Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/85635
Change out oil filters every 500 hours of operation, and when oil is changed seasonally; or when contamination is suspected. Due to the wide variation of operating conditions encountered by hydraulic hammers, it is usually necessary to adjust maintenance periods to suit, as some applications can be more severe. Material handling system operational reliability and safety requires the proper care and feeding of conveyor hydraulic systems. Hydraulic Systems S Maintenance Matters in Conveyor lackers beware. While some operations are right on target with the somewhat sophisticated hydraulics maintenance needs of major stationary crushing com- ponents or highly mobile portable plants, they may not allocate adequate maintenance time to material handling systems with simpler hydrau- lic setups, yet similar demands in day-to-day operating hours. Don't fall prey to the common misconception that one can realize maximum performance from conveyor hydraulic systems with little to no maintenance attention — as the latter will surely lead to costly repairs, component failures, and safety risks regarding the operation of indispensible and hard-working material handling systems. A proactive and preventive conveyor hydraulics maintenance program leads to greater cost- efficiency paybacks, plus the delivery of the reliable machine performance required for the high-volume feeding, transfer, and stockpiling of 38 AGGREGATES MANAGER January 2012 saleable products. Certainly a modest investment in time and effort is involved; however, conveyor hydraulic maintenance is not rocket science, but rather the adherence to simple common sense guidelines. According to material handling experts, here are the top factors to include in an effective hydraulics maintenance routine. 1 Monitor fluid levels Most importantly, always maintain the correct hydraulic oil level according to the gauge on the tank itself, and check the levels before starting the equipment. Inadequate oil levels may result in major component failures due to cavitation, or causing parts to starve for oil, or from aeration, which means that air is being sucked into the system, or from overheating. These issues result in a snow- balling effect that ultimately deteriorates or even destroys the pump and contaminates the entire sys- tem. Note that, if a pump does not receive oil, severe damage can occur within as little as 10 seconds.