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MAINTENANCE CASE STUDY
Right Hydraulic Fluid Can Cut Costs and Improve Equipment Performance
Many equipment operators take their hydraulic fluids for granted. This attitude can end up being costly in terms of equipment performance, durability and ultimately to the bottom line. With companies forcing their hydraulic equipment to work harder and longer than ever before, selecting a hydraulic fluid that is able to withstand tougher operating conditions is essential.
One company that has learned not to take its hydraulic fluid for granted is Nipisi Electric Ltd. The 17-year-old electrical business supplies "hot shot" services in Slave Lake, Alberta, providing picker truck, spool truck and hauling services to commercial and oil field customers.
In their business, Nipisi needs their equipment to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Adding to the challenge is Alberta's severe weather conditions where temperatures can range from 35°C in the summer, to -40°C in the winter.
"Winter is when we usually have our trouble," says Patrick Lund, Manager, Nipisi Electric. "Cold weather can cause hydraulic hoses to blow and can prevent the picker from lifting the weight it is rated for."
Nipisi uses hydraulic fluid in its four Hella picker trucks -- two two-ton and two five-ton -- which are used to lift everything from 1,000-pound tanks to 5000-pound transformers. Hydraulic fluid is also used in a tandem axle, full-size truck that is used for providing electrical submersible pump cable spooling services. When the protective qualities of the hydraulic fluid break down, the result is added expenses and downtime for Nipisi.
"The cost depends on when the hose blows," says Lund. "If it blows off the job, it costs us $200 to buy a new hose, and a minimum of $100 in labour costs to repair it. If it blows on the job, it can cost a couple of thousand dollars because you can't continue to work, and you need to run another truck out to the site to finish the job."
Nipisi Electric decided to switch to Petro-Canada's new generation hy-draulic fluid with its Total Wear Protection™ formulation. They selected HYDREX XV for its extra wide temperature performance. The hydraulic systems in Nipisi's picker trucks have shown significant improvement.
"It's been really great," says Lund. "With the other hydraulic fluids, when it was cold, we couldn't lift as well. With HYDREX, no matter what the temperature, these pickers will lift what they are rated for. We put HYDREX in and we don't worry."
Superior cold weather performance from the new hydraulic fluid has enabled Nipisi to reduce the number of blown hoses in both its picker trucks and spool truck, increasing productivity and profitability.
"This spring is the first time we put new hoses on the two-ton pickers in about a year," says Lund. "HYDREX has probably cut our hose repairs at least in half and saves us about $4,000 to $5,000 a year."
Lund also estimates that by switching to HYDREX, he has saved another $3,000 to $4,000 by reducing the number of blown hoses in the spool truck and preventing seal leaks.
And by being able to consolidate their summer and winter hydraulic fluid requirements into one product, Nipisi has saved even further. Consolidation has eliminated the need for seasonal change-outs, resulting in reduced oil consumption and decreased labour costs.
By reviewing the performance of their hydraulic fluid and considering total maintenance costs, Nipisi has reduced downtime, improved performance and is saving close to $10,000 annually. While the choice of hydraulic fluid may seem like a small matter in the short term, the long-term savings of selecting the right fluid is what can make the difference. ET
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