Hydraulic Filtration & Condition Monitoring: Why It Pays in Tough Times

In challenging economic times, system maintenance is often neglected and pushed down the priority list. Cost-saving exercises kick in, and system engineers or procurement officers frequently question the cost of contamination-monitoring equipment or appropriate filtration for their hydraulic systems. What’s overlooked is the time saved and total cost reduction when an effective supervisory and maintenance regimen is adopted to control and manage contamination.

Why filtration and condition monitoring matter

Around 70–90% of hydraulic system breakdowns are attributed to particulate contamination. That’s a high percentage. If a systems engineer incorporates appropriate filtration and contamination-control equipment and reduces this by 30–40%, the result is materially better reliability and efficiency.

Chris Banks, Hydrasales sales engineer:
“Filter sizing with the MP Filtri software helps with filter sizing. Nothing is left to chance; it allows simulation under different flows and pressures. The report computes pressure drops and maximises the opportunity for proper filter selection.”

The real cost of breakdowns

• Downtime — especially expensive in production environments
• Labour — fault-finding time, removal and replacement
• Components — premature wear and failure

Even before a component fails, contaminants are attacking the system. From commissioning onward, contaminants reduce operating efficiency, cause wear and micro-cracks on critical surfaces, and block small orifices. Typical hydraulic clearances range from 0.5 µm to 50 µm; it doesn’t take much to restrict flow and degrade performance.

How to control contamination and extend component life

Start at the design stage. Depending on system sophistication and output needs, consider:

• Pressure-line filtration
• Return-line filtration
• Suction filtration
• Offline (kidney-loop) filtration

Each plays a role — but only if it’s right-sized for the application.

Lucas Thela, Hydrasales:
“A word of caution on the approach to designing the system. The cheapest design may meet the minimum operating parameters. Without incorporating effective filtration to meet operating needs at peak pressures, it can become expensive.”

Can you afford not to filter effectively and control contamination?

Training and support from Hydrasales

Most hydraulic systems generate solid, liquid, and gaseous contaminants — from external ingress, fluid degradation, corrosion, wear, or poor housekeeping. Systems become less efficient over time; breakdowns are costly.

Hydrasales provides full product support and FREE training on filtration, contamination monitoring, and accessories.

Elvira Caripis, General Manager:
“With technology, we can reach the remotest customers through online platforms. Internet access is all that is required. This benefits maintenance and field staff and helps participants troubleshoot filter efficiency and performance.”

For training requirements, email harpo@hydrasale.co.za.

Always-on monitoring: online particle counters

Online particle monitors analyse systems 24/7, raising internal/external alarms if contamination or moisture levels change. This protects components and applications, improves efficiency, and cuts the high cost of breakdowns and unscheduled downtime.

Benefits of online particle counting

• Save on total filtration cost by eliminating unscheduled filter changes
• Constant monitoring ⇒ predictive maintenance ⇒ cost savings
• Track system cleanliness continuously
• Prolong major component life via predictive maintenance
• Save time by monitoring high-cost processes effectively
• Exercise predictive control when cleanliness limits are exceeded

About Hydrasales

Hydrasales carries a full range of quality, time-tested hydraulic filters, elements, and system accessories. Its institutional expertise has developed over forty years serving mining, engineering, construction, and hydraulics industries.

Hydrasales represents MP Filtri, Faster quick-release couplings, and Badger Meter’s Hedland flow meters — leading manufacturers certified to international standards. Hydrasales enjoys direct technical support from these brands, enabling application development and innovation in African markets.

Contact Hydrasales

Email: harpo@hydrasale.co.za
Web: www.hydrasale.co.za
Tel: +27 11 392 3736
Fax: +27 11 392 6957