Industrial & Manufacturing Blog
Gas struts are designed to be long-lasting, but nonetheless, they will eventually wear out and will need to be replaced. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to extend the working life of a gas strut.
Position correctly
Firstly, make sure that the gas strut is installed correctly. It should be positioned so that the piston rod faces downwards. This is important for lubrication. If the rod is facing downwards, the lubrication inside the gas strut will stay in the right place, around the piston rod seal. This will ensure that the gas strut continues to work smoothly without excessive wear.
Avoid lateral forces
Secondly, make sure that there is no sideways or lateral pressure on the gas strut. Any force should be applied along the length of the strut. Lateral forces will push the piston rod against the tube and increase the wear on both of these, as well as on the piston seal. This will significantly decrease its working life.
Avoid dirt
As far as possible, try not to let the piston rod become dirty or scratched. Small particles of dirt that get inside the strut will begin to wear down the rod. The lubrication should help with this, but keeping the gas strut clean and protected from any dirt in the environment will help to keep it working for longer.
Don't over-use
A fourth way to prolong the life of a gas strut is not to use it more often than necessary. Struts tend to age with use rather than with time, so the more they are used, the sooner they will wear out. By all means, use them when you need to, but otherwise try not to open and close them more frequently than is necessary.
Avoid temperature extremes
Finally, try not to expose the gas strut to very high or very low temperatures. This may not always be possible if the environment has a temperature that cannot be adjusted, but it will always work best if you can avoid the extremes. You should also try to avoid sudden transitions between hot and cold temperatures which can weaken the piston rod.
The exact service life of a gas strut can be very hard to estimate and will depend upon a number of factors. However, proper installation and care of the gas strut will ensure that it lasts for as long as possible.
For more advice on their use, just talk to a gas strut supplier like Precision Gas Springs.
Share10 March 2023
If you work in or run an industrial or manufacturing facility, safety is key. In this blog, we are going to talk a lot about safety. However, we are also going to veer into other aspects of these industries as well. There will be posts directed toward consumers, business owners, workers and many others. Before you start reading, let me introduce myself. My name is Steve. I used to volunteer at an animal refuge where I put together a lot of buildings and frequently visited sheet metal processing facilities, fence manufacturing companies and similar businesses. I was incredibly interested in what they did so I decided to create this blog. Thank you for reading.
