The DuraForce design begins with a rotating kit that replaces the traditional bronze piston slipper with a steel version. The design also features a rigid housing and hydrostatic bearing to ensure a reliable component with the ability to handle extreme duty cycles with peak operating pressures of up to 500 bar.
In military operations, equipment with reliability and precise maneuverability in rough terrain can be a matter of life and death. When Kalmar needed exactly this for its new RT022 Light Capacity Rough-Terrain Telescopic Forklifts, the company knew it had no room for error. Eaton was chosen to supply the hydraulic pumps and motors.
Specifically, Eaton’s DuraForce HPV pumps and HMV motors were chosen for the RT022. DuraForce pumps and motors are widely used in heavy-duty mining and construction vehicles, forestry equipment, concrete pumps, primary metal production equipment, and oil and gas drilling and production applications. All DuraForce products are rated for high-pressure applications up to 420 bar, with peak pressures to 500 bar.
The HPV series specifically provides axial piston pumps available with displacements from 55 to 280 cc (3.57 to 17.1 in.3).
With an automotive drive control, or DuraForce CA control, the pumps and motors create smooth and repeatable vehicle motion, making ground speed predictable and highly reproducible, independent of external factors such as vehicle load and system operating temperatures.
The forklifts are used for loading and unloading ISO containers, which carry supplies and ammunition for expeditionary operations. The machines are small enough to drive directly into a container, robust enough to lift up to 5,000 lb, and designed to perform over a life cycle of at least 15 years.
“Eaton’s DuraForce has been fantastic,” said Randy Wingenroth, VP, Product Development, Kalmar. “The performance of the RT022 has met the demanding needs of the application, and this success has been due, in part, to the DuraForce product and the support we’ve received from Eaton.”
The DuraForce design begins with a rotating kit that replaces the traditional bronze piston slipper with a steel version. Consequently, the DuraForce product strengthens a traditionally weak link in piston product design. Other design features such as the rigid housing and hydrostatic bearing ensure a reliable component with the ability to handle extreme duty cycle.
“Kalmar knew they would need a combination of performance and life characteristics for the RT022 application,” said Vince Duray, product manager, Eaton. “Eaton’s DuraForce products have been installed on more than 1,000 machines so far, with no issues in the field.”
Eaton
eaton.com
Filed Under: Pumps & Motors
