Selecting the right material is critical. Most hydraulic reservoirs are manufactured from steel, stainless steel or aluminum. But, another option is aluminized steel.
The use of aluminized steel (sheet steel hot dip coated on both sides with an aluminum-silicon alloy) solves the contamination problems inherent in uncoated steels. It combines the corrosion resistance of aluminum with the structural strength (and lower cost) of steel. Aluminized steel is price-competitive with hot or cold rolled steel.

Reservoirs made of aluminized steel can help prevent corrosion from nearly any external influence. Aluminized steel reservoirs are compatible with nearly all petroleum-based and synthetic fluids.

The IFH Group has pioneered the use of aluminized steel in hydraulic oil reservoirs and fuel tanks for off-road and specialty vehicles used in agricultural, construction, utility and a range of other rugged off-highway applications. Depending on the application, environment and size of the reservoir, the use of aluminized steel can be a viable design option.

IFH has expanded its non-ferrous production capacity for applications that require custom aluminum fabrications.

When someone reaches out in need of a hydraulic reservoir, a few introductory questions can determine the options and services you’ll need from your tank provider.

• What type of application will the reservoir be used in? (Agriculture, Construction, Mobile, etc.)

• What kind of environments will the application be introduced to?

• Is the reservoir a new or existing product?

Recommending materials

Depending on the application, environment and size of the reservoir, the use of aluminized steel is recommended. The use of aluminized steel (sheet steel hot dip coated on both sides with an aluminum-silicon alloy) solves the contamination problems inherent in uncoated steels. It combines the corrosion resistance of aluminum with the structural strength (and lower cost) of steel. Aluminized steel is price-competitive with hot or cold rolled steel.

Beyond aluminized steel, you have a wide array and variety of materials including but not limited to hot rolled steel, cold rolled steel, aluminum and stainless steel. Typically, you should look for quotes in multiple material options so you have the best option for your application.

Do you have any sketches?
While a space void or constraint for the reservoir is helpful, a preliminary sketch or print provides the groundwork of the design and gives us an idea of the manufacturing efficiencies we can utilize. Your tank supplier should enjoy the collaborative process to find the most cost effective design to fit the your application while providing a reservoir that exceeds expectations but maintains a competitive cost.

Keep it as simple as possible. Anything complex – complex corners or edges, trapezoidal shapes, irregular rectangles – means more material, more labor and more leak test time.

When the sketch or drawing is received, see if your tank provider can improve on it. It may be as simple as changing the construction by putting a bend in place of a weld or integrating mounting brackets into the tank body, thereby eliminating more welds. (For example, we received one sketch that showed 6 pieces welded together, necessitating a total of 12 welds. We proposed making the tank out of two pieces, which eliminated 1/3 of the welds and reduced costs.)

Value-Added parts – DIY not recommended

Make sure your supplier can procure and install the value-added parts you need – fill caps, strainers, sight bulbs, filters, straps, covers or any type of value added item that may be required. Look for suppliers with strong, key relationships with manufacturers of these value added items, often receiving discounted pricing – a savings that is passed onto the customer.

With a little planning, and a collaborate partner in your tank supplier, you should end up with a finished product that is ready for mounting and plumbing of the connections. Every tank and reservoir you receive should be thoroughly cleaned and tested based on a your own standard or an industry standard. Also, when your tank supplier takes on the task of installing the value added parts, it diminishes the introduction of contamination during the reservoir installation process.

 

 

Do you have questions about the finer points of mobile hydraulic oil reservoir design? And the special design considerations that mobile reservoirs require?

Mobile hydraulic reservoirs are expected to perform as well as industrial reservoirs, even though they are typically operating under more extreme and often adverse conditions. It’s important that you (or your reservoir supplier) understand the special problems hydraulic reservoirs used in mobile equipment face, such as machine motion, extreme ambient temperatures, and size limitations.

Size is the most striking difference when comparing industrial and mobile designs. Industrial standards, developed by NFPA (National Fluid Power Association) and accepted by ANSI (American National Standards Institute), specify that reservoir capacity should equal 3x to 12x maximum pump output. However, size and weight limitations may require the equipment to operate with reservoirs as small as the volume the pump discharges in a single minute.

Because of the special limitations of mobile hydraulic reservoirs, they typically require custom design. Custom made hydraulic reservoirs have an advantage over off-the-shelf reservoirs because they can be designed to fit the exact space and technical requirements necessary for optimal performance.  Cost, size, and weight can be minimized while maintaining performance and efficiency.

Does your supplier employ techniques such as 3D modeling to develop the most efficient design for your application and for the manufacturability of your reservoir?

Details on design considerations for mobile hydraulic reservoirs can be found in this free white paper download.

Ryan McCarty is Vice President, Sales & Marketing, at The IFH Group.

He can be reached at rmccarty@ifhgroup.com.

By Ed Wade, The IFH Group

Water Tanks are used on mobile concrete mixers. Most of them are Rated at 60 PSI (which is much higher than a standard tank 3-6 PSI). The water is used to keep the concrete to the correct moisture, and also wash out the chutes and mixer barrel.

Seam welded tanks can be made from thinner Material (up to 14 Gauge thick). When the application does not require “Heavy Duty” structure, seam weld is a cheaper option.

However, in heavy duty tanks used on concrete mixers, seam welding is not an option. This kind of application demands MIG, TIG or robotic welding.

A constant drum speed yields a more consistent concrete mix. Over mixing damages the quality of the concrete by increasing the temperature of the mix, lowering the slump, decreasing air entrainment and decreasing the strength of the concrete. A constant drum speed maintains the center of gravity with a loaded truck for better stability in corners.

Question your Supplier

What material are they fabricating the tanks from? The ideal material would be 10 gauge 414G carbon steel.

Do they have a work cell set up for testing at 60 psi? At IFH, the cell is set up with a hydrostatic pump that ranges from 0 to 500 psi. The pressure can be adjusted and set to any requirement that falls within that equipment range. The tank is placed within a containment unit and plugged prior to attaching the pump for testing. The containment allows for full visual acceptance of the part.

For more information, contact Ed Wade at emwade@ifhgroup.com