Guaranteed Tips to achieve Leak-Free Hydraulics!
Have you seen a hydraulic machine leaking? Oil leaks seem to be a normal sight in factories.
Like the smallest virus has proved that we are smaller, the humble and small hydraulic fittings, which are the lowest value components in any Hydraulic Machine, are the most critical!
It is imperative that there is ZERO Leakage for the proper functioning of any hydraulic machine. Selection and proper installation of Hydraulic Fittings play the biggest role in ensuring that there is no leakage in the machine.
Any Hydraulic Machine will have Hose Fittings, Tube Fittings, Hoses, and Tubes for the transmission of Fluid at high pressure and temperature under vibration conditions.
Leaking fluid connectors are not only a threat to life and pose a huge safety risk, but it is also an immense invisible cost to the company.
The broad shape of any hydraulic fitting can be produced by any lathe operator however only experienced & technical personal who work as a team can understand the intricate design and internal details of a good hydraulic fitting, also known as coupling by some.
From the inventory management perspective, Hydraulic Fittings fall under the "C" class/category due to its low value, however, for the trouble-free functioning of any machine, the correct selection and installation of the couplings you are going to use is extremely important.
Generally speaking the lowest cost “L1” supplier or the lowest cost “L1” product is selected without going into the technical aspects of such a critical component of the Hydraulic System
So the question arises how do we select a Good Hydraulic Fitting ?
Before finalizing a supplier or brand, of Hydraulic Fittings, the following factors must be taken into account:
- Reliability
- Leak-Free
- Proven for Performance
- Choice & range of products readily available
- Packaging standards followed
- On-time Delivery
- Surface Coating – Salt Spray Test life guaranteed
- Raw Material Assurance - MTC Available or Not
- Process design and adherence
- Standards followed
- Product range in terms of sizes, MOC, Designs etc.
- Cost Control Methods and adherence
- Consistency
- Guarantee offered
- Detailed Product Catalog available or not ?
- Transparent pricing
- Availability - Inventory levels
- Crack detection
- Pressure testing certificate
- Custom design products
- MOQ requirements, small order quantities
- Value for money
- What you see is what you get
The most obvious question that arises now is How to qualify a manufacturer who can deliver a product with all the qualities as above?
Here is the list of questions you need to ask before selecting the supplier for your most critical hydraulic components:
- Manufacturer or Reseller ?
- Process and Quality Standards followed ?
- Certifications available ?
- Company history/experience
- Promotors’ background
- Team credentials
- In house design capability
- In house testing facility
- Manufacturing capability
- In house Surface coating facility
- After-sales and service support
- Can offer 3 D Models for incorporation in your design
- Export capability
- Process adherence using ERP
- Communication capabilities –
- Response time
- In-process and post-production checks
- Machining on top-class CNC machines
- Lean and flexible production process
- Market reputation
- Number of satisfied clients
- Customer service support
- Single window solutions
TUFIT Hydraulic Fittings from Ahuja Corporation Private Limited,(formerly Ahuja Industries) fulfill all the above criteria and more! We make the World Leak free !
Managing Director at LEAN SIX SIGMA CONSULTANTS PRIVATE LIMITED
4 年Some of the critical parameters generally loses sight while selecting supplier are MTTR & MTBF of the product being outsourced.
Factory Manager - Project Manager| Process Expert Asia Pacific | Quality Manager | Operational Excellence Manager | Service Manager. Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
4 年Nice guide for supplier selection. Although, the fittings are classified as 'C' Class items due to their low cost, the cost of the leak (if oil is expensive), the cost of breakdown (if a leak is not identified timely) can be tremendously high. Also, while buying a fitting, generally neglected aspect is its repeated usability. Few are designed for one-time deformation and should not be used again, it has to replaced. Few are designed for multiple uses. The sealing mechanism of design & MOC, physics defines this.? Selection of the right type of fitting is a joint effort of Customer (Who knows application) & Supplier (Who knows how his design will work in application). If alone done, the joint may not be foolproof.