basis.

Keep Seals and Filters Clean

It is also important to clean the hydraulic seals as often as you're able to. Mud and other debris can slowly degrade the quality of your seals over time. Be sure to dedicate some time to scraping external debris off of your seals so that the debris is unable to build up. Not only that, but if you aren't taking the time to clean out fluid filters, metal and other particles can get stuck inside the seals. The seals can stop functioning effectively as a result.

Take Care When Introducing New Fluids

The fluids that pass through your system can affect your seals. Whenever you introduce fluids to your system, be sure to watch the seals for any signs of a problem. Even if the fluid itself is safe, be aware that some hydraulic fluids have additives in them that can make your seals swell or break down over time.

Intact hydraulic cylinder seals are important for your entire system. Do what you can to keep them in good condition and use the tips above. Talk with your employees about more ways you can protect the seals and keep your system working.

Share