Interchangeable and environmentally friendly hydraulic filter elements have been designed to eliminate the problems of equipment downtime and failure caused by fluid contamination.

The Filtration Division of Parker Hannifin, the world's largest manufacturer of motion and control technology, has introduced its latest range of hydraulic filter elements that have been designed to eliminate the problems of equipment downtime and failure caused by fluid contamination. Perhaps most importantly, the new environmentally friendly ParFit elements are interchangeable with products from all other suppliers, giving end users the option of sourcing all filter elements from a single, high quality manufacturer; this approach can reduce stock levels and, as the ParFit elements are manufactured to the highest standards, can significantly extend operating life and reduce overall costs. Ideal for use in a wide range of applications including industrial and mobile plant, test rigs, aircraft ground support equipment, steel and paper mills, the new ParFit elements have been developed to allow both system designers and end users to meet current and future environmental regulations.

In particular, the ParFit filter system uses a standard metal housing and replaceable element, which is quick and simple to change during routine maintenance, leaving the housing in place, and dramatically reducing both waste disposal and element replacement costs.

In addition, ParFit filter elements can be used as a direct replacement for competing products and are manufactured to stringent quality standards, ensuring that every unit is produced to extremely tight tolerances, with features including corrosion resistant end caps and fully bonded construction for maximum strength.

John Botley, marketing services manager for Parker Filtration, explained that, 'To date, users of hydraulically powered systems have had to source replacement filter elements from either the OEM or the filter manufacturer, often at a premium price or with a delayed delivery'.

'The alternative has been to find a third party supplier; although these companies may have been able to offer a low cost option this has generally been of inferior quality.' He said: 'Now, with our ParFit range, we can offer customers a high performance range of fully interchangeable filter elements that are suitable for use in almost all applications, yet are available at extremely competitive prices and immediate delivery.' The new Parfit elements conform to international ISO standards, governing collapse and burst resistance, fabrication integrity, material compatibility and flow fatigue characteristics, as well as to the internationally recognised multipass test, and are available through Parker's nationwide UK network of ParkerStores and authorised distributors.