Hydraulics is how a machine turns a modest motor into tons of controlled force. It is also where a plant quietly loses hours to leaks, contaminated oil, and a cylinder that will not hold position. This course covers both halves of that story: how hydraulic power actually works and how to install and maintain a system so it keeps working.
You will start with hydraulic power and safety, hydraulic circuits and schematics, and the fundamentals of pressure and flow, then work through pumps and fluid friction, cylinders, flow control and other valves, and speed control circuits, connecting live circuits as you go. From there, the course turns to installation and maintenance: fittings, seals and O-rings, hoses, tubing, and clamping devices, component installation, and the replacement of spin-on and cartridge filters, and of subplate-mounted, cartridge, and threaded components. You will also inspect hydraulic fluid visually and by feel and smell for water, contamination, temperature, and lubricity; pull oil samples for lab testing; interpret oil specifications; use a filter cart to clean, change, or add reservoir oil; identify components from a specification; and bleed hydraulic cylinders.
This course prepares you to test for the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) C-256 Hydraulic Maintenance 1 certification.