Hydraulic cylinders are used across various industries, including construction, agriculture, mining and manufacturing. These powerful devices translate hydraulic energy into a mechanical force that is used to deliver linear motion and force required to accomplish specific goals. When using hydraulic cylinders, you may come across sections that require welding to be done. Hydraulic cylinder welding can sometimes present a complex challenge; however, if you use the correct procedure, this guide can help simplify the process and make sure that you do not have to replace your hydraulic cylinder.
Safety Measures
Welding requires some protection measures so it is advisable that anyone who wants to weld take the following steps. Hydraulic cylinders are comprised of high-pressure fluid, and therefore any mishap may lead to an explosion. You have to make sure you have the proper protective gear, gloves, goggles, and a welding helmet. The area should be well ventilated too and free of any flammable materials. That’s why we removed the hydraulic cylinder from its power source and made sure we drained all those fluids used in the cylinder so that we could do some welding.
Preparation
The first step in the process of weld safety is taking time to assess the location where you will be welding. Make sure the surface is clean of any dirt, grease, or rust (or others) so that the adhesive is properly sticky. To be on the safe side it is best to scrub the area with a wire brush or grinder to ensure the area is free of debris or contaminant. Next, identify the area you will be welding on and use the masking tape to cover all the areas in which you don’t want to be exposed to heat.
Choose an appropriate welding process and the corresponding tools.
So, when welding hydraulic cylinders in Melbourne, TIG welding is considered to be optimal. In contrast, this process offers high accuracy in the production process and enables great control to guarantee a robust and stable welded structure. Its first requirement is the availability of a TIG welding machine, tungsten electrode, filler material and protective gas.
Positioning
To ensure perfect welding all the hydraulic cylinders must be oriented in the correct way. Most hydraulic cylinders have two ends: the rod end and the rodless end The. The Rod end is the moving part and the rodless end that is holding the cylinder barrel is the stationary part. You will most often have to weld at the piston rod end, where the piston rod is inserted into the cylinder.
To prevent any movement during welding place the hydraulic cylinder horizontally and properly lock the cylinder in a welding table or vice. In case you are welding the rod end you might employ now the clevis or the yoke and therefore, ensure that they are in place.
Welding Process
Once all of the setup has been completed, it is possible to start the welding process. First, it’s time to stand and plug your welder in; after that, you will be ready to go on to other prep work. For most metals set the amperage proportional to the material thickness you wish to weld. The appropriate current for welding hydraulic cylinders ranges between 100 and 200 amps.
First of all, you should use a wire brush to degrease the joint area and remove some layers of the oxidized metal. Put the tungsten into a clamp, and put the shielding gas. Then, warm the joint by bringing the tungsten to the metal surface and when there is a small droplet of the molten metal on the tungsten tip.
Begin the arc by positioning the tungsten to the joint and then applying a small amount of filler metal. In order to work well with tungsten it works best working with smooth long strokes, at 90 degrees of angle to your tungsten. You also use a slight force on the filler wire while welding till the joint is filled centrally. Ensure that weld pool continuity will be maintained hence reducing the heating of the metal locally, which may deform it.
When you’re in the final stage of the joint, pull out the tungsten and wait for the weld to cool. After it has cooled down you should check your joint by trying to push a piece of tissue warmth into it and check whether it is forming a smooth continuous surface without any cracks and separation. Usually, when welding, you may need to trim or grind the material, and in this case, you can apply a grinder to put a polish on the weld to give it that perfect look.
Final Touches
But before you are through with the weld, it is important that you strip off all the masking tapes and then scrub the area with a wire brush. Connect the clevis or yoke back together, and reconnect the hydraulic cylinder to the supply power. We had to fill a hydraulic cylinder with Hydraulic oil and check if it was working.
Conclusion
Now we know what hydraulic cylinders are used for and why to use these cylinders. Sometimes it can be a rather complicated process to weld hydraulic cylinders, yet following the instructions mentioned in this guide will help to produce a high-quality welding of the hydraulic cylinder that will last a long time. The most important thing is to have a safety first and do things the right way with the right equipment (if it is a bike or whatever!) and proper technique.
