Enhancing Efficiency in Test Bench Applications with Kleenoil’s High-Pressure Magnetic Filters

5 Feb, 2025

Test bench applications play a critical role in the manufacturing and testing of hydraulic and electric drive systems. For a leading international provider of innovative electric and hydraulic drive technologies, ensuring precision, efficiency, and reliability on their test benches is essential to delivering quality products. However, like many manufacturers in this field, they faced significant challenges due to contaminated oil. This blog explores these challenges, the impact of oil contamination, and how Kleenoil’s high-pressure magnetic filters have transformed their operations.

Challenges in Test Bench Applications

Manufacturers operating test bench applications face a host of challenges that can impact performance and operational efficiency. Some of the most common issues include:

1. Oil Contamination: Hydraulic systems are highly sensitive to contaminants in the oil, such as metallic particles, dirt, and water. In test bench applications, even trace amounts of contamination can lead to wear and tear, causing equipment failures or inaccuracies in testing results.
2. Frequent Mechanical Downtime: Contaminated oil accelerates the degradation of critical components such as pumps, valves, and actuators. This results in frequent mechanical breakdowns, increasing downtime and maintenance costs.
3. Inconsistent Test Results: For a manufacturer focused on delivering innovative solutions, achieving consistent and precise test results is paramount. Contaminated oil can compromise the integrity of testing processes, leading to inaccuracies and potential product quality issues.
4. Increased Maintenance Costs: Regular maintenance to address contamination-related wear and tear consumes valuable time and resources. This not only increases costs but also diverts attention from core operational goals.

The Impact of Contaminated Oil

Before adopting Kleenoil’s high-pressure magnetic filters, the customer reported that their test benches were delivering suboptimal performance. The NAS (National Aerospace Standard) value, which measures oil cleanliness, consistently ranged between 8 and 9. This level of contamination led to accelerated component wear, frequent maintenance requirements, and compromised testing efficiency.

The high NAS value was a clear indicator of the challenges posed by contaminated oil. Without a robust solution, the manufacturer faced:

• Accelerated equipment wear, shortening the lifespan of critical components.
• Disruption in operations due to unplanned maintenance and downtime.
• Reduced confidence in test results, potentially impacting product development timelines.

Key Features of Kleenoil’s High-Pressure Magnetic Filters

1. Sub-Micron Filtration: These high- pressure filters provide sub-micron level filtration, ensuring the removal of even the smallest particles from the oil. This advanced filtration capability greatly enhances oil cleanliness and protects sensitive components.
2. Effective Removal of Ferrous Contaminants: The filters are specifically designed to remove ferrous and para-magnetic contaminants from all industrial fluids. This feature addresses the root cause of wear and tear, ensuring the efficient operation of test bench applications.
3. Improved Surface Finish and Tool Life: By maintaining clean and contaminant-free oil, Kleenoil’s filters help improve the surface finish of components and significantly increase tool life. This results in better product quality and reduced operational costs.

Benefits Realized by the Customer

The implementation of Kleenoil’s high-pressure magnetic filters brought transformative benefits to the customer’s operations:

1. Reduced Mechanical Downtime: By effectively removing contaminants, the filters minimized wear and tear on critical components, resulting in significantly reduced mechanical downtime. This allowed the manufacturer to focus on core operations without constant interruptions for maintenance.
2. Enhanced Equipment Longevity: Cleaner oil reduced the rate of component degradation, extending the lifespan of pumps, valves, and other hydraulic components. This lowered replacement costs and improved overall system reliability.
3. Improved Testing Precision: With oil cleanliness ensured, the manufacturer achieved greater consistency and accuracy in their test results. This boosted confidence in their testing processes and supported the development of high-quality products.
4. Cost Savings: The reduction in maintenance frequency and the extended lifespan of equipment translated into substantial cost savings. Additionally, the improved efficiency of the test benches optimized resource utilization.
5. Environmental Impact: By reducing oil wastage and extending the life of hydraulic fluids, Kleenoil’s solution supported the customer’s commitment to sustainability. This aligns with broader industry goals of minimizing environmental impact.

Addressing the Root Cause

Kleenoil’s high-pressure magnetic filters not only solved the immediate issue of oil contamination but also addressed its root cause. By continuously maintaining oil cleanliness, the filters ensured that contamination levels remained within safe limits, preventing the recurrence of previous challenges.

Conclusion

The challenges faced by the customer in their test bench applications underscore the importance of effective oil filtration solutions. Kleenoil’s high-pressure magnetic filters proved to be a game-changer, delivering cleaner oil, reducing mechanical downtime, and improving testing precision. The remarkable reduction in NAS value from 9 to 5 highlights the transformative impact of Kleenoil’s oil filtration solution.

For manufacturers seeking to optimize their operations and overcome challenges related to oil contamination, Kleenoil’s expertise in hydraulic oil filtration offers a proven path to success. By addressing the root cause of wear and tear and ensuring consistent oil cleanliness, Kleenoil empowers manufacturers to achieve operational excellence while reducing costs and enhancing sustainability.