Contamination in hydraulic fluid is responsible for more than 80% of hydraulic system issues. The most cost-effective method of increasing the lifetime of hydraulic system components is effective contamination control through a comprehensive fluid cleanliness program. This program should begin with contamination and condition control and continue with monitoring results with regular sampling and analysis. In a perfect world, we would use perfect technology and remove all contaminants from all of our fluids. Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world, so we need to consider factors like the practical limits of filtration technology and cost when developing a cleanliness strategy. With today's technology, it is possible to clean fluid to the point at which contamination is not a factor in the failure of any system component that has not reached the end of its practical useful life anyway. This is a practical and achievable goal. Reaching it begins with setting a target cleanliness level based on all the relevant factors affecting the operation of a specific hydraulic system.
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