Hydraulic power transmission systems are versatile and reliable, making them perfect for many heavy duties. In just about every such arrangement, flexible hoses will be used to contain and route pressurized fluid.
As might be expected, these relatively vulnerable parts can easily suffer damage if not managed and protected appropriately. Fortunately, there are a variety of effective ways to keep a hydraulic hose from suffering damage in just about any situation.
Simple Tips Yield a More Reliable Hydraulic Hose
The global hydraulic hose market has been predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate of nearly five percent in the near future. Much of the demand for hoses comes from buyers whose existing parts have suffered damage while being employed in challenging environments.
As experts at Hydraulics & Pneumatics magazine have noted, however, there are ways to shield hoses from harm even when they are surrounded by hazards. Some of the precautions that most often prove appropriate and effective include:
- Routing carefully. Many hydraulic hose failures could have been avoided if a bit more attention had been paid to routing. In surprisingly many cases, hydraulic hoses end up being routed such that they run near easily recognizable threats. Over time, even a relatively small chance of a particular danger translating into damage will start to add up. Even a bit of effort put into more thoughtful routing can keep hoses safer for months or years thereafter.
- Using carriers. Systems available from manufacturers like Dynatect today can be used to protect hydraulic hoses that are attached to automated machines. Installing hoses in a suitable carrier will rule out a wide range of problems that might otherwise be expected to arise. Properly designed hose carriers keep their contents sheltered and orderly throughout even the most difficult duty cycles.
- Minimizing exposure to heat. Many attempts at protecting hydraulic hoses focus mostly or solely on the avoidance of mechanical stresses. In practice, excessive heat can be every bit as dangerous to a hose that was not designed to tolerate it. In some cases, simply insulating a hose appropriately will ensure that heat never gets a chance to break it down.
- Avoiding twisting. Many hydraulic hoses are expected to bear internal pressures of hundreds of pounds per square inch. When the material of the same hose is also being suspected to torsion because of how it was installed or mounted, failure will often be not far off. Hoses can normally be deployed such that they will not twist in the course of regular operations.
- Bending gently. Most hoses are rated to endure a certain bend radius and no more. Hoses that have ruptured or otherwise failed are often later revealed to have been pushed past this important limit.
- Sticking to one system. Mixing and matching hose parts and fittings from a number of different sources can put overly much stress on each and every component. Generally speaking, hydraulic hose systems whose individual parts have been engineered to work well together will be more reliable.
Hydraulic Hoses are Fundamentally Important to Many Systems
Relatively simple precautions like these regularly prove able, in practice, to keep hydraulic hoses free from damage and excessive wear. Because hydraulic hoses are so important to so many types of systems, being aware of and acknowledging best practices like these can easily pay off.
