Telematics facilitates the exchange of rich data to and from mobile or remote machinery, helping to streamline maintenance and costs. Contributed by Carl Dyke, CD Industrial Group Inc. How can the owner of a fleet of cranes avoid the daily worries about whether the machines are being operated and maintained for safe performance? Is there […]
Mobile Hydraulics Blog
Hydraulic symbology 102: understanding basic fluid power schematics
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Back in August of 2017, you saw my article Hydraulic symbology 101: Understanding basic fluid power schematics (read it here first, if you haven’t already). I covered basic constituent lines, shapes and their respective symbols. Due to space constraints, I left out some of the major components represented by symbols […]
4 takeaways on the economy from Alan Beaulieu’s IEOC presentation
Dr. Alan Beaulieu of ITR Economics gave his usual entertaining and fact-filled talk at the National Fluid Power Association’s annual International Economic Outlook Conference this month. Beaulieu stressed that despite all the fervor, the economy unfolded in a predictable manner — and the economy is bigger than Washington, D.C. He pointed out that the average […]
Hall-effect transducers ensure correct axle width to match crop row spacing
When the planting season begins, farmers will plant different crops at different row widths, requiring the sprayers to match the row width by running wheels between the plants and not over them. In the past, changing the axle width was a time-consuming task, as users would have to jack up one wheel of a tractor/sprayer, […]
10 days and counting until the NFPA’s IEOC
One of the highlights of the year for me is the National Fluid Power Association’s International Economic Outlook Conference. This event, held each October in suburban Chicago, is set for August 13-15 this year at the Westin Chicago North Shore in Wheeling, Ill. What I enjoy about the IEOC is that there’s a great mix […]
How are motion controllers used in fluid power?
Motion controllers are used extensively on industrial machinery, but specific controllers exist that are dedicated for use on electrohydraulic machinery. They provide closed-loop control of electrohydraulic and pneumatic applications from single to multi-axis systems. Common applications can be found in materials, aerospace, forestry, energy, metals, entertainment, and more. Like all motion controllers, these computational devices […]
What hydraulic pump type is best for my HPU design?
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor The type of pump you choose for your power unit affects the nature of the HPU build. Pump choice boils down to cost, complexity and performance. There are three major types of pumps: the gear pump, the vane pump and the piston pump. There are other, less common pumps, but […]
Which tank style is best for my HPU?
Understanding what makes up an HPU is critical in proper design — from pump and style to accumulators and accessories. Read more about HPU design here. Contributed by Josh Cosford The reservoir style you choose will be based on price and available space. You should choose the largest reservoir money and space will allow, and […]
5 reasons to attend the Fluid Power Technology Conference
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor If you’re reading this, I’m certain you’ve heard of the Fluid Power Technology Conference, especially as Fluid Power World is a media partner of the event. If this is the first you’ve heard of it, let me ask if it’s warm and cozy under that rock … and then I’ll […]
What components make up hydraulic power units or HPUs?
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Nearly every single hydraulic system shares one thing in common — they’re run by a hydraulic power unit. Although some units are multitaskers, like the engine on a tractor, most often they’re purpose-built for the single task of converting mechanical energy into hydraulic energy. The scope of a power unit […]
