Look out for these 4 things when performing hydraulic hose maintenance
Hydraulic hoses are an essential part of many industrial, automotive, and machinery systems, and their maintenance is critical to ensuring safe and reliable operation. It’s important to check in with your hydraulic system by performing regular hydraulic assembly inspections and maintenance when required.
We've simplified some things to look out for when performing maintenance on hydraulic hoses into a simple acronym - just ask your M A T E:
1. Manufacturer's specifications: Always refer to the manufacturer's specifications when performing maintenance on hydraulic hoses. These specifications provide important information about the correct installation, operation, and maintenance of the hoses. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for replacement intervals, minimum bend radius requirements, pressure ratings, and other critical parameters.
2. Analyse hose for leaks: Hydraulic hoses are designed to operate under extremely high pressures to power hydraulic equipment and machines. This can, however, result in leaks that lead to a loss of pressure and reduced performance. Look for signs of fluid leakage, such as puddles of oil or damp spots around the hoses. Check the hydraulic fittings, seals, and connections for any signs of wear or damage that caused the leaks, or have the potential to cause damage in the future – preventative maintenance on hydraulic systems is critical to performance!
3. Tear and wear: Hydraulic hoses are subject to wear and tear due to high pressure, bending, and abrasion. Look for signs of wear on the hose cover, such as cracks, cuts, or abrasions. Check the fittings for signs of corrosion, wear, or damage that could cause leaks or reduce the effectiveness of the hose.
It is estimated that external abrasion accounts for 5% of hydraulic hose failures across the mining industry. This can have a detrimental effect on hydraulic equipment performance, ultimately leading to a downtime cost of $2,587,500 per year to your company. HoseMate is the proven and trusted solution to protect hydraulic hoses against abrasion. HoseMate features an innovative design that allows 360-degree hose swivel, while maintaining a gap to reduce abrasion risks.
4. Examine for kinks and twists: Kinks and twists in hydraulic hoses can restrict the flow of fluid and cause pressure drops. Look for signs of kinks or twists in the hoses, especially near the fittings. Straighten out any kinks or twists to ensure proper fluid flow and prevent damage to the hose.
Follow our top 3 tips for hydraulic hose routing to avoid kinds and twists during the initial hose installation process. Hydraulic assemblies that have been incorrectly routed pose multiple safety risks and are susceptible to increased rates of hose failures.
It is important to look out for these things when performing maintenance on your hydraulic hose system to ensure their safe and reliable operation. Regular check-ins can help prevent leaks, wear and tear, abrasion, kinks and twists, and other issues that can compromise the performance of the hoses. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations and guidelines for maintenance and replacement of hydraulic hoses.
We recommend incorporating HoseMate into your hydraulic hose maintenance process. HoseMate is designed to separate and position hoses on a hydraulic assembly – ensuring correct routing. The installation of HoseMate across numerous Tier 1 mine sites demonstrates its effectiveness to reduce spills, blow-outs, and hose failures. The following feedback from a reliability engineer at a Western Australia mine site further highlights its approval by the industry and ability to maintain uptime, and machine availability:
“The HoseMate has had great success on site. Since installation on our Loader Fleet we have experienced a reduction in hose failure of 33% on our larger CAT 992/994 Face Loaders and 66% on our Komatsu WA1200 Loader Fleet”
HoseMate: The simple to install solution to avoid catastrophic incidents.
