Mary Gannon

Pneumatic technology continues to evolve and deliver new levels of performance, flexibility and intelligence. Modern pneumatic systems provide the rapid response times and high cycle rates required by today’s high-speed manufacturing equipment. Technologies such as proportional valves, programmable controls and integrated sensing enable more sophisticated motion profiles, dynamic pressure and flow control, compressed-air optimization and…

Understanding flow, pressure and the return line is critical to proper attachment selection and design. Contributed by Darren Chupp, Owner, Chupp Industrial A compact excavator can run a thumb, an auger, a breaker, a mulcher and a tiltrotator in the same week. Each of those tools was designed around a specific flow and pressure, and…

A note from the editor This issue takes a look at some of the practical challenges engineers face when designing, maintaining and troubleshooting fluid power systems. Our Design Notes feature explores the particularly harsh environment of tunnel boring machines, where moisture and contamination can quickly become reliability problems. Eaton’s filtration expert weighs in here on…

Milwaukee Cylinder has launched its Active Barrier Chamber (ABC) technology, an innovative cylinder solution designed for highly contaminated environments. The system uses an active flush chamber and secondary wiper seal, in addition to the primary wiper, to dislodge and continuously flush contaminants from the rod before they can reach the rod seals. This active contamination…

Explosive risks and extreme environmental conditions presented by oil & gas applications demand highly specialized solutions. ATEX explosion-proof electrohydraulic systems developed by Atos ensure safety, reliability, and high performance in the oil & gas sector. These systems, certified according to ATEX, IECEx, and UL standards, guarantee the highest Safety Integrity Level (SIL3) in compliance with…

VERSA Products Co. Inc. has introduced its new 6-Moly Super Austenitic stainless steel check and relief valves for use in extreme and corrosive industrial environments. The new valves are manufactured from 6Mo stainless steel (UNS S31254), a minimum 6% molybdenum super-austenitic stainless steel that offers enhanced corrosion resistance in applications involving chlorides and other aggressive…

Contributed by Gleb Tsipursky, PhD, is a behavioral scientist and CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts A technician opens an AI assistant, enters a fault code and receives a likely cause with a suggested repair sequence. The explanation sounds convincing. Before anyone reaches for a tool, the supervisor asks one question: What evidence would prove the…

Milwaukee Cylinder, a portfolio company of Madison Lake Capital (Madison, Wisconsin), has acquired Pneumatic Cylinders & Couplers (PCC), a Midwest-based (Machesney Park) manufacturer of industrial aluminum and stainless-steel pneumatic NFPA tie-rod cylinders. The acquisition expands Milwaukee Cylinder’s pneumatic cylinder offering and strengthens its ability to serve customers with a broader range of fluid power solutions.…

Webtec has launched an online product selector that makes specifying its 180/280 series hydraulic load-holding and controlled-release valves easier and faster than ever before. With more than 10,000 possible configurations across the two series, the new nine-step guided tool takes users from application requirements to recommended valve model in a matter of minutes. This is…

Contributed by Michael Cook, Global Segment Director Off-Highway, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Hydraulic cylinders no longer operate in predictable, controlled conditions. They are pushed through wider temperature ranges, higher pressures and longer duty cycles than ever before, all the while adapting to new fluids and tightening regulatory requirements. For OEMs, this shift raises a question: can…

Bailey International celebrated the grand opening of Bailey Electronics’ new Victoria, British Columbia headquarters on October 8. The more than 30,000-square-foot facility brings the electronics division together in one location, strengthening collaboration among its teams and supporting the joysticks, handles and electronic controls it provides to customers worldwide. Bailey’s new facility brings entire electronics team…

By Dave Henning, Business Development Manager, Motion and Control Enterprises Plant managers track labor costs, monitor production output, and scrutinize energy bills and maintenance budgets. But one of the most expensive utilities in many manufacturing facilities often receives far less attention: compressed air. For decades, compressed air has been known as the “fourth utility” because […]

This week, I had the opportunity to sit in on some sessions presented by the Hose Safety Institute of NAHAD (National Association of Hose & Accessories Distributors). This hands-on training event was a mix of presentations, hands-on inspections of proper and improper hose assemblies, opportunities to learn from local manufacturers and distributors, and even some…

A popular new system for improving responsiveness and efficiency, especially on mobile equipment, is to decentralize the hydraulic system. Mobile machinery, especially electric ones, can do away with massive reservoirs, huge pumps, bulky valve manifolds, and the extensive plumbing networks used to send controlled fluid to actuators throughout the machine. Such decentralized systems instead use…

Delta Motion is expanding its training offerings with the introduction of its new RMC EtherCAT Training course. Designed for machine builders, system integrators, and engineers, the new instructor-led training provides practical, hands-on experience configuring and commissioning EtherCAT networks with Delta Motion’s RMC200 Motion Controller. The approximately five-hour course can be taken in-person, or remotely through…

Across factory automation, packaging, water treatment, and automotive manufacturing, machine builders are facing a familiar challenge: higher airflow demands in increasingly compact machine designs. Moving to a larger valve platform can solve the airflow problem but introduces new complexity — different interfaces, different configurations, and disruption to established machine architectures. Emerson has developed the Aventics […]

Piab has launched the PS series, a new range of compact electronic vacuum sensors and switches designed to make vacuum-based handling more stable, efficient and predictable. The PS series provides clear feedback on vacuum levels, switching status and system performance directly at the application, helping manufacturers improve control and confidence in automated handling processes. The […]

By Ron Marshall, Contributing Editor I have spent more than two decades traveling from plant to plant performing compressed air audits, and over the years I’ve learned one frustrating truth: sometimes the hardest part of an audit was not diagnosing the system but simply getting good data. Like many compressed air auditors, I have driven […]

Servocylinders made of stainless steel equipped with digital proportional valves are the ideal smart hydraulic solution to optimize performances and comfort of naval and marine applications. These solutions for pitch propeller and marine stabilization systems are for use both at high-speed during a vessel’s motion and also while at anchor.   The underwater fin’s stabilizing…

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor When it comes to hydraulic system design, filters are often overlooked and given the back seat to pumps, valves, and actuators. Such logic ignores the importance of filters in the performance, precision, and reliability of hydraulic systems, and such considerations start with the design of the hydraulic package itself. Your […]

With its new Aeroquip Edge line of hoses, Danfoss Power Solutions has given a comprehensive upgrade to its existing hydraulic hose portfolio. The Edge series provides longer life through tougher covers, a groundbreaking tighter bend radius, extended temperature ratings and more. “The launch of the Aeroquip Edge series is more than a product release,” said […]

Pressure intensifiers ensure high-volume, reliable fastening in solar field installations. Contributed by Victoria Lower, Marketing Manager, IC-Fluid Power Inc. In one utility-scale solar field, there are hundreds of rows of panel frames stretching across miles of open land, each frame held together by dozens of fasteners. On a single project, one machine may need to secure more than…

Piston accumulators are perhaps the most overlooked of their ilk, often standing out of the spotlight in which diaphragm and bladder accumulators bask. In fact, piston accumulators are superior to other types in more ways than they are inferior, so this article aims to set the record straight on why you should (or shouldn’t) select…

Singer Industrial announced the acquisition of Filtration & Hose Specialties, LLC (FHS), an industrial supply business headquartered in Abilene, Texas, with additional locations in Cleburne and Odessa. The acquisition expands Singer Industrial’s presence in Texas and strengthens its ability to support customers across West Texas. Founded in 2006 by Loy “Jimo” Garner, FHS has grown…

Webtec has announced a new distribution agreement with Hydraulic Supply Co. (HSC). The partnership will see HSC carry the full range of Webtec products across its extensive network of over branch and service locations. HSC brings over 75 years of fluid power expertise to the relationship, having been founded in 1947 in Miami Springs, Florida…