How to Troubleshoot Hydraulic Press Issues

Hydraulic presses are a useful tool for deforming and milling materials. They're often employed in the automotive industry to fabricate body panels and brake pads, but their capabilities extend far beyond that.

Issues with a hydraulic press can result in downtime and additional expenses for your business, so it's essential to learn how to resolve them before they happen.

1. Check the Pressure

No matter your role - salesman, maintenance person or service provider - being an effective hydraulic troubleshooter is essential. Doing this necessitates following a systematic approach and applying the same tactics used when troubleshooting other systems.

One of the most essential steps when troubleshooting any hydraulic system is checking pressure. If it doesn't build up quickly enough for operation, there may be an issue with either the pump or relief valve.

2. Check the Temperature

When troubleshooting a hydraulic system, one of the first steps should be checking its fluid temperature. If it's too hot, it could damage seals and reduce its lifespan significantly.

This can occur when the machine is working harder than it can dissipate heat. Often this is due to lack of maintenance on its hydraulic system or an unresponsive heat exchanger.

Another factor that may lead to overheating in a system is making changes without considering how they will impact other components. For instance, you may want to increase flow rate but fail to take into account how this will impact hoses and tubes that cannot handle such increased demand.

3. Check the Filter

Hydraulic filters are essential components of the hydraulic system, helping prevent contaminants from entering the press. Maintaining them clean will make your machine run more efficiently and help prevent costly breakdowns.

Regular replacement of batteries will help preserve them for longer, ensuring you have access to them when most needed.

If your filter is clogged, you could have a leak resulting in fluid loss or damage to your pump coupling. These issues are serious and costly, so it's essential to identify them promptly.

Another frequent issue is high fluid temperature. This can be caused by leaks from internal components of the system, such as cylinders that are not securely sealed. An infrared thermometer can help identify these problems and fix them promptly.

4. Check the Pressure Regulator

A pressure regulator is an essential element of your hydraulic press. It regulates the water pressure that passes through your system, protecting pipes and appliances from high pressure damage.

If your pressure regulator is malfunctioning, it can lead to costly repairs and downtime. But if you notice that your water pressure is getting too high, there are steps you can take to prevent the issue from worsening.

Check the pressure regulator for damage to its elastomer, leaks or air in the fluid. Low viscosity can also indicate a malfunctioning regulator.

5. Check the Motor

When troubleshooting a hydraulic press problem, one of the most essential steps is checking its motor. This component is essential for optimal performance of your press.

To test a motor, simply get a multimeter and set it to read ohms. Then connect one metal probe tip to each wire on the motor, as well as a ground probe.

If the readings for both the motor and ground remain constant, it's a reliable indication that the motor is functioning correctly. On the other hand, if they fluctuate while spinning, then there could be an issue with your circuitry.

Next, test the windings of the motor with an ohm meter to look for shorts to ground or open/short in the windings.