No engine cooling system can be maintenance free. Every component degrades over time and so does the coolant. Various factors such as dilution with water, additives and the invasion of foreign particles entering the cooling system, can all cause a chemical degeneration. Products can get mixed, making testing and servicing difficult.

A coolant can perform well only when it preserves its original composition. The mutated version can cause fluctuations yielding disastrous results for an engine. Fleetguard Filtration provides the most comprehensive cooling system product range with support products that help test, service, and repair cooling system fluid. Mentioned below are various ways in which a coolant system can be taken care of in order to experience less downtime & great efficiency.

Coolant Filtration

A coolant filter is a primary mechanism to remove contamination that enters the cooling system through poor quality water, internal component wear or other inbuilt particulates which are a key cause of pump seal failure. Coolant filters are the most effective solution against contamination of the coolants and are essential to service your coolant and protect it.

Test Strips

Using test strips is like the litmus test used to correctly determine the condition of the coolant. Regular testing can identify trends that may be leading to equipment damage. These strips help determine various factors such as

• Overall freeze protection and key inhibitor quantity levels.
• Overall Quality of the coolant to determine whether it is fit for continued use or is contaminated.
• Water Quality – is this water suitable for use in a cooling system.

Refractometers

Depleting glycol levels in the coolant will bring down the boiling point and have a detrimental effect on the engine, especially in hot spots around the head. Refractometers are a near accurate tool to measure the glycol content of engine coolant. It is essential to maintain glycol levels within the specified limits. Different products may require different refractometers depending on their additive makeup.

Fleetguard Coolant Solutions

There are many products available in the Fleetguard range to assist with Cooling System maintenance:

• • Ethylene Glycol (EG) and Propylene Glycol (PG) based Fully Formulated Coolants (ES Compleat)

These glycols are available as pre-mixed products, using de-ionized water, which are ready to use. They are also available in the more traditional, concentrated format which requires dilution with good quality water before use.

• • DCA (Diesel Coolant Additive) heavy duty corrosion inhibitor

These inhibitors are available as a liquid concentrate to allow initial charging of a standard antifreeze product or to re-charge. A coolant which is low in inhibitor levels.

• • Cooling System flushing/cleaning agents to remove scale, corrosion products, oil and gel contamination etc. Radiwash This not only removes contamination /scale/rust in the intricate passages of the engine without need of dismantling but dramatically brings the engines at operating temperatures.

Fleetguard is one of the leading Automobile Filter Manufacturers in India.

The primary function of any fuel system is to store fuel & provide it to the engine whenever required. The fuel system typically comprises of fuel tanks, pumps, filters, lines, and injectors. Each component in the system plays a vital role in the performance of the engine. Fuel is mixed with air, atomized and vaporized in the air intake system. It can then be compressed in the engine cylinder and ignited to produce energy. The fuel systems may differ for various engines but the principle mechanism remains the same, that is, supplying fuel to the IC and regulating the flow of fuel w.r.t. air.

Diesel Fuel System

The fuel system supplies, transfers, cleans and delivers fuel to the engines’ cylinders to enable combustion, thereby producing power. The fuel system is responsible to meter the exact amount of fuel and deliver the fuel to the injector assembly with precise timing. As the fuel is delivered, the final conditions for providing complete combustion are atomization and the spray pattern of the fuel.

Multiple Functions of the Fuel

Diesel fuel exposed to the right amount of air is the primary energy source of a diesel engine. Diesel fuel specifications ensure it meets the necessary requirements for providing the correct amount of power, regardless of temperature and operating conditions. While the correct amount and timing of diesel fuel injection is necessary for optimum power, the fuel has several other key roles which include cooling, lubricating & cleaning.

• • Cooling: Constant motion creates heat in the engine body. The fuel flowing through the injection pump circulates through the pump and absorbs the unwanted heat that is generated by the engine, akin to an engine coolant. Eventually, the heat is dissipated from the system. In this context, the fuel assists in the cooling mechanism.
• • Lubricate: Diesel naturally has lubricating properties. It lubricates the moving components of both the fuel transfer pump and the fuel injection pump assembly. Lubrication with fuel is crucial to reduce the unwanted wear of the fuel system components to ensure longer service intervals.
• • Cleaning: The fuel travelling from the fuel tank to the fuel system picks up dirt and dust on its way and delivers them to the fuel filtration components where the contaminants are removed. Cleaning the fuel system components ensures a long, trouble-free engine life.

Diesel is evidently much more than just fuel and performs various support functions to keep the fuel system efficient. As such, the fuel collects a lot of contaminants while performing its duties. Hence, to maintain the proper functioning of the fuel system, the fuel itself must be clean and free of impurities such as dirt, dust, metal particles, water etc. This is where a fuel filter helps. A fuel filter is located in the fuel line to screen out contaminants such as dirt, dust, debris and rust particles from the fuel. A fuel filter protects the critical parts of the engine, by filtering out foreign particles that can potentially damage a fuel injector. Now injectors are pretty expensive to replace, so you don’t want to cause them damage just because you didn’t replace a fuel filter on time. So make sure you practice timely replacement of your filters. And while you are at it, ensure that you buy filters only from reliable OEMs. Fleetguard is one such trusted automobile filter manufacturers in India implementing the best practices and delivering complete solutions to all your filtration needs.

A hydraulic system is a complex network of valves, hoses, components, and piping, all of which are typically found in hydraulic machinery. Hydraulic systems can be quite diverse in their operation per se, but the basic principle remains the same – using non-compressible fluids to generate force. Hydraulic systems are used in applications which require lifting enormous amounts of weights, in the steering mechanism of the vehicles or in other applications which require focused energy.

The Causes for Failure of Hydraulic Components

A hydraulic system is a mechanical system. Hence, it is prone to wear & tear over time. There are components such as the seal and springs which become lose or get damaged from poor filtration and leakages. Fluid contamination is the major cause which accounts for 75% of cases of hydraulic system failure.

Avoiding System Malfunction

Selecting the right fluid to use in the hydraulics also plays a very important role. There are multiple options available in the market, the choice depends upon your application. It is recommended to consult with your equipment OEM to select the appropriate fluid. Typically, petroleum-based hydraulic fluids are considered standard for most applications. Water glycols, water-oil emulsions, and synthetic hydraulic fluids are used when there is a requirement for a fire-resistant fluid.

How Contaminants Enter the System

Even when you select the right fluid, clean and pure as it may be, it is still prone to contamination due to usage. There are various ways a contaminant can enter into the system. Hydraulic Fluid can be somewhat impure right at the beginning. Built-In contamination from metal filings, small burrs, sand, pieces of Teflon tape and other contaminants which usually come with newly manufactured systems. Ingress contamination comes from the external environment. Dirt can enter through broken seals, breather caps in the reservoir tank and worn cylinder rods. Water can enter the system as the hot system cools down at night and air condenses. Acids, sludge, and oxidation cause rust affecting the lubricant.

Maintaining the Hydraulic System

A hydraulic filter is required to clear the system off these impurities. This ensures longer service durations and optimized working of the system. When it’s time, the filters need to be replaced based on hours or miles of use, typically specified by the equipment manufacturer; however, some hydraulic filters have differential pressure switches that indicate when it is time to service the hydraulic filters. It is recommended to follow the service intervals specified by the OEM application’s guidelines to ensure the highest level of system protection.

What Are the Different Types of Hydraulic Filters Available?

Fleetguard, one of the leading Industrial Filter Manufacturers In India, has been designing and manufacturing heavy-duty filtration solutions for more than 60 years. This profound experience has ensured that all of Fleetguard filters and filter media has been proven in the harshest operating environments for many OEMs around the world. Fleetguard provides various hydraulic filters, which vary depending on the filter head and application into which they will be placed. They are available in multiple categories such as Pressure Line, Return Line, Tank Top, and Traditional Spin-on types. The hydraulic cartridge includes absolute rated high-efficiency micro glass fiber, cleanable wire mesh type along with conventional cellulose paper media.

Lubricants or lube oils are the lifeblood of every ‘oil-wetted’ machinery. Such is the importance that an engine cannot practically work without the presence of lube oil. Lube oil not only ensures the smooth & resistance free movement of the internal components of an engine by isolating all parts from each other, but it also carries out a number of other very critical tasks such as:

• Lubrication: It provides lubrication to all the moving parts to reduce friction and wear.
• Cooling: It absorbs the heat produced by the engine and effectively dissipates it.
• Cleaning: The lube oil transports additives such as detergents and dispersants for cleaning, by picking up the foreign particles formed during combustion.
• Sealing: The oil also seals the combustion chamber from the crankcase by acting as a liquid film between piston rings and liner walls.

Contaminants in the Lube Oil

While using a good quality oil for your engine is important, no oil can retain its purity forever. The engine system is not a closed loop network where you would pump the oil once and forget about it. Rather, the oil is prone to contamination through various internal and external sources which can introduce impurities into the oil. The internal sources form the majority of oil degraders due to impurities released from activities such as combustion, wear and the break down of hydrocarbons in the oil. The ignition process involves the blending of fuel and air, which gives birth to byproducts such as carbon and partially burned fuel along with other contaminants such as acids, water, varnish, and lacquers which degrade the oil. Time is also an enemy of oil as with time, the hydrocarbons forming the oil break down owing to the weakening molecular linkages.

Lube Oil Filtration Techniques

In order to keep the oil at its optimum level, a filtration process is required. An effective lube oil filter ensures that the oil remains free of impurity and performs its tasks efficiently.

Accordingly, there are at least 3 techniques used to filter oil mentioned below:
1. Full flow filtration: Where all of the oil pump output is filtered before entering the engine.
2. Bypass filtration: Where a pre-determined amount of the oil flow is filtered to a considerably better degree than in a full-flow system, before moving back into the oil sump.
3. Combination filtration: Where both full flow and bypass techniques are utilized in the filter.

Fleetguard is one of the leading filter manufacturers in India providing some of the best lube oil filtration components such as:

Cartridge Filters
a) Full flow
b) By-Pass

Spin-On Filters
a) Full flow
b) By-Pass
c) Venturi combo
d) Conventional combo

Lube Filter Assemblies
a) Lube filter with head
b) Lube filter head with combo filtration
c) Lube filter head with a bypass valve

Centrifugal Filters
a) Cone-Stac design
b) Spira-Tec design

The development of more and more sophisticated engines and the need for meeting higher emission standards are driving the automotive filter manufacturers to design the best of filters. The stronger and advanced media used by Fleetguard ensures higher capacity, enhanced efficiency, and improved performance. By efficiently removing the particles that cause wear of engine, engine oil can last longer and therefore require less frequent oil changes. This results in lower man-hours translating to less downtime and more revenue generation.

The implementation of tougher environmental norms and the need for sustainable and green initiatives are significantly influencing the fuel industry. The exclusion of sulfur from traditional diesel fuels to produce purer burning combustibles and the introduction of bio-ethanol are posing newer challenges in the particle, water, and soft organic contaminants filtration. Additionally, new and sophisticated engine designs developed to meet environmental regulations call for higher standards of fuel. Owing to this, the filter manufacturers in India are now being presented with a greater challenge to design filters which can perform in line with the developments of the fuel industry.

There are many opportunities for contaminant ingress in fuels right from the production to the point of use. 90% of engine problems are due to water or dirt in the fuel. Another source of ingress is through the tank vent. As the fuel tank is drawn down, ambient air is drawn into the tank. On-vehicle filtration is the best line of defense for an engine to function efficiently for extended service intervals. A fuel filtration unit consists of various units such as fuel modules, fuel filters, fuel water separators and strainers. Let us study specifically about how fuel modules play a vital role in fuel filtration process.

What is a Fuel Module?

A fuel module is a subsystem integrating the filtration cartridge. It is used only for liquid filtration, and not for air filtration or crankcase ventilation. It is designed to serve multiple functions required in fuel filtration system. The fuel module helps in water separation, water draining, air venting, fuel pumping, by-pass filtration etc. Apart from that, it also works as a pressure & temperature sensor.

Why opt for Modules?

Inefficient fuel filtration can lead to wear of injector components and may lead to problems such as over fueling, deposits, elevated nozzle wear, reduced performance and a drop in fuel efficiency. With the current stringent emission norms and economy, Fleetguard fuel filtration provides an excellent shield for all fuel system components and enhance engine performance.

Advantages of Using fuel Modules:

There are various advantages of fuel modules in a fuel filtration system such as:

Depending on their location in the system, the filters are classified into 3 types
1. Extended service interval

2. Efficiently removes hard particles

3. Provides the flexibility of a technology upgrade

4. Maintains the integrity of engine and provides protection

5. Competitive design for application works in severe conditions

6. Environment-friendly

7. Generates options for integrating additional features.

Functions of the Fuel Module:

The fuel module performs following important functions:

1. Provides resistance from the contamination present in the surroundings

2. Separates & drains water out of the system

3. Measures fuel pressure & fuel temperature

4. Measures water content present in the fuel

5. Connects fuel circuit internal components

6. Extends the servicing interval.

Fleetguard is one of the leading filter manufacturers in India, providing complete fuel filtration solutions for heavy duty engines.

Around 75% of all system failures can be attributed to the contamination in the hydraulic system besides human error. As such, proper filtration and monitoring has always played an exemplary role in keeping the hydraulic system intact. Without enough preventive actions to stop fluid contamination, negative effects can escalate to the point of component failure, causing downtime. This downtime and loss of production are directly responsible for a company’s lost revenue. Eliminating contamination thus becomes an integral function of managing a hydraulic system.

Role of Fluids in a Hydraulic System

The fluid performs four basic functions in a hydraulic system:
1. It creates force and motion as the fluid flow is converted into pressure.

2. By occupying the space between metal surfaces, the fluid forms a seal providing a pressure barrier while excluding contaminants.

3. It provides lubrication to the metal surfaces.

4. Cools down system components.

There are a number of fluid options available from mineral oils to water based fluids to eco-friendly fluids. The fluids vary in their features of viscosity, lubricant capacity, anti-wear protection, density, resistance to ageing, materials compatibility etc.

Reasons for Contamination of Fluids

Contamination of fluids is commonly caused by dust, dirt and sludge. The fluid passes through and touches various components inside the hydraulic system where it picks up additional impurities caused by the wear off of the components, abrasion, leakage of seals etc. Contaminants can also enter through breather caps, imperfect seals and other openings.

What is Hydraulic Filtration?

All the hydraulic fluids have a certain level of contamination already present in them which concentrates even more once they enter the system and pass through its various components. Hydraulic filtration is the process of separation of contamination from the hydraulic oil. Hydraulic Filter is a component of the Hydraulic System, incorporated to maintain fluid cleanliness as per design needs.

Depending on their location in the system, the filters are classified into 3 types
1. Suction Strainer/Filter
2. Return Line Filter
3. Pressure-line Filter

Suction filter is located on a suction port of the pump or submerged in the reservoir and attached to the suction line leading to the pump. High-efficiency filters are usually prohibited in the suction side as high differential pressure can cause pump failure. These filters usually consist of metal wire mesh and must be selected properly to avoid any possible pump cavitation.

Return line filters are designed to be installed in-line or mount directly onto the tank cover. The filter collects all flow from the system and filters the oil before it returns to the tank. Such an arrangement ensures that the oil in the reservoir will be cleaned to the desired ISO specification.

Pressure Line filters are located on the pressure line, directly protecting one or more components e.g. proportional valves and servo valves. This filter is generally installed between the pump outlet and the rest of the components in a hydraulic system. They usually have filter elements made of glass fiber.

Fleetguard, one of the best filter manufacturers in India, develops and manufactures a wide range of hydraulic filters. They offer filters required for troubleshooting and addressing the performance demands of any hydraulic system. Fleetguard product range includes filter housings, filter heads, replacement cartridges, spin-on head & assemblies, catering to high, medium and low-pressure hydraulic systems thereby protecting industrial machinery, components and heavy-duty–mobile equipments.

An incredible combination that works for all.

Friends,
I am very pleased to write a blog for the first time and equally excited about the re-launch of our corporate website. Naturally, this being the first occasion, I decided to select a topic which will draw congruence in to the learning I had from some exceptional personalities to date in my career. My topic is trust. With the intensifying & in-depth knowledge of the subject; they conquered every mountain of obstacles and marched towards their goals. I am mentioning few of their qualities below in my blog which I adore the most. It helped me in my professional and personal life too.  So, I thought, why not to share it with you all through this new platform of communication!

My first professional mentor was Mr Arun Kirloskar.  Mr. Arun Kirloskar, (fondly known as Arun Saheb) is one the founder member of Fleetguard Filters Private Limited.  When I started working under him, he always talked about one thing i.e. trusting your own people. Here, People mean everyone associated with the Organisation.  Whenever you give any critical work assignment to an associate; you must follow one rule i.e. ‘Cross check & Trust’.  Yes!  “ Cross-check & Trust.”   

Mr Kirloskar explained the reason behind this in detail – ‘ We often tend to ignore the assumptions with which we try to do our assignments and therefore, many a time we face surprises which could result into ‘missing of deadlines and timely deliveries’. So, checking the assumptions and progress in parallel could help you save on time and meeting due date of deliveries.’  I still follow this practice and trust me; it saved me from failing on deadlines in most of the situations.  If you are interacting with me for any assignment; I am sure, you would have realized this in a much better way by now, ain’t you?

The second Persona, I would love to talk about is Dr Eli Goldratt. The founder, father of ‘Theory of Constraints’ (TOC). You will see him almost on every wall of Fleetguard. He’s with us every time. Well, the reason why I admired him is he critically studied the pain points of organisations that eventually led to the damages to the organisational body. When I started studying TOC and interacted with Dr Goldratt, I realized that he often put stress on “Intertia Attitudes” which mean we take things ‘for granted’ or assume that our discoveries/solutions are simply unbeatable in nature. Here, TOC flags warnings for the organisation.  Over the time after studying TOC in depth and human thinking process, I realized that ‘trusting something which is not trustworthy’ is the critical barrier against organisational development and hence, eliminating inertia from the mind of your business associates is one of the crucial steps toward organisational progress. It has shown excellent results.

Lastly, I will talk about ‘Sage Patanjali.’When I read about Sage Patanjali and his guidelines on performing Yoga; I literally got influenced by his persuasions of  ‘Yog as a tool to eliminate errors of perception and identify the current reality.’  Our sense organs create a false impression /perception of the reality on our mind which may be deceptive in nature at most of the time.

Sage Patanjali puts focus on our ‘sense organs’ through a tool called as ‘Samyama’ [discrimination] – ‘A technique that interprets the limitations of human sense organs.’ It helps to eliminate errors of perception and identify the current reality as is.

Down the line, I realized that Arun Saheb, Dr Elli Goldratt and Sage Patanjali actually believed in and practiced the same fundamentals in their life, in their own unique way. Following their learning, I am aiming to bring ‘reliability’ in me as a being. I thus can be more and more trustworthy eventually and over the years.   With this, I am ending my first blog. However, every end is actually a new beginning.

Hope you all agree?
See you soon.
Best Regards,
Sadashiv Pandit