Even new fluid additives can attack rubber seals. New amine preservatives in hydraulic oils can attack standard FKM seals, causing premature failure. The amine additives attack the backbone of the polymer, resulting in embrittlement of the rubber.
Is vegetable oil bad for rubber?
Vegetable oil is used as unlike other oils it does not damage rubber. The red colour is due to the addition of a red dye to make it easily distinguishable from other greases. Its unique recipe makes it compatible with natural and synthetic rubbers.
Can grease damage rubber seals?
It isn't uncommon in industrial applications for for greases to come in contact with rubber seals or other parts. Many greases aren't compatible with certain types of rubber, which can cause seals to swell or crack and lead to damage and down-time.
What is rubber oil made of?
It is manufactured using vegetable oil as the base lubricant. Vegetable oil is used as unlike other oils it does not damage rubber. The red colour is due to the addition of a red dye to make it easily distinguishable from other greases. Its unique recipe makes it compatible with natural and synthetic rubbers.
What happens if you don't lubricate rubber?
Rubber needs to be lubricated to protect it from moving parts in systems such as o-rings in a cylinder piston. If the rubber is not lubricated the friction caused by the contact of the moving part may rupture the rubber. Also, red rubber grease should be used during a assembly when attempting to move rubber parts into position.
Will hydraulic fluid damage tires?
Look for that regularly during preflight inspections to be sure there are no leaks. Hydraulic fluid will harm the rubber of your tires over time, too.”
Does oil degrade rubber?
Rubber and lubricants need to come into contact with each other in many applications. But there are often problems with what is known as rubber "ageing": a deterioration of the properties of the rubber due to interactions between the rubber and the grease or base oils involved.
Which hydraulic fluid is often incompatible with rubber seals?
Petroleum oil hydraulic system seals of neoprene or Buna-N are not compatible with Skydrol® and must be replaced with seals of butyl rubber or ethylene-propylene elastoiners.
What can cause damage to rubber seals in a hydraulic system?
Hydraulic seals become hard when exposed to high temperatures. This is caused by either high fluid operating temperatures in the application or high-speed heat generation from stroking operations. When seals harden, they crack and lose elasticity, leading to seal failure.
What kind of oil is safe for rubber?
As most O-rings and seals are made of synthetic elastomeric polymers, i.e., “rubber” material such as nitrile, EPDM, and Neoprene, they are the best lubricants for them derived from synthetic compounds. At the top of the list is silicone-based and ester-based lubricants.
What oil is safe on rubber?
By far the most suitable lubrication solution for rubber is a carefully formulated emulsion of oil and water emulsion. This is because it can overpower rubber's low surface energy. Effectively, this means that emulsion-style lubricant can completely coat the surface of rubber without any beading.
Why is hydraulic fluid compatibility important for seals?
Fluid power seal materials will have interactions with their environment and fluids, which they have contacts with (or with their vapours, gases). That is why it is important to select seal materials what are compatible with the medias/environment in which they are used.
Which hydraulic fluid is red?
KLONDIKE Red Hydraulic Fluids are designed for high performance hydraulic systems. These fluids provide excellent operating and maintenance benefits for increased productivity.
Is hydraulic oil vegetable oil?
in a test sample. Most readily biodegradable hydraulic fluids are derived from naturally occurring triglycerides (vegetable oils).
How long do hydraulic seals last?
The only way to find out how long a certain seal will last for sure is to put it into a specific application and measure how long it takes for the seals to fail, plus averaging it out over time. The high end of this spectrum tends to be around three years, with some extremely hostile operations being much shorter.
What happens if hydraulic oil is too low?
If viscosity is too low and the fluid is “thinner, it is easier for it to flow through these small gaps between moving parts, which means more energy is lost. Thus, volumetric efficiency is lower and the system becomes less responsive. It also increases heat, wear and contributes to shorter component life.
What causes seal failure?
Improper installation is probably the most common cause of seal failure. Using the right tools is critical to prevent seals from being installed in the wrong direction or becoming damaged during installation.
Does vegetable oil harm rubber?
Vegetable oil should NEVER be used to lubricate mechanical parts. It always leaves a solid deposit which later will be stuck to the parts you wanted to lubricate.
Does olive oil harm rubber?
If your rubber wellies get chalky after a few wears, rub them with olive oil to erase the white marks. Avoid getting oil on the soles, though; it may cause you to slip next time you put them on. 5.
Does WD40 harm rubber?
According to the website WD40 is safe on rubber. The only materials which are mentioned as being affected are polycarbonate and clear polystyrene.
Does Vaseline break down rubber?
While Vaseline and other petroleum products may degrade real rubber (actually made from the rubber tree), current o-rings technology does not use natural rubber.
Can lubricant change weight?
It should be noted that there is nearly always a marginal amount of change in weight and dimensions when parts are exposed to the heat and/or lubricants; a small amount of change is considered the norm and is not an indication there is a serious compatibility issue, however only the customer can decide if any change will impact on the performance of the prototype part/device. Some lubricants can cause plastics and rubbers to change colour, this is generally considered an aesthetic issue but can be relevant if the part is able to be seen by customers/users.
Is plastic safe for lubricant?
Maybe you have have been told that the lubricant you are considering is ‘plastic safe’ …. We would always recommend that a device manufacturer carries out a compatibility test, even if advised that a lubricant will have not problems with their plastic or rubber, why? Much of the raw materials for the plastic that is used in production is sourced far and wide; consider a scenario where you are producing a device in large volumes or for many years, the material in your device exhibits no compatibility problems with a grease used inside but three years later there becomes a problem. Arranging for a compatibility report for the grease and plastic used in your device at ‘day one’ ensures that you know something has changed….be that your plastics supplier has started sourcing raw material from a different source without notifying you or your grease supplier has changed the formula of the lubricant without informing you. A reputable lubricant manufacturer would NEVER change the formulation of a lubricant and keep the original product name without telling customers.
Can you use base oil on plastic?
Plastic and elastomer types are many and varied so there is no quick answer to this issue. There are some general guidelines that you should follow when considering a base oil for use with plastics or elastomers. Perfluoropolyethers (PFPE) and silicones are compatible with most plastics. Synthetic hydrocarbons (includes polyalphaolefin – PAO) can generally be used with plastics but not with elastomers; esters should be used with extreme caution with polycarbonate, polyester, polyphenylene oxide, polystyrene, polysulfone, polyvinyl chloride, Buna S, Butyl, natural rubber and neoprene. Ultimately though, the only way to ensure compatibility is through rigorous testing under high stress, high temperature and poor plastic/elastomer conditions.
Can you test plastic for compatibility?
If you do not have access to a testing facility, it is possible to carry out your own test. Although not as thorough as the above process, a good indicator of any possible lubricant and plastic compatibility issues could be shown by conducting your own test at ambient/room temperature; simply immerse a piece of the plastic/rubber in the appropriate oil or grease and leave in your office/workspace for an extended period of time. Remember to weigh and measure the parts before and after the test.
Low-Temperature Operating Conditions
When most people think of the effects of temperature on hydraulics, their immediate thought is heat; however, cold temperatures can have a devastating effect on hydraulic systems as well.
Effects of Low Temperatures on Hydraulic Systems
Elastomeric materials like rubber are commonly found on hydraulic systems of all sizes, and rubber (as well as other types of elastomers) is sensitive to cold temperatures and can behave as a brittle material when temperatures drop sufficiently low.
Effects of High Temperatures on Hydraulic Systems
When hydraulic fluids and lubricants are exposed to high temperatures for extended periods of time, the fluids will begin to experience permanent deterioration and a severe reduction in viscosity (i.e., the fluid will be much thinner and less viscous).
Causes of Heat Generation in Hydraulic Systems
High temperatures can result from extreme ambient temperature but are more likely to be the result of heat generation within the hydraulic system. Because heat can be so damaging to a hydraulic system, it is important to track down the source of heat generation.
Conclusion
Temperature extremes will affect the performance of your hydraulic system and result in serious (and expensive) damage if nothing is done to either address the temperature issues or protect the system from the effects of the temperature.
MAC Hydraulics
As one of our many services, MAC Hydraulics offers on-site maintenance of hydraulic systems and equipment with fully equipped service vehicles and skilled technicians who only work on hydraulics.
What happens if rubber is not lubricated?
If rubber is not lubricated it becomes dry and hardens and it can crack over time. Also, if it is contacted by hydro-carbons such as petrol or diesel it can swell and lose its shape and structure. When this happens it has difficulty performing the job it was designed to do.
Why use red rubber grease?
If the rubber is not lubricated the friction caused by the contact of the moving part may rupture the rubber. Also, red rubber grease should be used during a assembly when attempting to move rubber parts into position. The grease will facilitate a much easier assembly process.
Why is red rubber grease important?
This is important because red rubber grease is designed for use on sensitive parts (rubber bushes, seals and o-rings) that may be damaged if the wrong grease is applied.
What is red rubber grease used for?
Red Rubber Grease is used in the automotive industry in hydraulic and braking systems to protect & lubricate rubber bushes, seals and o-rings. It is also a good choice for use on brake caliper rebuild jobs. This grease compound is designed to preserve rubber and help prevent it deteriorating and cracking over time.
Why is vegetable oil red?
The red colour is due to the addition of a red dye to make it easily distinguishable from other greases. Its unique recipe makes it compatible with natural and synthetic rubbers.
