Custom Coupler

May 16, 2017

Jennifer Shuttleworth

The Specialty Manufacturing Co.’s (St. Paul, MN) SafeWay Hydraulics engineers were engaged to examine the company’s single zerk hydraulic system design for its overall function and manufacturability. After design review and testing, SafeWay engineers provided recommendations to improve durability and ensure leak-free performance. Two concerns with the original design were identified: the ball seal in the zerk design was suspect and had the potential to leak, presenting a possible environmental hazard, as well as reliability concerns, and the coupling end of the zerk was too soft and was susceptible to damage and accelerated wear. To address these issues and optimize both function and manufacturability, Safeway engineers offered two recommendations. “It was essential that the solution be both reliable under the most rugged use conditions and that the lubricant cycle did not present a safety hazard during maintenance cycles,” said Nick Goenner, SafeWay hydraulic engineering manager. The design recommendations were implemented and prototype parts were produced that were tested and approved by the OEM.