Diagnostic and Preventive Maintenance Strategies in Hydraulic Systems

Diagnostic and Preventive Maintenance Strategies in Hydraulic Systems

Diagnostic and Preventive Maintenance Strategies in Hydraulic Systems

Why Preventive Maintenance?

Hydraulic systems are complex systems that operate under high pressure. Failures in these systems not only damage the equipment; It leads to production stoppages, security risks and serious economic losses. For this reason, the preventive maintenance approach is  based on predicting and preventing the failure, not just "fixing the failure".

 

Common Malfunction Symptoms and Root Causes

Symptom	Possible causes	Recommended Control
Pressure drop	Pump wear, valve leakage, leaks	Pump performance test, system pressure measurement
Overheating	Deterioration of oil quality, inadequate cooling	Thermal imaging, oil viscosity testing
Slow/choppy motion	Air intakes, pollution, low level	Oil level control, air extraction, filter cleaning
Sound and vibration increase	Cavitation, loose joints	Pump inlet control, connection tightness monitoring

Tip: A system that shows signs of failure often gives warning signals well in advance. Reading these signals is critical for system health.

 

Effective Preventative Maintenance Strategies

1. Oil Analysis and Tracking

The condition of the hydraulic oil gives direct information about the health of the system.

• Parameters to be analyzed:
• Viscosity
• Amount of water (%)
• Particle level (ISO 4406)
• Degree of acidity (TAN)

Solution: Learn oil health in the field in 5 minutes with the mobile oil analysis service offered by Hidroman.

 

2. Filtration and Filter Change Planning

Pollution causes 80% of failures in hydraulic systems.

• Recommended Application:
• Filter change according to operating hours (e.g. every 1000 hours)
• Use of filter contamination indicator
• Choice of high-performance microfilters

Note: Hidroman offers filter solutions in accordance with ISO 16889 standards.

 

3. Connection and Hose Controls

Loose connections or cracked hoses lead to micro-leaks in the system and loss of efficiency.

• Checklist:
• Condition of sealing gaskets
• Control of connection moments
• Hose life tracking and production date control

Tip: Certified "Hose Fitting Installers" reduce assembly errors by 95%.

 

4. Heat Analysis with Thermal Imaging

Heat is the "silent enemy" of the system. Overheated areas are a sign of energy loss and risk of wear.

• Critical Observations:
• Pump housings
• Cylinder lines
• Return line and filter outlet point

"Before/after" images taken with a thermal imaging camera are ideal for documenting the impact of maintenance.

 

5. Planned Maintenance Schedule and Digital Monitoring

Linking periodic controls to a plan means not leaving the system to chance.

• Tools:
• Digital maintenance management software (CMMS)
• Component tracking with QR code labeling
• Live data streaming from IoT-powered sensors

Hidroman recommendation: 6 months of maintenance is recommended for critical systems and 1 maintenance routine per year for mid-level systems.

 

Advanced Technologies in Fault Diagnosis

• Acoustic analysis (ultrasonic leak detection)
• Vibration analysis (for bearing/motor failures)
• Hydraulic balancing with pressure-loss maps

 

Result

Preventive maintenance is not just a technical application, it is the basis of an efficient, sustainable and safe production culture. Thanks to a maintenance approach supported by the right strategies:

✅ Failure rates are reduced
✅ by up to 60%  Energy consumption is optimised
✅ System life is extended by up to 40%

 

Hidroman Is With You

Our specific solutions to monitor hydraulic system health and prevent failures:

Flushing and system cleaningOil and filter analysis serviceTechnical service and periodic maintenance contractsCertified training programs

Get to us: www.hidroman.com.tr | [email protected]