The National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) has entered into a partnership agreement with UKI Media & Events to convene and co-locate an advanced hydraulics conference for off-highway vehicle and fluid power engineers at iVT EXPO, to be held August 21-22, in Chicago. iVT EXPO is an annual exposition for the off-highway vehicle design and engineering […]
Open letter to inside sales professionals
It’s about time we talked — no, not about how much time you spend on your phone — that’s between you and the sales manager. You and I need to talk about your customer service and communication. I’ve been in the game long enough to have communicated with thousands of customers and fellow sales professionals,…
Industrial hydraulic maintenance tips
Spring is around the corner, although if you’re located near the Great Lakes, you might need convincing that winter ever came this year at all. Regardless, the page on my desktop calendar is March, which makes a perfect time to schedule a spring maintenance session for your industrial hydraulic equipment. Even if you enjoy a…
Editron electric converter receives agricultural engineering distinction
Danfoss Power Solutions’ Editron EC-C1700B-420 electric converter has been named a Davidson Prize winner in the annual AE50 Awards program, highlighting its value to the agricultural machinery industry. The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers presented the award to Danfoss on Friday, March 1, at the Commodity Classic […]
The promise and pitfalls of electric construction machines
For the last eight years engineers at Suncar AG, Zurich, Switzerland have been developing electric construction machines, and they offered some insights at the recent Future of Electrification 2024 conference, hosted by the Zapi Group. In a presentation titled “The all-electric construction machine,” Stefan Schneider, Suncar’s managing director, discussed progress on the road to electrification […]
Raising mobile machine efficiency via advanced electrohydraulics
There is heightened interest in optimizing the performance of mobile machines with electrohydraulic solutions, in particular with the coming need to transition from conventional machines to electrified zero-emission machinery. That’s according to Dr. Steffen Mutschler, Director Sales & Product Management Electrification of Mobile Machines at Bosch Rexroth. In a presentation, Empowering Optimal Performance with Electro-Hydraulic […]
The growing wave of software-defined machines
Data-driven off-road equipment will improve uptime and performance and reduce operating costs. Mobile machine owners, fleet operators and rental companies increasingly want equipment that offers more-exacting control, higher productivity and efficiency, and is more environmentally friendly. Add to that is the growing interest in electrification, automation, and autonomy. In response, mobile OEMs and their suppliers are […]
Stone walls make a comeback with an autonomous hydraulic excavator
It’s no secret that the construction industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. As such, engineers and researchers constantly explore new technologies that align with sustainability goals while increasing productivity and reducing manual labor. Take dry stone wall construction, for example. This manually intensive task dates back thousands of years and was historically […]
Making headway with hydraulic digital integration
Digital technologies allow for precise, highly responsive and efficient hydraulic control. By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor In the era of Industry 4.0, where the integration of digital technologies is transforming the manufacturing landscape, on-board electronic controllers play a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency and precision of hydraulic systems. These controllers, embedded within hydraulic valves…
Bosch Rexroth and Modine partner on thermal management for electrified machinery
Collaboration and innovation drive the transition to electric vehicles in industrial vehicles as two transportation industry leaders advance the state of the art together. As part of its industry-leading efforts to electrify critical off-highway machinery, Bosch Rexroth announced a partnership with thermal management manufacturer Modine. The two organizations are collaborating to bring Modine EVantage thermal […]
The shift towards electrified mobile machinery: a Q&A with Domenico Traverso of Danfoss Editron
As I noted in our mobile trends feature last month, the discussion around transitioning machinery to more efficient alternatives, particularly in embracing electric solutions, has gained significant traction. This paradigm shift is not merely about the evolution of technology; it’s about redefining the very core of how construction machinery operates. Digital hydraulics, especially when combined […]
Metal forming machine maker taps Moog, boosts energy efficiency
Moog helped a manufacturer of metalworking presses develop a first of its kind electrohydraulic high-speed press that recovers energy lost during depressurizing the machine’s hydraulic fluid. The technology regulates energy use with a Moog DE2020 energy management system to keep the power drawn from the grid at a steady, standard load. The machine maker’s original…
Smart management, smart control blocks
By Michael Pyper Bucher Hydraulics High hydraulic performance is crucial in mobile machinery. Especially in this era of increasing electrification, hydraulics remains vital. This is particularly true for agricultural and forestry machines where compact installation and weight optimization are essential. Fluid power plays a significant role in energy efficiency and, when intelligently combined, electric and […]
Will this crazy motor concept take off in fluid power?
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor You may not know this, but I’m a straight-up car fanatic. There are as many car guy tribes as cars, and there are more ways to be into cars without bumper-sticker-level dedication to one brand. Me? I’m a Mazda guy who does the occasional track day, although I lust after […]
Mobile machinery: working towards a sustainable future
All trends in mobile machinery development point toward creating more compact, fuel-efficient machines that reduce emissions. It seems like every day, news is released from key fluid power manufacturers, mobile OEMs themselves, and others about a transformation in off-highway machinery. These innovations are driving a wave of change that promises efficiency, sustainability, and enhanced performance. […]
GM and Komatsu collaborate on hydrogen-powered mining truck
General Motors and Komatsu will co-develop a hydrogen fuel cell power module for Komatsu’s 930E mining truck, said to be the world’s best-selling ultra-class haul truck. The surface-mining electric drive truck has an operating weight of 1,150,000 lbs and a nominal payload capacity of 320 tons. The companies will jointly design and validate the technology. […]
Troubleshooting Challenge: truck assembly line hydrostatic transmission overheating
Contributed by Robert Sheaf • Founder of CFC Industrial Training In this month’s Troubleshooting Challenge, a truck assembly line has a lift system to elevate the transmission into position for bolting it to the engine. The operator complained to the maintenance department that the system was very sluggish to respond to the forward and…
What’s old is new again
Many moons ago, when I was perhaps a sophomore in high school, a small group of us students started our school’s first ever environmental and recycling club. We were going to do big things and change the world. Oh, the lofty goals of a 15 year-old idealist! I don’t know if the club lived on…
Agriculture electrifies without bailing on hydraulics
Efficient farming is top of mind for the agricultural industry, but not at the environment’s expense. Though net-zero targets tend to push OEMs toward fully electric and even autonomous machines, there are ways to partially electrify without overhauling a design. HAWE Hydraulik provides examples of how to increase efficiency by electrifying functions strategically. Electrify work […]
Is it necessary to push hydraulics past 10,000 psi?
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Moore’s Law states that the number of transistors in a microchip doubles every two years, increasing computing power exponentially over time. It seems no other technology experiences such a rapid progression, especially considering how relatively young the semiconductor industry is. Fluid power provides us with no such rate of performance […]
Danfoss launches two new game-changing products, boosting on- and off-highway electrification
Danfoss Power Solutions’ Editron division has launched two new electrification products at this year’s Agritechnica trade fair. Its’ ED3 onboard charger will enable heavy-duty electric vehicles to be charged overnight using readily available AC power outlets. The Editron division has also launched the LCL1200/1700 electric filter for off-highway applications, offering easy installation and design flexibility […]
Sodium-ion batteries on the horizon: Are they ready for mobile machines?
By Anton Zhukov, Electrical Engineer, an expert in uninterrupted power solutions To curb the limited supply and high price of battery-grade lithium, alternative sodium-ion batteries are one of the most developed technologies that can potentially become a viable option in many applications. However, new battery technology requires years of engineering for successful commercialization — and […]
Fluid power professional REACTS to fluid power trends
If you’re a longtime reader, you know I like to stay positive, keep it topical and look to the future. I try to stay up on fluid power trends. With trends, we often have to endure excruciatingly boring pitches from factory sales professionals acting like their new blah blah blah system will revolutionize the breather…
Material handlers lead the charge to the future
Material handling machines lead the pack in terms of electrification and autonomy, as their compact designs are a perfect fit to test out sustainable options. As battery-powered machines continue to grow in the mobile market, one area stands out as an obvious choice for their expansion — mobile material handlers. The smaller size and lower power […]
Eco-friendly shipping is possible with EALs
The global shipping and marine industry is, like all industries, pursuing new ways to become more environmentally friendly. The use of environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) can make a major impact in that push. By Joshua Dickstein, Ph.D., Technology Development Manager, The Lubrizol Corporation Industries around the world are making sustained efforts to better protect the […]