Maintenance Guide for Busbar Machine: Replacing Hydraulic Oil

As the key lubricating medium for the operation of busbar machines, hydraulic oil plays a vital role in ensuring the normal operation of equipment and extending the service life of equipment. However, many companies often ignore the replacement cycle and replacement method of hydraulic oil when using busbar machines, resulting in frequent equipment failures and affecting production efficiency. This article aims to provide users with a detailed guide to hydraulic oil replacement and maintenance, to help companies scientifically and rationally replace hydraulic oil and ensure the stable operation of equipment.

If you want to know more about busbar machine maintenance guide, please check out the articles “How to maintain busbar processing machine” and “3 in 1 busbar machine maintenance requirements“.

Hydraulic oil plays the role of transmitting pressure, lubrication, cooling and anti-corrosion in the hydraulic system. As the use time increases, the hydraulic oil will gradually lose its original performance due to oxidation, pollution and deterioration. If the deteriorated hydraulic oil is not replaced in time, it may cause hydraulic system failure, increased component wear, and even equipment damage. Therefore, formulating a reasonable hydraulic oil replacement cycle is an important measure to ensure the efficient operation of the equipment.

The busbar processing machine uses international standard No. 46 hydraulic oil. By reading the article “How to choose busbar machine hydraulic oil“, you will learn more about the basics of choosing the right hydraulic oil for your equipment.

The replacement cycle of hydraulic oil is not fixed, but is affected by many factors. Here are a few major influencing factors:

1. **Use environment**: Ambient temperature, humidity and contaminant levels have a significant impact on the life of hydraulic oil. In high temperature, high humidity or dusty environments, hydraulic oil is more susceptible to oxidation and contamination, which shortens the replacement cycle. For example, if the equipment is working in a high temperature environment, the oxidation rate of hydraulic oil will increase, and it usually needs to be replaced more frequently. In general, the life of hydraulic oil may be shortened by about 50% for every 10°C increase in ambient temperature.
2. **Workload**: The workload of the hydraulic system directly affects the consumption and deterioration rate of hydraulic oil. High-load operation will accelerate the oxidation and deterioration of hydraulic oil, so more frequent replacement is required. For example, the hydraulic oil replacement cycle of equipment that operates continuously should be shorter than that of equipment that is used intermittently. Generally speaking, the replacement cycle of hydraulic oil for equipment that operates continuously is 6-12 months, while the replacement cycle for equipment that is used intermittently is 12-18 months.
3. **Equipment design and manufacturing requirements**: Different equipment has different hydraulic system designs and different requirements for hydraulic oil. Some high-precision hydraulic systems may require more frequent oil changes to ensure system stability and reliability. Users should refer to the equipment manual or consult the equipment manufacturer for specific replacement recommendations. For example, some high-precision equipment recommends replacing the hydraulic oil every 3-6 months.
4. **Oil quality**: High-quality hydraulic oil has better anti-oxidation, anti-pollution and anti-wear properties, which can extend the replacement cycle. Conversely, low-quality hydraulic oil is more likely to deteriorate and need to be replaced more frequently. For example, the use of high-quality hydraulic oil can extend the replacement cycle to 18-24 months, while the replacement cycle of low-quality hydraulic oil may only be 6-12 months.
5. **Sealing**: The sealing of the hydraulic system directly affects the degree of contamination of the hydraulic oil. If the system has poor sealing, pollutants in the air, processed metal fragments and emulsions can easily invade the system, accelerate the wear of the equipment, and shorten the oil change cycle. For example, equipment with poor sealing may need to replace the hydraulic oil every 3-6 months.

In addition to judging the replacement cycle of hydraulic oil based on time and influencing factors, the following standards should also be used to determine whether the hydraulic oil needs to be replaced:

1. **Oil color and transparency**: Hydraulic oil will gradually turn black or turbid during use. This is due to the accumulation of impurities, oxidation products and wear particles in the oil. When the hydraulic oil turns black or turbid, it means that the contaminants in the oil have exceeded the acceptable range, and the hydraulic oil needs to be replaced at this time.
2. **Oil viscosity**: The viscosity of hydraulic oil is an important indicator of its lubrication performance. When the viscosity of hydraulic oil exceeds or falls below the range required by the equipment, it will affect the normal operation of the hydraulic system. Therefore, if the viscosity of the hydraulic oil changes significantly, it is necessary to consider replacing the hydraulic oil. Generally speaking, when the viscosity change exceeds ±10% of the equipment requirement, the hydraulic oil should be replaced.
3. **Oil chemical composition analysis**: Regular chemical composition analysis of hydraulic oil can accurately determine the degree of oil deterioration. If the analysis results show that the additives in the oil are exhausted, the contaminants exceed the standard, or there are too many oxidation products, it needs to be replaced in time. It is recommended to perform chemical composition analysis every 3-6 months.

1. **Drain the oil**: Remove the drain plug on the hydraulic oil tank and drain the oil in the tank completely into a container of suitable capacity. Keep the oil drum, refueling port and pipeline clean.
2. **Cleaning the oil tank**: Use a mild solvent to clean the hydraulic oil tank to ensure that there is no residual oil and impurities inside the tank.
3. **Replace the filter**: Replace all filters and screens in the hydraulic system to ensure that the new hydraulic oil is not contaminated.
4. **Add oil**: According to the requirements of the equipment manual, select the appropriate hydraulic oil and add it to the tank. Note that the amount of oil should be moderate, neither too much nor too little.
5. **Inspection**: After refueling, start the equipment, check whether there is oil leakage in the hydraulic system, and monitor the temperature and pressure of the hydraulic oil to ensure that the system is working properly.

Scientific and reasonable replacement of hydraulic oil is the key to ensure efficient and stable operation of the busbar machine. Users should formulate a reasonable replacement cycle based on factors such as the equipment’s operating environment, workload, equipment design, and oil quality, and determine whether replacement is necessary by regularly checking the color, viscosity, and chemical composition of the oil. When replacing hydraulic oil, it should be carried out in strict accordance with the operating procedures to ensure that no new pollutants are introduced during the replacement process. Only in this way can the service life of the equipment be effectively extended, maintenance costs reduced, and production efficiency improved. Of course, choosing to buy a high-quality busbar machine is equally important.