Thermographic Inspection for Hydraulic Systems
Specialized Thermographic Inspection programs for Industrial Hydraulic System Reliability & Maintenance.
Why it matters
Key Benefits
Hot Spot Identification
Infrared thermal imaging identifies abnormal heat patterns across hydraulic systems surfaces that indicate developing faults in the hydraulic pump, control valves, actuators, reservoir, filters, and accumulators. Temperature anomalies are detected during normal operation without production interruption.
Electrical Connection Integrity
Thermographic surveys of electrical terminations and connections serving hydraulic systems identify high-resistance joints before they cause arcing, fires, or protective device trips. This is especially critical for connections carrying full load current.
Thermal Profile Baselining
Establishing thermal baselines for hydraulic systems under normal operating conditions enables rapid detection of deviations. Comparative analysis between identical units identifies underperforming equipment and prioritizes maintenance resources.
Context
Challenge & Approach
The Reliability Challenge
Hydraulic system temperatures vary with operating pressure, flow rate, duty cycle, and ambient conditions, requiring process-aware interpretation. Relief valve leakage creates localized heating at valve bodies and downstream piping that can be subtle at low bypass rates. Pump case drain temperatures indicate internal leakage but are affected by system pressure and fluid viscosity. Solenoid valve coils run warm normally, and fault detection requires comparative analysis between valves of the same type. Oil cooler fouling reduces cooling capacity gradually, with temperature effects distributed across the cooler surface. Accumulator bladder or piston seal leakage creates temperature differentials between gas and oil sides. Complex manifold layouts make it difficult to trace thermal anomalies to specific valves.
Our Approach
We image hydraulic power unit components (pumps, motors, reservoirs, filters, coolers), valve manifolds, actuators, and piping runs during normal operating cycles. Pump housing and case drain line temperatures identify internal wear and leakage. Relief valve bodies and downstream piping are compared between active and standby valves to detect leakage. Oil cooler thermal gradients identify fouled sections and reduced cooling capacity. Solenoid valve coil temperatures are compared across identical valves for outlier detection. Cylinder rod gland areas are imaged for seal leakage heating. Accumulator shell temperatures verify precharge condition through gas/oil temperature differential. Filter housing delta-T measurements confirm flow and identify bypass conditions. Reports include system-wide thermal maps, component condition ratings, and prioritized maintenance recommendations for each circuit.
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Learn More →Thermographic inspection of hydraulic systems identifies abnormal thermal patterns indicating bearing overheating, electrical connection resistance, insulation degradation, and blockages or flow restrictions. Temperature differences between identical components or between operating and baseline conditions highlight developing faults in the hydraulic pump, control valves, actuators, reservoir, filters, and accumulators.
Yes, hydraulic systems must be operating under normal load conditions during thermographic inspection to generate meaningful thermal signatures. Equipment should be at steady-state operating temperature, typically after at least 30 minutes of operation at normal load. Cold equipment will not reveal the thermal anomalies that indicate developing faults.
Modern infrared cameras provide temperature accuracy of plus or minus 2 degrees Celsius or 2 percent of reading. Emissivity corrections, reflected temperature compensation, and proper measurement distance are critical for accurate readings on hydraulic systems surfaces. Polished or reflective metal surfaces require emissivity tape or coating for reliable measurements.
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Tell us about your equipment and facility. Our reliability team will review your situation and recommend a tailored reliability program — no obligation.
Survey Your Hydraulic Systems in One Pass
Our thermal inspections cover pumps, valves, coolers, and actuators across your hydraulic systems to identify leakage, fouling, and overheating.
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