Engineering Basics

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Hydraulic pressure spikes aren’t extremely common but occur in certain circumstances, which may lead to expensive damage. Pressure spikes occur in poorly designed systems or those that are misused, and you’d be surprised by the actual cause. When they do occur, pressure spikes can damage plumbing and cause erratic operation […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor My wife and I love Ithaca, New York. It’s a great little college town in the Finger Lakes region of New York, where you can walk the steep Cascadilla Gorge Trail from downtown up to Cornell University. We actually had no idea Cornell was in Ithaca the first time we…

Understanding design considerations of traction, work functions, braking and more helps users optimize electrified vehicle design. By Jay Schultz, Business Development Manager, Tom Hickey, Systems Application Engineer, Electrification Growth Team, Parker Hannifin As mobile vehicle manufacturers begin to develop electrified versions of their product offering, they ultimately face one critical challenge: balancing range with battery […]

Modern hydraulic systems are transforming metal forming processes, delivering unmatched precision, energy efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Contributed by Jens Schmitt, Presses Application Manager, Bosch Rexroth Automotive manufacturing is consistently evolving to meet market demands as new products and parts are innovated. Hydraulic systems remain a major player in creating these components with heightened precision, quality and…

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Hydraulic hoses are constructed from a combination of soft polymers and wire reinforcements, most commonly made from high-tensile steel. Although the choice of hydraulic fluid plays little role in the degradation of steel, the materials chosen for the inner tube and outer cover are affected by the fluid you run […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Let’s start by stating the obvious: seal geometries matter, or the fluid power realm would use only geometrically simple O-rings. The other two critical factors for effective seal performance are polymer composition and a machined groove to call home. However, even considering the latter, a seal geometry of the same […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Microbes aren’t the most common contaminant in hydraulic oil, but they do become a problem when conditions are ripe for their proliferation.  Anaerobic bacteria of various forms are the most common to be found within hydraulic fluid, although it’s not unheard of to see fungi (molds and yeasts) in very […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor There are a lot of pneumatic directional valve options on the market. There are the big players in the game who take up half the market under only a couple of brand names, but the remaining half of the industry contains hundreds of players with myriad options. When selecting valves […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Sometimes, the selection or use of hydraulic pumps is not as linear and straightforward as selecting them from a catalog. You may already have an old or spare pump kicking around that was surplus from a long-dead machine, or perhaps you’re in need of something quickly, and your local farm […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor A draw-wire encoder (also known as a cable extension transducer or string potentiometer) is ideal for measuring linear displacement (distance) in a variety of applications where precise position is required. A draw-wire encoder uses a wire or cable wound around a spool, connected to a rotary encoder or potentiometer housed […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor If you didn’t already know, I work for a company that manufactures hydraulic cylinders. A common question from customers is, “What is the life expectancy of your hydraulic cylinders?” My response is often to take a deep breath and then sigh because the correct answer is never straightforward. The salesman…

Every December, as one calendar closes and we’re set to open another, we look back at our websites to see what worked best to ensure we’re providing our readers with the content they’re looking for. And every year, some similar trends take shape. Across the Fluid Power World brands, we offer five websites focusing on…

By Ron Marshall A compressed air pressure/flow controller is a device designed to regulate the pressure and flow of compressed air delivered to a system, ensuring consistent performance and efficiency. It acts as a buffer between the supply and demand sides of the system, maintaining steady downstream pressure despite fluctuations in demand or upstream conditions. […]

By Ron Marshall Improving the efficiency of your air compressor system doesn’t always require a large investment. Small, cost-effective changes can lead to significant energy savings, reduced operational costs, and a longer system lifespan. Here are five practical and low-cost strategies to boost the efficiency of your air compressor.   Fix leaks Air leaks are […]

Compressed air systems naturally generate condensate as moisture in the air condenses during compression and cooling. If this condensate is not properly managed, it can accumulate in the system, particularly in uninsulated outdoor pipes. During winter, when temperatures drop below freezing, this condensate can turn into ice, leading to significant operational and safety issues. Freezing […]

By Ron Marshall The short answer is “as cool as possible, but not below freezing.” The practical answer is uncomfortably cool, in the range of 50° to 60° F. Keeping the temperature low reduces the amount of condensed moisture in the discharge air and makes things easier for the air dryer. Compressors generate significant heat […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor As the last article in the series on laboratory-based hydraulic oil analyses, we thought we’d provide a single article to recap the tests in one convenient location. For the past six months we’ve discussed just as many topics important to your predictive maintenance program. Each one of these parameters is […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Hydraulics is a venerable technology as mature as any competing force transfer system outside of straight mechanical conveyance. Most recent hydraulic advancements aren’t from any fundamental changes in the pump, valves and actuators used in hydraulic systems but rather from the implementation of increasingly advanced electronic technology. Early fluid power […]

When working with desiccant-style compressed air dryers, there are several factors to consider, to ensure optimal performance and efficiency. Desiccant dryers rely on two towers filled with desiccant material that alternately dry the air and regenerate, to maintain continuous operation. The regenerative purge is essential to removing the moisture collected by the desiccant, but it […]

Preparing an industrial compressed air system for cold winter conditions is essential to ensure reliable operation, prevent equipment failures, and avoid costly downtime. Cold weather introduces unique challenges, such as moisture buildup, freezing, and increased system stress — all of which must be addressed to keep the system running efficiently. Proactive preparation can safeguard your […]

When performing leakage detection on your compressed air system with your ultrasonic leak detector (if you don’t have one, good grief, run out and get one!), you will run across various leaks in piping and equipment. Many of these are small, so roughly less than $100 value per year. But quite often, you will find […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Pascal’s Law, a fundamental principle of fluid power, explains how pressure in an enclosed fluid is uniformly transmitted to move and support loads. Sometimes, we fluid power professionals can’t see the forest for the trees. We take for granted the first-day education we experienced in college or university that provided…

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor There are three ways to plumb a hydraulic system — rigid systems, flexible systems or a combination of the two. Rigid systems include pipe and various forms of tube, while flexible systems are assembled using only hydraulic hose. Most machines today are created using a combination of fixed plumbing, where […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor From selecting the right fluid to keeping machines clear of snow, regular cold weather hydraulic preparation and maintenance will ensure smooth and consistent machine operation from start-up. As I sit here writing this article about cold weather hydraulic maintenance, the temperature in my Canadian city hovers around 77°F (25°C). Usually,…

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Although a hydraulic machine could run off highly crude forms of hydrocarbons, without a complement of additives, the performance and longevity of your hydraulic machine would suffer. Welcome to Part Seven of the Hydraulic Oil Analysis series, where we dig deep into the various additives that are always or usually […]