Today’s heavy equipment technology is more sensitive to contaminant. The high tech system is operating in a very less clearance or cleanliness between two or more moving components. The less the clearance is, the higher the system performance. But in the other hand the risk for the system to be failure, is become higher to. There for high tech heavy equipment need extra care concerning this issue.
The “contaminant” are a things that does not belong in the system. Or we can say things that in abnormal amount which should not to be found in the system.
For example, in the engine lubrication system. Oil is use to lubricate between two metal surfaces. The clearance between those surfaces is very less, so only a small of particle (< 2 micron) can be trapped between the surface’s contacts. The trapped particle will abuse the oil film and reduce the film protection. If this happened in a long period, the metal to metal contact will causing overheating on the metal surfaces and may break the metal.
The hydraulic system is one of the most sensitive system to contaminants. Once the minor component contaminated whether by dust, water or metal particles, it will cause the entire hyd system failure. It means you have to spend high cost of repair.
The only effective way to reduce the impact that can be made by contaminant is to prevent the contaminant entering the system or eliminate the source.
Where are the contaminants came from? It may come from outside and inside the system. From the outside, it may caused by dust, water, and other hard particles, also from contaminated new oil. From the inside, it may come from particles that generated by normal wear or abnormal wear, for example from iron or aluminium of gear and bearings, water from the cooling system, and other particles inside the system. Here are the tips for applying contamination control :
- Do house keeping . For you who have a workshop and perform most of the repair on it, maintain the house keeping will prevent the dust to trappe on the disassambled component. Eliminate the wasted oil on the working area floor.
- Make sure the disassambled components are wrapped out with plastic or other covers.
- Do not place the disassambled component straight to the ground or floor. Use a stand.
- Make sure all new parts such as filters, bearings, gears and other components are put on its original box. And also plug the new hoses so the dust can not entering the hose.
- Replace your “heavy” filters regularly on a regular preventive maintenance.
- Do kedney looping to make sure the oil meet the ISO standardization of number of particles allowed in the system
- Do scheduled oil sampling program.
- Contact your “heavy” dealer for more detail explanation about contamination control
Hopely trough contamination control, the presence of a silent thief (contaminant) on your heavy system will be reduce, and will also reduce your repair cost.
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