We all know keeping your hydraulic motors in top condition is important. Not only do they provide the power we need to get the job done. But they also play a crucial role in keeping your equipment running smoothly.
No matter how vigilant you are when maintaining your hydraulic motor. There will come a time when wear and tear take its toll.
This blog post will look at the different types of wear on hydraulic motors. You will also get information on how to get rid of them. We’ll also provide tips for keeping your hydraulic motor in good condition.
So, whether you are a hydraulics beginner or an expert, you will find this information helpful! Read on to learn more!
Introduction
Wear and tear is a material loss due to contact with other objects or friction. It is also referred to as the reduction of a product’s original value due to its use. In a hydraulic motor, wear and tear occur in shafts, gears, bushings, bearings, and motor housing.
Wear by all means in your hydraulic motor is unacceptable. There are several things that you can exercise to prevent this from happening.
You can come across different types of wear while using your hydraulic motor. The common wear types include abrasive, corrosive, fatigue, erosive, and cavitation. This topic covers appearance, the reason behind, and the sole cause of each type of wear and tear. Sounds exciting? Let’s dive in!
Different Types of Wear and Tear in Hydraulic Motor
1. Adhesive Wear
The appearance of Adhesive Wear:
Adhesive wear leads to the surface having the appearance of scoring, polishing, scuffing, and galling.
Reason Behind It:
When sliding contact occurs between two moving surfaces, there is a chance of adhesive wear. If no oil or lubrication is present, the situation may worsen.
The micro-oscillations on the surface of an object can cause it to break or wear away quickly. It can seize the segments between the two pieces of material. As a result, sticking, buckling, and twisting cause failure in their design intention.
Sole Cause:
The sole cause that leads to adhesive wear is zero level of oil or lubrication between contacting surfaces. This results in cold welding and excessive heat between components.
2. Abrasive Wear
The appearance of Abrasive Wear:
Abrasive wear leads to the surface having a scuffed and scored appearance.
Reason Behind It:
Abrasive wear has two main forms. One is known as two-body abrasive wear, and the second is known as three-body abrasive wear. Two-body abrasive wear is the one in which two bodies or objects make contact with one another.
This is mainly because of the zero-oil film present between them. On the other hand, three-body abrasive wear is one in which a worn-out object sticks between two sliding surfaces. This eliminates the existing clearance right in their centers.
Sole Cause:
Two sole causes lead to abrasive wear in your hydraulic motor. In two-body abrasive wear, the sole cause is no lubricant exists between components. The main reasons behind it include lower viscosities, chemical contaminants, and the age of the components.
When it comes to three-body abrasive wear, the sole cause is material contamination. These materials include sand, silica carbide, and aluminum oxide.
3. Cavitation Wear
The appearance of Cavitation Wear:
Cavitation wear leads to the pit forming or toothed surface in your hydraulic motor.
Reason Behind It:
In the hydraulic fluid formation of the cavity, bubbles lead to cavitation wear. This cavitation produces micro jets that are extremely powerful. These jets tear apart or chip away the surface material, no matter how hard the material.
Sole Cause:
The sole cause of cavitation wear is because of different means:
- Faulty design of components
- Contaminated bubbles of air
- Contaminated bubbles of oil vapor
4. Corrosive Wear
The appearance of Corrosive Wear:
Corrosive wear leads to the surface appearance having pits or dark areas.
Reason Behind It:
Chemical reactions or electrochemical reactions are a significant concern when it comes to corrosive wear.
This is because they attack material surfaces in the hydraulic motor. Major corrosion-leading materials are acids, degraded additives, and moisture. These materials, when mixed in hydraulic oil, accelerate aging.
Sole Cause:
The sole cause of corrosive wear is high temperature and high-water contaminants within hydraulic oil.
5. Erosive Wear
The appearance of Erosive Wear:
Erosive wear leads to enhanced clearances or polished surfaces.
Reason Behind It:
When abrasive materials (assume a size lesser than 2 microns) get mixed in oil film, they form a slurry. This slurry when moved at very high speeds across material surfaces. It erodes or chips away surface materials hence polishing them.
This results in enlarged gaps between various hydraulic motor components. Yes, as we know, low abrasive material in oil film does little harm. When the abrasive materials become high, they flow collectively at higher velocities. Then you may expect enormous damage to your hydraulic motor.
Sole Cause:
The sole cause of erosive wear is contamination in the oil film. The main contaminants that lead to erosive wear include sand, silica carbide, and aluminum oxide.
6. Fatigue Wear
The appearance of Fatigue Wear:
Fatigue wear leads to the surface having a peeled, cracked, and spalled appearance.
Reason Behind It:
This type of wear is most common in gears and bearings. The main reason behind this is that they face high point loads.
As you continue using the equipment, this load weakens the component materials. The material’s surface will begin to grow cracks, eventually leading to pieces breaking away.
Sole Cause:
The sole cause behind fatigue wear includes faulty design, wrong mounting of bearings, and gears in your hydraulic motor.
How to Prevent Premature Wear and Tear of Hydraulic Motor?
Now we will discuss how you can prevent premature wear and tear of your hydraulic motor. There are several steps that you can follow. Some of the main steps are as follows:
1. Ensure Proper Lubrication
Hydraulic motors need lubrication to work efficiently. This includes the usage of recommended oil, grease, or synthetic fluids.
Ensure an adequate level of fluid inside your hydraulic motor. Proper lubrication of the Hydraulic Motor is essential to prevent wear and tear. This will prolong the life of the motor.
2. Filtration of Hydraulic Fluid
Filtration is the process of removing undesirable substances from a fluid. In hydraulic motors, filtration is essential to prevent contaminants in the fluid.
The contaminants such as dirt or debris in oil can cause damage to components of the hydraulic motor. Therefore, it is necessary to use oil after filtration.
3. Change Hydraulic Oil in Time
It is important to timely replace the hydraulic oil in your hydraulic motor. It helps maintain the life of your machine and keeps the components lubricated.
Due to overuse, hydraulic fluid’s viscosity decreases and becomes thinner. This will not help various components of your hydraulic motor lubricated. It will also not help the motor to stay cool. This leads to excessive heat formation and accelerates the wear process.
4. Prevent High Heat/ Temperature buildup
Hydraulic motors suffer from high-temperature buildup. When the temperature rises, it expands some of the components. This expansion leads to wear and tear. The temperature buildup may be due to wrong hydraulic fluid usage. Make sure to use the right hydraulic fluid.
5. Install Components Correctly
If you correctly install the components, the clearance and orientation between them will be in the optimum range. This will keep every component in its specific tolerance and prevent the disturbance in the functioning of one another. Hence this will result in less wear and tear.
Apart from the causes mentioned above, you need to take care of the choice of the right components while replacing them. When you choose the right and good design, this will add up life to your equipment.
Verdict
The best way to prevent normal wear from occurring in your hydraulic motor is by performing regular maintenance. By following these simple steps, you can keep it running like new!