Podcast: Picture Pump Efficiency in Terms of Trees and Cars

Posted on October 25, 2024

When it comes to pumping systems, efficiency must be viewed in terms of measurable savings taken as a whole-system approach. Organizational buy-in and leadership support are crucial.

Tune in to Dr. Gary Dyson’s recent conversation with editor Traci Purdum on the Chemical Processing Distilled podcast where he helps us understand how best to achieve efficiency and how pump users can update their thinking when approaching the subject.

Read Chemical Processing’s Industry Perspective or listen to the podcast.

Pump System Optimization Guide

Posted on October 22, 2024

By some industry estimates, the average pump in an industrial production facility is operating at less than 40% efficiency, and 85% of pumps are not optimized to their system. This subpar performance translates to real money lost in the form of higher energy costs and premature wear and tear on overstressed valves. This excess stress on system components can lead to shorter mean time between repairs, higher maintenance costs and more unplanned downtime.

To learn expert insights on optimizing your pump system for maximum efficiency and cost-effectiveness, download the Pump System Optimization ebook that Hydro co-sponsored with Plant Services magazine.

Capability Spotlight: Utilize On-Site Expertise

Posted on October 7, 2024

In the intricate world of industrial operations, pumps play a pivotal role. When a pump fails, it can disrupt entire production lines, leading to significant financial losses and safety hazards. Regardless of the quality of equipment construction or refurbishment, a proper field installation is critical to ensure reliable performance and achieve maximum life.

Unfortunately, the industrial sector is currently facing a significant challenge: the retirement of a large cohort of experienced workers. This exodus has created a skills gap, particularly in areas like field service. The expertise and knowledge these seasoned professionals possess are invaluable, and their absence can leave companies vulnerable.

That’s why partnering with a skilled and experienced field service team is critical.

Hydro’s field service technicians and technical field advisors (TFA) are highly knowledgeable professionals with experience over a wide range of pump applications, manufacturers, and models. This experience is a critical factor in ensuring that field projects are performed effectively:

Hydro’s technicians are pump subject matter experts and have an extensive understanding of pump systems, their components, and common issues. This knowledge allows them to diagnose problems quickly and accurately.
Experience has provided our field service technicians with the ability to think quickly on their feet and develop exceptional problem-solving skills. They can handle unexpected challenges, devise creative solutions, and minimize downtime.
Experienced technicians are more efficient at their tasks. They know the best practices, processes, and tools to use, resulting in faster turnaround times without compromising the accuracy or quality of the field activity.

At Hydro, our on-site services team is comprised of subject matter experts in their field. Their knowledge across OEMs and industries is combined with Hydro’s extensive library historical data and global engineering support. It is also augmented by our field engineering division, which provides on-site performance and mechanical testing and troubleshooting. This powerful combination allows us to provide tailored solutions for your pump problems, enhance your reliability, and reduce your pump-related operating and maintenance costs.

Meet Hydro’s Technical Field Advisors:

Our Field Service Offerings

Hydro’s comprehensive field service offerings include:

Installation and start-up
Field machining and onsite welding
Turnkey services
Project management
Vibration analysis
Laser alignment
Pump system troubleshooting
Field engineering
Emergency field response
Hands-on training

Read more about how Hydro’s On-Site Services team has supported end user’s in the field with this case study from the Nuclear Power industry.

Capability Spotlight: Rethink Your Parts Strategy

Posted on September 5, 2024

The Critical Parts Landscape is Changing.

With the advent of innovative pattern making and additive manufacturing, end users have more options than ever before when it comes to parts supply. When faced with these exciting changes, it is important to develop a parts strategy that takes advantage of new technology while still reducing risk of component failure or unsuitability.

At Hydro Parts Solutions, we combine innovation with hard-earned experience in pump engineering, reverse engineering, materials, and casting. Knowing that reverse engineering is far more complex than laser scanning and replication, they rely heavily on this experience and the knowledge of Hydro’s engineering network to verify critical dimensions, account for wear of the scanned component, upgrade tolerances, and provide a part that is better than the original.

By cultivating strong relationships with local foundries, Hydro Parts Solutions can provide expedited lead times while maintaining control of product quality throughout the manufacturing process. They adhere to strict process control procedures, including providing standardized parts numbers and generating drawings for every part.

Every job completed by Hydro Parts Solutions is passed through multiple levels of engineering and inspection checks, from model development through pattern creation to final machining and equivalency analysis. This gives you confidence that the parts supplied will provide safe and reliable service.

As pump experts, Hydro has the experience to reverse engineer and supply complex hydraulic components and the resources to diagnose design problems and suggest targeted upgrades. Hydro routinely upgrades vintage equipment with proven design component design upgrades that counteract known failure modes. Our global engineering team works closely with our parts division to perform hydraulic modifications that increase efficiency or help end users meet changed system requirements.

The end result? Shorter lead times and longer component life.

Explore Hydro Parts Solutions’ state-of-the-art parts case studies.

Discover Hydro Parts Solutions here.

Lunch & Learn: Understanding the Capabilities and Limitations of Condition Monitoring

Posted on August 30, 2024

Join Hydro as we chat with Vince Marino of Empowering Pumps about the capabilities and limitations of condition monitoring.

Condition monitoring isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a vital part of keeping your equipment running smoothly. Robert and Jim explain how understanding its capabilities and limitations can enhance overall efficiency. They discuss how condition monitoring fits into a broader maintenance strategy, ensuring a cohesive approach to equipment upkeep and reliability.

You can watch the full lunch and learn here.

To learn more about Hydro’s Centaur condition monitoring, visit our Centaur webpage or contact us with questions.

We understand that hands-on experience is important in making an investment in a new technology, and provide end users with “test drives” of our monitoring solution through a commitment-free 90-day free trial. Interested in trying it out yourself? Apply here.