Hydraulic Cylinders for Heavy Construction Machinery
Hydraulic cylinders are built for heavy duty use, so they’re an ideal fit for heavy construction machinery. Hydraulic cylinders are used at construction sites, in site development projects, for infrastructure projects and anywhere else heavy construction equipment is needed. Hydraulic cylinders are used in the following machines:
- Excavators
- Dozers
- Backhoes
- Graders
- Skid steer loaders
- Cranes
- Haulers
- Pavement and road construction equipment
There’s a wide array of hydraulic cylinder applications in construction. With every project, they’re subjected to challenging work environments that may include dust, moisture and, potentially, corrosive materials. As such, it’s essential for contractors to invest in consistent hydraulic cylinder maintenance.
How are Hydraulic Cylinders Used in Heavy Construction Equipment?
No matter what piece of heavy machinery they are incorporated into, hydraulic cylinders serve the same general purpose – actuate the machine’s pushing, pulling or lifting parts. Given their role, hydraulic cylinders are typically found at the following work sites:
- Site development – Site development projects involve significant dirt work, including extensive shaping, cutting, filling, and grading. This requires a fleet of dozers and excavators to manage, along with graders and compactors to finish the job. Since there is a lot of dirt shaping and moving going on, site development projects also require a convoy of haulers.
- Building construction – General construction involves digging out the foundation, laying down the pavement, trenching out utility lines and erecting the structure floor by floor. This requires a lot of heavy equipment resources, including excavators, graders, paving equipment, and cranes.
- Infrastructure construction or maintenance – The situation is the same during infrastructure construction or maintenance. Whether it’s a bridge, a sewage line, a new reservoir or another major project, hydraulic cylinders are used extensively. They are integral in the use of dozers, graders, excavators, cranes, skid steer loaders, drills, pulverizers, and other heavy machinery.
Four Reasons Why Hydraulic Cylinders are Preferred for the Construction Industry
Hydraulic cylinders are considered the power delivery option of choice for several reasons. Here are four advantages that hydraulic cylinders have in heavy construction applications:
- Cost-effective power delivery – Hydraulic cylinders offer an unbeatable mix of power density and affordability, which is expected from a technology that’s been around for decades. Compared to pneumatics and electrical power delivery, hydraulic power can do more work with less downtime required. When cost is a concern, and it is for many major construction projects, hydraulic cylinders are the top choice.
- Excellent power density – Hydraulic fluid can deliver a greater amount of power in a smaller package, which is critical for heavy construction machinery. With a more compact build, hydraulic cylinders are easier to fit into construction equipment and are less expensive than other options.
- Proven reliability – Hydraulic cylinders are built with numerous durability features that protect their performance over time. For instance, corrosion-resistant construction and wear-resistant bearings ensure each hydraulic cylinder can be used in difficult conditions without failing.
- Ease of maintenance – Hydraulic cylinders have been perfected over many decades of use and are designed using methods that experienced hydraulic technicians are familiar with. This makes maintenance easier to manage, faster to complete, and more cost effective.
Three Signs That Hydraulic Cylinders Require Maintenance
Hydraulic cylinders may be relatively simple from a maintenance standpoint, but timely service is critical to getting maximum efficiency from your heavy construction machinery. Hydraulic cylinder failures can cause extended downtime and can even be a safety issue in some instances.
The first step in protecting your hydraulic cylinders is paying attention to any concerning signs of imminent failure. Three of the most common signs include:
- Unusual operating sounds – If your hydraulic cylinders are producing unusual noises, such as banging, scraping, whining or growling-like sounds, it could be a sign of extensive wear to internal components or a symptom of potential cavitation or contamination.
- Overheating hydraulic fluid or components – Overheating hydraulic fluid or components are signs that your hydraulic cylinders require maintenance. Overheating may be caused by contaminated hydraulic fluid, a clogged filter, a sticky valve, a malfunctioning heat exchanger, or a number of other issues. Before confirming whether or not your hydraulic cylinder is overheating, you’ll need to take some baseline temperature readings to verify that the system is overheating.
- Inconsistent power delivery – If your heavy equipment operators are reporting unusual feedback with their equipment controls, or if your machinery isn’t operating with its usual efficiency or precision, it could be an issue with your hydraulic cylinders.
If these signs are present, or if your operators are reporting anything unusual with how the equipment is handling, a full hydraulic cylinder inspection can reveal the underlying problem. Once diagnosed, a hydraulic technician can recommend options to address it.
On-time Hydraulic Cylinder Maintenance Will Keep your Heavy Construction Machinery on the Job
Hydraulic cylinders are the heavy-duty workers in your heavy construction machinery. If they aren’t operating at peak efficiency and reliability, it’s only a matter of time before work is brought to a standstill. To ensure that doesn’t happen and to protect your operations, consider partnering with an expert hydraulic technician to service your hydraulic cylinders. With on-time inspections, maintenance and repairs, an experienced hydraulic technician will ensure your organization extracts maximum value from its heavy construction equipment.