When I graduated from university and moved into my own place, the only house I could afford was right near a manufacturing plant. At first, I thought living in the industrial part of the city would be a nightmare, but it actually turned out to be fascinating. I quickly developed an interest in industrial equipment and supplies, and spent many evenings walking around the factories to get a better look at what was going on inside. Since then, I've moved to a quiet part of the city, but my interest in industry never waned. Since I don't have the luxury of being able to visit the industrial district anymore, I thought I'd do the next best thing--start a blog about it!
Hydraulic cylinders are used in a wide variety of industries and can be considered to be the workhorse of many processes. Typically, they are very reliable and can be expected to do their job efficiently for long periods of time, but occasionally they will need an overhaul to ensure that they don't fail suddenly. Whenever such a cylinder is taken out of commission for servicing, why is it important to initiate a specific type of repair process, and what is involved?
Improving Cylinder Surfaces
A hydraulic cylinder is only as good as its internal surface, and, with time, this can become scored or pitted. A special process known as "honing" should always be initiated to get rid of this irregularity.
How Does It Work?
In short, this involves a machining process using a certain type of tool and abrasive materials such as stones or (more often) diamonds. When activated, the stones will rotate under pressure while embedded in lubricant, and this will produce a predictable pattern on the internal surface.
When this is done properly, you can expect the cylinder to perform more efficiently and the relevant seals to last a lot longer. You will encounter uniform wear and tear rather than eccentric scratches or pits and, as a consequence, more uptime.
Specific Advantages
When the cylinder is correctly honed, there will be less risk of any oil leakage, as the particular "crosshatch" pattern that is created by the process is far superior for ring support and oil retention. Without this approach, contaminants can enter the system through the source of any leak, and this will accelerate internal damage, decreasing performance.
Do It Regularly
Experts advise that you should schedule a honing process whenever you repair a cylinder and not just as a specific task. This will help you avoid the need for rebuilds on a more frequent basis while extending the seal life and reducing downtime in your operation. You may even be able to use honing as a type of inspection tool, as once it is complete, it will highlight any significant imperfections on the surface which you may not have been able to see before. These may indicate an entirely unrelated condition within the cylinder that you may need to address quickly, or failure could ensue.
No Time Like the Present
If you feel that your cylinders are due for an inspection, or if you have recently identified evidence of leakage, then have a word with your equipment servicing specialist to schedule hydraulic cylinder honing.