<p>As a novel actuator for hydraulic transmission systems, the hydraulic impact hammer (HIH) has evolved into an integral working component of hydraulic excavators. The cavitation phenomenon and cavitation erosion damage inside the HIH exert a significant adverse impact on its operational reliability, thus emerging as a key issue restricting the normal operation of the entire hydraulic excavator and a critical factor impeding the advancement of hydraulic technology. To mitigate the cavitation phenomenon and cavitation erosion damage inside the HIH, this study first elaborates on the structural principle and detailed operational process of the impact hammer. In addition, the representative factors governing the occurrence of cavitation inside the HIH are pinpointed, and an orthogonal test scheme is designed with the objective of elevating the minimum pressure in the piston rear chamber. Furthermore, based on the orthogonal test scheme, taking the operational and structural parameters of a commercial HIH free from cavitation erosion damage during long-term service as the initial parameters, a cavitation suppression strategy is established by employing a full-operating-condition simulation model validated through a series of experiments. Finally, to validate the optimal cavitation control scheme, an experimental campaign carried out on a specific type of commercial HIH is described. The pressure variations at the impact points in the test are analyzed, and the flow field characteristics of the piston rear chamber are numerically resolved via a co-simulation approach, uncovering the evolutionary characteristics of the internal flow field during the stroke process. The research findings indicate that the fundamental mechanism for suppressing cavitation within the piston rear chamber of HIH lies in extending the connection time between high-pressure inlet oil and the chamber, which maintains the oil pressure inside the chamber at a consistently high level. Among the representative factors influencing the impact point pressure of the piston rear chamber, piston stroke is the dominant factor, followed by piston mass, furthermore, the degree of influence of piston stroke is more than three times that of piston mass and approximately eight times that of the other factors. The optimal cavitation control scheme determined by the orthogonal test results significantly enhances the pressure in the piston rear chamber and achieves an excellent cavitation elimination effect. With the industrial adoption and rigorous implementation of the core findings of this study, no macroscopic damage has appeared on the inner metal surfaces of impact hammers with initial cavitation erosion under any service duration. This work presents prominent practical implications for prolonging the service life of flow components in HIHs, reducing failure rates, and optimizing relevant design schemes.</p>