How does side loading impact your cylinder's performance?

As we continue to review the benefits offered by Unitized Solutions, let's discuss side loading by defining what it is and explaining how it impacts the performance of your hydraulic cylinder. ?

What is side loading?

Side loading in a hydraulic cylinder occurs when forces are applied perpendicular to the cylinder's central axis rather than directly along it. This misalignment creates a lateral force, leading to increased wear and reduced performance. A side load applied to a hydraulic cylinder can disrupt the straight-line operation and stress the wear bands. Excessive side loading may lead to wear band failure, causing metal-to-metal contact. Additionally, seals operating under lateral forces can experience uneven wear, leading to premature failure.

How can Hallite Unitized Solutions help?

The advanced engineering features that characterize the unitized design contribute to decreased side loads that present significant challenges to seals in hydraulic cylinders. By integrating the piston and the wear bands into a single, compact assembly, Unitized Solutions ensure precise alignment and minimize the risk of misalignment and side loading. Also, by maintaining a consistent, straight-line operation, the unitized piston effectively distributes forces along the cylinder's axis, reducing the likelihood of uneven stress and wear. The integration of wear bands into the piston assembly also enhances its ability to absorb and manage lateral forces, improving the overall durability and reliability of the hydraulic system.

The design of Hallite’s unitized pistons and glands allows for the use of high-performance materials that are more durable in applications and guarantee no metal-to-metal contact, even with extreme side loading.

Real Results

A customer using cylinders in a loader application reported seal failures and metal-to-metal contact. Improper use of the equipment meant that instead of using the loader to lift and dump media, the customer was inverting the bucket down and using it as a scraper to level hard surfaces, resulting in high-frequency shock on the seal package and excessive side loading to the rod and piston. In some cases, this load was so high that metal-to-metal contact began to damage the cylinder. The unitized piston and gland eliminated the metal-to-metal contact, protecting all metal surfaces. Also, the reduced extrusion gap protected the seals from the high-frequency shock load, delivering improved cylinder performance and longevity of the seal package.

Have you faced challenges with side loading in your sealing systems?

Share your experiences and solutions in the comments section below!