Workshop 3: Hydraulics Troubleshooting

Skilled and novice professionals in maintenance, supervision, design, and operation of hydraulics with basic hydraulic backgrounds will improve their troubleshooting skills by attending this workshop. Participants who have attended Workshop 1: Industrial Hydraulics will benefit most from this workshop.

This workshop builds upon the concepts taught in the Industrial Hydraulics or Mobile Hydraulic Workshops. The course emphasizes general troubleshooting techniques and focuses on specific circuits with both common and uncommon symptoms.

Classroom activities are followed by hands-on laboratory experiments designed to illustrate the operation of normal hydraulic circuits as compared to faulty circuits. Activities include troubleshooting circuits with defective components and a review of problem circuits brought in by participants. It is an excellent preparation for the International Fluid Power Society Certification Examinations for either Hydraulic Specialist, Hydraulic Technician, or Hydraulic Mechanic.

Prerequisite

A prerequisite for this course is proof of attendance in a Hawkeye or UNI-NABL Industrial Hydraulics or Mobile Hydraulics course, or an equivalent course.

Workshop Outline

A Review of Hydraulic Fundamentals

• Laws pertaining to fluids
• Basic calculations
• Energy, work, torque, horsepower
• Heat generation and HP losses

Graphic Symbology and Hydraulic Circuits

• ISO symbols and ANSI symbols
• Detailed and simplified symbols

Contamination Control

• Filters and strainers
• Causes and effects of contamination
• Fluid analysis and target cleanliness
• Using fluid analysis in predictive maintenance

Diagnostic Instruments

• Gauges
• Sensors and transducers
• Perform pressure and flow rate measurements

Circuit and Control Analysis

• Common and uncommon circuits
• Pressure and flow determination in circuits

Component Functions and Failures

• Operation, functions, and typical failures:
  • Pressure valves
  • Direction valves
  • Flow valves
• Operation, functions, and typical failures:
  • Hydraulic pumps and hydraulic motors
  • Typical hydraulic cylinders

Systemic Troubleshooting Procedure

• Logical troubleshooting
• Flow diagrams and fault-cause-remedy
• Hands-on troubleshooting of circuits