What can cause hydraulic cylinder failures?

In a nutshell, hydraulic cylinders are mechanical components that provide force in one direction through a stroke. These cylinders are used in a wide variety of industrial applications and can have issues in the long run due to a number of reasons. Here are just a few reasons for hydraulic cylinder failures.

Piston rod scored

The scoring of the piston rod is commonly caused by oil contamination. If this has happened to your cylinder you should keep an eye out for any further contamination, such as to the gland bearing. This can result in gland bearing failure if it’s not properly taken care of.

Seal Leakage

This is a common issue that often results in the failure of a hydraulic cylinder. Seal leakage often occurs due to incorrect fitting of the seal or corrosion of the seal grooves.

Internal Barrel Corrosion

Water in the oil is the most common reason for the barrel corroding internally. The best way for you to reduce the chance of cylinder failure at this point is to change the oil.

Chemical Attack

A lot of the time, hydraulic cylinder failure can be caused by chemicals coming into contact with the cylinder seal. This can be avoided by discussing the likelihood of chemical attacks with your hydraulic manufacturer so you can get an idea for what your cylinder seal can withstand.

Bent Piston Rod

This issue most commonly occurs when the hydraulic cylinder is being overloaded. This can happen perhaps from some sort of collision or using the system outside of its agreed specification.

Oil Contamination

Oil contamination is the main issue associated with hydraulic cylinder failure. Contaminated fluid can bring severe damage to the piston rod, seal surface and/or the cylinder bore. The single best way you can avoid hydraulic cylinder failure is regularly checking your oil for any potential contamination.