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What is Hydraulic Cylinder Drift?

What is Hydraulic Cylinder Drift

One of the most common problems with your hydraulic machinery is hydraulic cylinder drift. This article has addressed everything you must know about hydraulic cylinder drift. So give it a read.

What is Hydraulic Cylinder Drift?

We know that hydraulic machinery mainly uses cylinders to work. So these cylinders consist of three main parts: an external casing, a piston, and a piston rod, which all work in compressing the hydraulic fluid within the case. With the help of seals, consistent pressure is maintained so that there are no leaks at the rod entry point. The hydraulic drift here occurs when there is an internal leak across the piston. 

What are the Causes of Hydraulic Drift?

Rod Seals

The rod seals are present at the cylinder top where the rod enters into the pressurized chamber. If the rod stops moving, the seal must stick to it, keeping the fluid pressure stable. But if the rod seals don’t function as expected, then it will result in hydraulic cylinder drift. 

Piston Seals

The piston seal’s main function is to maintain an equal distribution of hydraulic fluid pressure across the piston’s face. Even a small leak will allow pressure on both sides of the chamber to equalize, resulting in lowering the efficiency of your equipment. Also, if you frequently replace the rod seals on your equipment, they can cause leaks and end in hydraulic drifting.

Holding and Pressure Relief Valves

As the name implies, the holding and pressure relief valve’s primary function is to prevent the internal pressure of the cylinder from exceeding the given ranges. But if there is a leaky or damaged valve present, it may not function as intended and thus damage your cylinder’s seals. So, pressure imbalance caused by faulty valves can result in hydraulic cylinder drift. 

Fluid Contamination

When the hydraulic fluid is contaminated, it may lead to hydraulic drift. The seals and other components in the hydraulic cylinder are designed to function at specific viscosity.  When water or any other substance mixes with the fluid accidentally, the density gets affected, which in turn affects the overall working of the cylinder and ends up in hydraulic drift.

Why does Hydraulic Drift Matter?

When the Hydraulic fluids become rough, they start working irregularly. And this may lead to serious safety risks. One such instance is that it can increase the pressure on one part of the cylinder and cause cylinder failure.   So when drifting occurs, you know that the cylinders will get affected, and they may fail to perform efficiently. Adding to this, equipment failure is costly, and you may need to repair it asap. For these reasons, hydraulic drift matters. 

What are the Signs of Cylinder Drift?

Some of the common signs of cylinder drifts are:

  • Jerky or erratic movements in your cylinder
  • Excessive oil leaks, mainly around the base of the rod
  • Machinery that struggles to lift weights/loads
  • The frequent need to raise the lift to make it return to its usual height

How to Solve Hydraulic Drift?

Hydraulic drifts can cause serious accidents in the workplace, so it is crucial to clear the drifting problem ASAP. Two steps have to be taken to avoid the hydraulic drifting of your cylinders. 

First, know the purpose of using the hydraulic machinery and choose the purpose-built cylinders for example single acting hydraulic cylinder etc. If you are choosing a general hydraulic cylinder, it may fail easily. But choose the hydraulic cylinder that is dedicated designed for a particular industry. It will be more efficient and are less likely to suffer from hydraulic cylinder drift. 

The second step is to maintain the equipment regularly. If proper care is taken, the machinery will run smoothly without any problems. So make your equipment last long by maintaining it regularly.

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