A 50-Year-Old Machine. An Obsolete Hydraulic Pump. Back Up in 2 Days.
When a critical hydraulic component fails, replacing the entire machine isn’t always the answer. Sometimes, finding the right solution takes a little engineering, the right manufacturer relationship, and a team that knows hydraulics.
For one customer, a Monday morning equipment failure threatened to turn into weeks of lost production.
The problem? A failed hydraulic gear pump on a 50-year-old machine. The replacement component had been obsolete for 25 years. There was no schematic available, and production couldn’t wait.
By Wednesday, the machine was running again.
Here’s how Progressive Power & Control (PPC) helped make it happen.
The Challenge: A Failed Hydraulic Pump and No Direct Replacement
When the hydraulic gear pump failed on the customer’s screen changer hydraulic power unit (HPU), production came to a stop.
For the maintenance team, the challenge went beyond finding a replacement pump.
- The equipment was 50 years old.
- The original hydraulic component had been obsolete for 25 years.
- No hydraulic schematic was available.
- Every hour of downtime meant lost production and mounting costs.
Finding an original replacement wasn’t a practical option. And waiting weeks for a solution wasn’t much better.
The customer needed a way to get the machine operating again without replacing an otherwise functional piece of equipment.
The Solution: Look Beyond the Obsolete Part
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An obsolete hydraulic component doesn’t automatically mean obsolete equipment.
When a direct replacement isn’t available, the next step is understanding what the hydraulic system actually needs to do.
With no existing schematic to work from, PPC’s team evaluated the system’s design requirements to determine a practical replacement solution.
Rather than continuing to search for a discontinued hydraulic gear pump, the team identified an opportunity to replace the existing hydraulic power unit with a custom solution.
Working with Nachi, PPC selected a custom Nachi NZP hydraulic power unit designed to meet the application’s requirements.
The replacement offered several advantages:
- More compact design: A smaller footprint than the original unit.
- Quieter operation: Reduced operating noise compared with the previous equipment.
- Simplified setup: An easier installation and setup process for the plant.
- Application-specific performance: A hydraulic power unit selected to meet the system’s operating requirements.
Instead of trying to keep an outdated component in service, the customer received a modern hydraulic solution that addressed the immediate failure and improved the equipment’s setup and operation.
From Machine Down to Running in Just Two Days
- Monday: The hydraulic gear pump failed, stopping production.
- The response: PPC worked through the system requirements, identified a suitable custom Nachi NZP HPU, and coordinated the replacement.
- Wednesday: The replacement hydraulic power unit was installed, and the machine was back in operation.
From order to installation, the entire process took just two days.
For a plant facing costly downtime, that turnaround made a significant difference.
Instead of waiting weeks for a replacement component or facing the expense of replacing an entire machine, the customer was able to resume production with a hydraulic power unit better suited to its current needs.
Why This Hydraulic Retrofit Worked
Fast turnaround matters, but speed alone doesn’t solve hydraulic problems.
Three factors made this project possible.
1. Understanding the application, not just the failed part.
PPC focused on what the hydraulic system needed to accomplish rather than limiting the search to an exact replacement for an obsolete component.
2. Experience with aging hydraulic equipment.
Older industrial machinery doesn’t always come with current documentation, available replacement parts, or straightforward answers. Knowing how to evaluate the application and identify alternatives can make the difference between a repair and an extended shutdown.
3. Strong manufacturer relationships.
PPC’s relationship with Nachi helped the team identify and deliver a hydraulic power unit solution within an exceptionally short timeframe.
Together, those capabilities helped turn what could have been a lengthy equipment shutdown into a two-day turnaround.
What If Your Hydraulic Equipment Uses Obsolete Components?
This project highlights a challenge many industrial maintenance teams face.
Machines built decades ago can still be valuable, productive assets. But when a hydraulic pump, valve, motor, or power unit fails, finding a direct replacement isn’t always possible.
Before assuming the entire machine needs to be replaced, it’s worth considering a few questions:
- Can the failed hydraulic component be repaired or rebuilt?
- Is there a modern equivalent that meets the system’s operating requirements?
- Would a hydraulic retrofit provide a more practical long-term solution?
- Could a custom hydraulic power unit replace outdated equipment?
- Are there opportunities to improve performance, accessibility, or reliability during the replacement?
The goal isn’t always to replace what’s broken with something identical. It’s to find the right way to get the system working again.
Hydraulic Problems Don’t Always Have an Off-the-Shelf Answer
At Progressive Power & Control, we work with maintenance teams, engineers, OEMs, and equipment operators to troubleshoot hydraulic problems, source hard-to-find components, and develop practical solutions for industrial and mobile hydraulic systems.
From obsolete hydraulic component replacement and custom hydraulic power units to hydraulic repair, retrofits, and emergency service, our Indianapolis-based team brings decades of hands-on experience to the challenge.
Dealing with an obsolete hydraulic component or a machine that’s down?
Bring us the part. Bring us the system. Bring us the problem.
We’ll help you work through the options.
Progressive Power & Control
317-849-5115
info@progressivepower.net
We know hydraulics.
