Gear Pump Division

Failure Analysis

October 28, 2014

 Gear Pump Thrust
Port End
Plates
Shaft Cover
End Cover Lip Seal

Mounting Roller
Flange Bearings

Drive
Spline

Drive Gear
Idler Gear

Inlet Port

Out Board
Bearing

Ring Seal Gear Housing

(High Pressure)
2
 Tandem Gear Pump
Bearing carrier
Bushings

Pumping Sections
3
 Gear Pump Cutaway
OUT

IN
Pressure Balanced Thrust Plates

4
 Thrust Plate View

OUTPUT

Force Force

OIL FLOW

5
 Contamination

6
 Particle Sizes
SUBSTANCE SIZE IN MICRONS SIZE IN INCHES
Grain of salt 100 .0039
Human Hair 70 .0027
Lower limit of visibility 40 .00158
White blood cell 25 .001
Talcum powder 10 .00039
Red blood cell 8 .0003
Bacteria 2 .000078

7
 ISO Codes

ISO CODE PARTICLES/MILLILITER PARTICLES/MILLILITER FLUID CLEANLINESS

>5 MICROMETERS >15 MICROMETERS REQUIRED FOR

18/15 2,500 320 Flow control valves,

cylinders
17/14 1,300 160 Gear pumps and motors
16/13 640 80 Directional and pressure
control valves
15/12 320 40 Vane and piston
pumps/motors
14/11 160 20 Servo control valves

8
 Contamination
Causes

Low oil level -

Leaking Missing or
Improper concentration Loose or lost Poor fill Clogged filter -
fittings, seals, collapsed inlet
filtration of breather cap practices by-pass
wipers strainer
contaminant

9
 Contamination
Effects Reduced
pump
Reduced Life efficiency

Bearing /
bushing
failure
Failed
pump
Accelerated
wear

Internal
leaks
• bearings, thrust plates, and
housing
Heat

10
 Foreign Object Damage

11
 Foreign Object Damage

12
 Foreign Object Damage

13
 Large Particle Contamination

Motion
Gear
Large particle contaminant

Thrust plate

14
 Scored Thrust Plate

15
 Scored Gear Housing

16
 Scored Root Area of Gear

17
 Scored Thrust Plate

18
 Scored Thrust Plate

19
 Fine Particle Contamination

Fine particle contaminants

Thrust plate

20
 Thrust Plate View

OUTPUT

Force Force

OIL FLOW

21
 Fine Particle Contamination

22
 Fine Particle Contamination

23
 Fine Particle Contamination

24
 Scored Thrust Plate

25
 Scored Thrust Plate

26
 Scored Thrust Plate

27
 Leakage in Hydraulic Components

+ 2 Control of clearance critical

3
Q =flow
(leakage)

0
0 •Length of Seal 1 +
•Clearance 2
•Pressure 3
28
 Driveshaft for Motor

29
 Cavitation and Aeration

Thrust plate

30
 Cavitation and Aeration

Thrust plate

31
 Cavitation and Aeration

Thrust plate

32
 Cavitation Damage
Cause
Inlet Condition - Restriction

Clogged Oil too

Inlet Inlet line Excessive Suction
inlet Inlet line Collapsed viscous
strainer bore too engine head too
strainer / too long inlet hose (cold
too small small speed great
breather weather)

33
 Cavitation Damage
Effect

Accelerated
Reduced Erratic
wear thrust Internal
Noise Heat pump actuator Failed pump
plates / leaks
efficiency performance
housing

34
 Aeration Damage
Cause – Air enters oil

Foam
Vortexing of oil
Loose inlet Worn pump Worn cylinder suspended in oil
Low oil level above strainer -
fittings shaft seal rod seal due to sloshing
whirlpool
in the reservoir

35
 Aeration Damage
Noise Effect
Heat

Accelerate
Failed
pump
d wear
thrust
plates /
housing

Internal
leaks

Erratic
actuator
performance

Reduced
pump
efficiency

36
 Cavitated Thrust Plate

37
 Cavitated Thrust Plate

38
 Cavitated Gear Housing

39
 Cavitated Thrust Plate

OUTLET

INLET

40
 Cavitated Thrust Plate

41
 Cavitated Motor Thrust Plate

42
 Cavitated Motor Thrust Plate

43
 Pressure Damage

Repeated
Heavy
Loading

44
 Pressure Damage
Cause

Improper size
elbow or fitting
downstream
Improper relief Relief valve Slow acting Absence of a
of the valve
valve setting malfunctioned relief valve relief valve
affecting the
relief valve
performance

45
 Pressure Damage
Effects
Reduced Life

Thrust
Excessive Bearing / plates Broken drive
Accelerated Cracked Reduced Internal
housing cut- bushing coined, / connecting
wear housings efficiency leakage
out failure warped or shaft
cracked

46
 Bearing Failure

47
 Bearing Failure

48
 Bearing Failure

49
 Pressure Damaged Gear Housing

50
 Pressure Damaged Gear Housing

51
 Heavily Coined Thrust Plate

COINING

55
 Pressure Damaged Drive Shaft

56
 Pressure Damaged Drive Shaft

57
 Pressure Damaged Connecting Shaft

58
 Pressure Damaged Drive Shaft

59
 Rotational Bending Fatigue Failure

60
 Heat

• Thins the system oil

- increasing friction
• Accelerates the breakdown of the oil
- causing sludge to form
• Can be caused by worn components
• Every 180 F rise in oil temperature
- doubles the rate of corrosion on exposed
surfaces

61
 Heat Damage
Causes

Cavitation / Undersized
Poor reservoir
Low oil level aeration / Contamination Inlet restriction Relief valve Incorrect fluid fittings, hoses,
design
water components

62
 Heat Damage
Breakdown
of oil
Seizure
Loss of
lubricity

Accelerated
wear

Reduced
efficiency

Leakage

Varnish /
sludge

Internal
seal
destruction

63
 Heat Damage

Lead Motion
Motion
Gear
Gear

Thrust plate
64
 Heat Damage

Lead Motion
Motion
Gear
Gear

Thrust plate
65
 Heat Damage

Motion

Gear

Thrust plate
66
 Heat Damage

Motion

Gear

Thrust plate
67
 Heat Damaged Thrust Plate

68
 Heat Damaged Thrust Plate

69
 Heat Damaged Thrust Plate

70
 Heat Damaged Thrust Plate

71
 Heat Damaged Gear

72
 Heat Damaged Thrust Plate

73
 Rifled Gear and Thrust Plate

74
 Rifled Gear and Thrust Plate

75
 Rifled Gear and Thrust Plate

76
 Fretting Damage

Coupling
Small amplitude
vibration

Drive spline
Contaminant
suspended
in grease

77
 Fretted Driveshaft

78
 Fretted Driveshaft

79
 Rebuild Errors

80
 Potential Assembly Errors
Causes

Pinched / Improper Pinched

Improper Nicked lip fretted installation pocket /
bolt torque seal section of thrust channel
seal plate seal

81
 Potential Assembly Errors
Effects

Reduced
Internal and efficiency
External
Damaged leak
Components

Extruded
section
seal
Heat

82
 Broken Drive Shaft

83
 Pinched and Fretted Seals

84 ©1998 Commercial Intertech Corp.

 System Maintenance

85
 The System
Includes

Actuator
• motor Hydraulic
• cylinder Oil

Directional
Hoses/tubing
Valve

Hydraulic
Fittings
Pump

Filters

86
 Substitutions

87
 Hydraulic Oil
Follow OEM
recommendations as
closely as possible

Unnecessary
additives may
be detrimental

Do not mix and

match

88
 When Replacing Hoses, Lines &
Fittings
Use products with the same:

Size Length

Material

Pressure
Rating

as the original equipment

89
 Hydraulic components

After market substitutions may lack proper:

Testing

Pressure
Design
rating

Safety
Material
factor

90
 Substitutions Can Deal You a Losing
Hand

91
 Pump / Motor Replacement

92
 Recommended Start-Up For New or
Rebuilt Pumps and Motors
Insure system cleanliness

Back-off relief valve pressure and reset governor

Fill unit with clean oil before connecting lines

Connect the lines and mount unit

Operate the unit at zero pressure for a minimum of

two minutes at low speed

Gradually increase speed and pressure to normal

operating conditions - approximately 5 minutes

Reset the main relief valve while the unit is operating at maximum
operating speed

93
 Recommended Start-Up for New or
Rebuilt Pumps / Motors

Back-off relief valve

Fill unit with clean oil Connect the lines and
Insure system cleanliness pressure and reset
before connecting lines mount unit
governor

Reset the main relief valve Gradually increase speed

Operate the unit at zero
while the unit is operating and pressure to normal
pressure for a minimum of
at maximum operating operating conditions -
two minutes at low speed
speed approximately 5 minutes

94