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Whether you are buying a new hydraulic system, investing in routine hydraulic maintenance or in crucial need of a hydraulic repair service in Minnesota, there are a few factors that a hydraulic service will need to know before they can help you. These factors relate to the environment in which you operate (or plan to operate) your hydraulic machine, and can greatly affect how your machine works—as well as what kind of repair work it might need.
Here at M & M Hydraulic Company, our clients sometimes ask what they can do to help make our job as efficient as possible. Knowing the answers to these five questions before hand will help make the job easier for everyone involved. With that in mind, here are five questions your hydraulic repair service in Minnesota will probably need to ask you before they get to work.
What is your maximum and minimum temperature?
Temperature can greatly affect how a hydraulic system works, and can determine factors like hydraulic fluid choice, viscosity and tank heating. If you have been using the wrong factors for your maximum and minimum temperatures, it could be causing damage to your hydraulic system. That information can help your hydraulic service to provide effective repairs and help you know what mistakes not to repeat in the future.
What are your typical humidity levels?
Humidity levels are another factor that can play a big role in the efficiency and care of your hydraulic system. If you have high humidity levels, you might need special tank breathers and filters to keep your system working properly. Your hydraulic repair service in Minnesota needs to know this, so that they can effectively fix your hydraulic machine and make sure it stays strong for a long time to come.
What is your airborne contamination level?
Environments with a high level of airborne contamination can obviously cause your hydraulic system to experience dust and dirt buildup more frequently, which can negatively affect your entire workflow. Fortunately, your hydraulic service can install a vented reservoir, a special bladder and cylinder-rod shrouds to help mitigate the damage.
What is your altitude?
If you are high above sea levels, the increase in pressure can easily cause your hydraulic system to malfunction. If you suspect high altitude caused a problem with your hydraulic machine, let your repair service know. They can give you products and special tips to help avoid this issue in the future.
What special conditions do you have or require?
Many industries that use hydraulic technology must also adhere to compliance, work safety or accessibility standards. If this is the case for you, be sure to tell your hydraulic repair service in Minnesota about it, so that they can be sure the new improvements do not infringe upon these requirements.
For more advice on hydraulic care, get in touch with M & M Hydraulic Company. We are proud to be your hydraulic repair service in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin, and we look forward to working with you soon.
Whether you are just graduating high school or college and are wondering what to do with your life, or you already have decades in the workforce under your belt and are looking for a career change, working in hydraulic services in Minnesota offers the opportunity for dynamic work, good pay and the chance to make a difference in people’s lives every single day. That is not something that can truthfully be said about many career paths, but it holds true in this case.
Those who are considering a job in hydraulic services in Minnesota will probably want to know more about it before diving in headfirst. After all, there are a lot of different options out there, and you want to make sure you are selecting the right one for you. To help make your decision easier, here is a quick overview of what it is like to work in the hydraulics field.
Join an exciting field
Did you know that hydraulics makes up a $19 billion industry in the United States alone? Because hydraulics offer energy solutions that are unmatched by any other technology, it plays a role in many different industries, including construction, green energy, medicine, robotics, entertainment, aerospace, automation and agriculture. That means that if you work in hydraulics, you can spend a month working with entertainment professionals, medical companies and robotic engineers without ever having to switch jobs!
In addition to offering a wide range of options for different field specialties, hydraulics is also a growing field that has yet to be fully defined. That means that young engineers looking for a specialty would have an opportunity not only to learn from the greats, but also to become one of the greats in their own right. If you prefer blazing a trail as opposed to walking along an established path, then a career in hydraulics just might be for you.
Earn a steady living
As we have already mentioned, hydraulics is a huge industry, accounting for $19 billion in the United States alone. But what does that translate to in terms of individual salaries?
According to the 2013 Design News Salary Survey, an engineering tech with a two-year associate’s degree makes about $80,000 a year, while someone with a bachelor’s degree in engineering makes about $102,000 a year. For those with master’s degrees and PhDs in engineering, the salary level goes up again, with a median salary of around $115,000.
Hydraulics might not be the most lucrative field in the world, but it can provide a strong and steady living for you and your family. And because the field is thriving and currently growing, you likely will not have to worry about losing your job anytime soon should you enter the hydraulic industry now.
Find work easily
If you are interested in a career in hydraulic services in Minnesota, check out the opportunities available to you on the National Fluid Power Association’s website. If you live in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota or Iowa, or are interested in relocating, you are also welcome to inquire about job opportunities at M & M Hydraulic Company.
Hydraulics is an efficient, cost effective and reliable tool for increasing productivity and consistency. Because hydraulics is so important to the daily operation of your business, you need to hire a hydraulic service in Minnesota that offers experience, expertise, transparency, versatility and excellent servicing and maintenance services. In order to find a service that hits all of these marks, you need to know what to look for, and you need to ask the right questions. With that in mind, here is a quick list of the six questions you ought to ask before hiring a hydraulic service in Minnesota.
How much experience do you have?
Hydraulics is currently a thriving and growing industry, but it is by no means a new one. In fact, industries have been using hydraulic technology for hundreds of years, meaning that there are plenty of experienced businesses out there. You can afford to be picky when selecting a hydraulic service in Minnesota, so make sure you find one with a breadth of experience in the industry.
What brands do you work with?
A good hydraulic company will be able to work with a variety of quality brands to ensure you get the exact products and services you need. Some of the best industry brands include Eaton Hydraulics, Char-Lynn, Nopak, Geartek, Hyvair and Denison Hydraulics. Make sure your potential hydraulic service works with at least some of these names.
Do you belong to the International Fluid Power Society (IFPS)?
The IFPS is a decades-old professional organization that promotes education, training and general excellence in the hydraulics field. Membership in this organization signifies that a business is serious about what they do, is very well educated and experienced and has access to the best resources possible.
Do you offer comprehensive maintenance services?
Parts like hydraulic cylinders, pneumatic cylinders, hydraulic jacks and more all need to be serviced on a regular basis, so there is no point in working with a hydraulic service if they are not able to competently perform these tasks for you. Be sure to ask about the specific services a business offers before agreeing to work with them.
What is included in your quote?
Some quotes include only the price of the hydraulic product, while others include delivery, installation and a servicing guarantee. Before buying anything, ask what the sticker price includes, so that you can plan accordingly and are not hit with an unexpected expense further down the line.
Do you work with pneumatic parts as well?
Hydraulics uses fluids to operate, while pneumatics uses gas. That said, the two types of machines often go hand in hand, and having a hydraulics company who can also sell, install and service pneumatic products will make things a lot easier for you.
When you trust M & M Hydraulic Company to be your hydraulic service in Minnesota, we will be happy to answer all of the above questions and more. For more information, please feel free to get in touch with our team of experts anytime. We all look forward to hearing from you.
A properly maintained pneumatic system can last for decades before parts start to break down and require replacement. Even after a full life of service, many pneumatic parts will still be fully operational (albeit to a lower degree of efficiency)! It’s truly amazing how little invasive work needs to be done to keep pneumatic systems going.
So what finally brings them down, aside from mismanagement and poor maintenance? The answer may vary, but some of the more common causes include:
- Dirt and other contaminants within the system. Did you know a dirt particle as small as 60 microns in size can compromise a pneumatic hose? Often, it’s the smallest detractors that are responsible for the biggest damages—especially when they’ve been allowed to accumulate within the system. When a closed pneumatic circuit is broken, it’s only a matter of time before things start to go south.
- Low lubrication oil is another chief component of pneumatic system failure and generally, it’s the number one catalyst for pneumatic repair in Minnesota. Insufficient lubrication means friction, and friction in any mechanical setting means a major problem is just over the horizon.
- Damage to the glands or valves within a pneumatic system can expedite damage and cause premature breakdowns as well. Usually one of the above issues is an instigator of this problem, however a number of explanations can be present depending on the composition of your system.
After reviewing the above causes of pneumatic system breakdowns, the question becomes: how do you stave off these things and prevent them from occurring?
The answer is simple: be cognizant of your system’s Filter/Regulator/Lubricator (FRL). This single component is your first line of defense against premature pneumatic repair in Minnesota and can be the source of seamless operation by your system for years.
What is the FRL and what does it do?
The FRL is a simple component to a pneumatic system that has three chief duties:
- To filter any particulates or debris out of your system, preventing wear and tear from the inside.
- To regulate the amount of lubricant present within your system, preventing friction fro occurring.
- To properly lubricate your pneumatic system and, more importantly, sense when lubricant is low or contaminated.
A working FRL component will accomplish all of the above tasks seamlessly, which means the burden of manually doing these things is alleviated from your routine maintenance tasks. Instead of checking three things consistently, you can rely on your FRL unit to do it for you and alert you to a problem immediately.
A working FRL saves you money
At this point it goes without saying that a working FRL unit is the number one way you can prevent issues from arising within your pneumatic system. More importantly, however, this means money in your pocket as you avoid unnecessary repair costs and costly breakdowns.
If you’re operating a pneumatic system in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa or Wisconsin, consult your system’s FRL and, if it requires service, give the professionals at M & M Hydraulic Company a call immediately to regain your peace of mind!
Air leaks happen when you’re dealing with pneumatic systems—it’s just a fact of life. Sometimes they occur because of a simple fitment issue. Other times, stress fractures or damages can create an escaping causeway for air. In still more situations, improper pressurization or lackluster pneumatic parts in Minnesota can be the culprit.
Whatever the cause of an air leak, it’s important that it’s found and resolved quickly. The fact of the matter is that until an air leak is discovered and properly amended, the entire pneumatic system is at risk for damage or even complete failure.
Detecting an air leak
Detecting an air leak within your pneumatic system isn’t all too hard. Signs and symptoms will crop up—some more blatant than others—to alert us to the fact that the pressure within the system is off. In many cases, pressure sensors within pneumatic valves will trip or gauges monitoring cylinders will show depressurization.
By simply paying attention to the function of your system, an air leak will quickly be discernable, which will put you quickly on the path to resolving it… that is, of course, after you locate it.
Locating a leak
So, you’ve been alerted to the presence of an air leak within your pneumatic system. Great—you’re on your way to resolving the problem. But how do you determine exactly where the leak is occurring and what pneumatic parts in Minnesota it’s affecting? This is where things can become more difficult.
Pneumatic systems are complicated, which means routing an air leak can sometimes be a tedious process. Luckily, there are a few ideal ways to get to the bottom of things quickly:
- Trace the problem from where you’re being alerted. Many systems are sophisticated enough to tell you exactly where pressure is being lost within the system—it’s up to you to examine the components in question to discern where and why the leak is occurring.
- Find the manual gauge depicting pressure loss and trace it backwards. Listen for hissing or rushing wind to signal the leak and be sure to check fitments and connections, instead of simply looking for damage.
- Hear the leak, but can’t put your finger on it? A common solution is to spray the affected part with soap. If the soap remains soap, there’s no leak; if bubbles start to appear, you’ve got yourself an air leak!
Tracking down an air leak isn’t always easy, but if you take the right approach, you can be swift in catching it.
Fixing the leak
Depending on the size and nature of the leak, you’ve got a few options in the way of fixing it. First, tighten all fitting and connections to make sure it’s not a maintenance issue. Second, apply a bonding product to try and re-seal the system. Finally, if nothing else has worked, you can consider replacing the entire part, however this is the costliest and most invasive option.
If you’re having trouble routing a leak or need advice on how to resolve one, contact the experts at M & M Hydraulic Company. We’re happy to serve companies throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin when it comes to servicing and repairing pneumatic systems!
Since hydraulic jacks lift cars with seeming ease, they are frequently overlooked when it comes to hydraulic repair in Minnesota. This is easy to do, as jacks often perform flawlessly for 10 years or more before they start showing signs of vulnerability. As this sturdy yet not invincible tool is the one that your shop relies upon the most to finish its work and keep customers happy, it would not hurt to know the following issues and simple repairs that could come in handy in case your jack does not function as well as it did before:
- Ram does not lift: When there is no lift, it is likely due to an empty or low oil reservoir. Without a full tank of oil, air builds up through the jack and makes it impossible for it to lift. It is one of the most common issues, and a big source of panic. Fortunately, it is also easily repaired. If the reservoir is not leveled, top it off. You will need to make sure you fill it with the same type of oil or fluid as what is already in the reservoir. If you need to drain the reservoir completely to fill it with something different, do that rather than risk damage by mixing different types of fluids.
- Oil leaks: Worn out seals and o-rings are the common culprit when you notice an oil leak. This is something that will arise eventually, as it is a symptom of constant use. Using motor oil or brake fluid as a substitute to oil can also wear out these seals. If you find either external or internal leaks, the repair involves replacing those seals. Mechanics who know their lifts well can often complete these repairs themselves. However, it may also be easier to bring in a professional on-site, especially if your search for the leak means excessive downtime. Sometimes, it is better to trust someone who has detected leaks before to finish this work.
- Turned overload valve: If a worker is new to handling your lift, it is not uncommon for their confusion to turn the wrong knob while seeking the oil filler port. This oversight will stop a jack from lifting, and you will need to readjust the tension. Since this is done differently with every lift, you will need to consult your owner’s manual. Most likely though, you will need to bring in a professional. Consider this oversight a good reminder to educate new workers properly on the handling of the hydraulic jack. That decision could save you costs in the long run.
While a jack is a durable piece of equipment, it can also be fussy. Never attempt any hydraulic repair in Minnesota that makes you uncomfortable, as errors while handling jacks could cause injury. Also remember to keep up with maintenance, especially paying attention to oil levels and filter life. While parts on lifts do wear out, you can give them longer life by taking care of them.
M & M Hydraulic Company is available to perform on-site or shop repairs in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin. Give us a call if it is time for your hydraulic lift to receive attention.
