Proper, consistent cylinder maintenance is necessary to keep your fluid power systems running smoothly and efficiently. Following these five tips is a step in the right direction. 1. Keep your oil clean. This should go without saying, but I wouldn’t have to say it if the majority of hydraulic failures weren’t still from contaminated oil. […]
Imperial versus metric measurements
So which is better; random objects or water? Do you prefer to measure with sticks and limbs, or with increasingly small divisions of ten? Sticks and limbs refer to the yards, rods, hands and feet, of course. Even the inch comes from the Latin uncia, which means “one twelfth-part,” meaning one twelfth of a foot […]
Is it cavitation or super-heated implosion jets?
A few years ago, I coined the expression “Cosford’s Law.” There was a gap in understanding from neophyte hydraulic specialists that hydraulic actuators moved because flow happened, rather than because force was applied. The truth, of course, is that no mechanical motion occurs without some force being applied. Cosford’s Law states that “pressure makes it […]
The lowdown on pressure-reducing valves
Pressure valves are absolutely critical for the safe, reliable and precise control of hydraulic machinery. As anyone would assume by their name, pressure valves are any hydraulic component put in charge of controlling and/or limiting fluid pressure. Although it is possible for a hydraulic system to operate without a pressure valve, nearly every machine has […]
Trends in construction machinery hydraulics
Hydraulics define the evolution of construction machinery. Article updated on April 15, 2016 with new text and images. If you asked my 20-year-old self to describe the typical day on a construction site, I’d probably have described the stereotypical scene: five guys standing around watching a sixth dig a ditch. Even if there was ever any truth to that […]
A recap of the 2015 CFPA Annual General Meeting
I write this from my suite at Chateau Vaudreuil, in beautiful Vaudreuil-Dorion Quebec, situated just West of Montréal. The view out my balcony provides me with a breathtaking sight of the Baie de Vaudreuil, itself just North of the St. Lawrence Seaway. If you’ve never been to Montréal or Quebec, I suggest you visit. It’s […]
What is hydraulic fluid conditioning – part 3
Your oil is wet. No, I didn’t skip 8th grade science class, where you learn how oil and water don’t mix. Okay, so it mixes a bit, if you agitate it enough, but then separates nicely with oil floating atop water. Your hydraulic fluid likes water as much as olive oil likes a bottle of […]
Uses for hydraulics in five applications
In my last blog, I discussed five applications where you shouldn’t use hydraulics. Tiny robots, cars, tight budgets, can crushers and bicycles are all terrible uses for hydraulics. On the opposite pole are the applications I feel are fantastic for hydraulics, and my top 5 are as follows: 1. Underwater. As it turns out, the […]
What is hydraulic fluid conditioning – part 2
Cool is relative. We humans enjoy a narrow bandwidth of ambient temperature, and we complain should we experience anything outside of a twenty degree span. To be fair, we can handle a few hundred degrees above absolute zero, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s nothing compared to the millions of degrees at the […]
5 applications where you should not use hydraulics
I can think of a million ways to use hydraulics. Its legendary power density, easy controllability and flexible application options means it finds its way into everything from underwater robots to injection molding machines. However, just because there are myriad perfect applications for hydraulics, it doesn’t mean it should be used everywhere. Here are my […]
