We all know that hydraulics is making a comeback of sorts in robotics, with some of the amazing creations that companies such as Boston Dynamic have been designing. But now Old Spice—never one to shy away from eccentric commercial campaigns—has introduced the Mandroid, some sort of electric/hydraulic hybrid robot that stumbles into love, no matter […]
Mobile Hydraulics Blog
Introducing Cosford’s Law … or, Science wins, every time
“Pressure makes it go; flow is the rate in which you can create pressure.” –Cosford’s Law If you’ve been around fluid power for more than a week, you’ve heard the phrase “Flow makes it go.” The first thing I was taught about hydraulics was that “pressure is resistance to flow, and pumps only create flow.” […]
Bar stock and its use in hydraulic components
Bar stock is used in various applications of fluid power, either as a mounting for other valve systems or simply for consolidation of plumbing. The bar stock itself is typically an alloy of either aluminum or ductile iron, and is manufactured in billets suitable for machining finished product. The most popular use is the bar […]
Pump cavitation: 7 ways to avoid in mobile hydraulic systems
Pump cavitation is one of the most searched topics on fluid power, which is justified, because cavitation is unfortunately an all-too-common cause of pump failure on mobile equipment. Liquids are able to hold dissolved gasses in solution, and the gas saturation level within any liquid is dependent upon the pressure, the temperature and the type […]
Start planning now for NFPA’s IEOC!
One of the most informative events of the year for me is the National Fluid Power Association’s annual Industry & Economic Outlook Conference. Usually held in the Chicago suburbs, the event is a great networking opportunity, but also provides attendees with some insightful long- and short-term information on the economy, both here in the U.S. and across […]
Five tips for spring maintenance in your hydraulic systems
By Josh Cosford Spring has arrived, with all the fanfare of a 3675th place finish in the Boston Marathon. As I write this, I am elated by the sunny and relatively balmy weather outside, but also saddened because I know the daytime high barely pushed the mercury into the “normal” range for this time of […]
Trelleborg launches online learning modules on sealing
If there’s one thing the fluid power industry needs, it is as many opportunities for users of its technologies and components to have chances to learn about them. And while more universities are offering fluid power courses and a fair number of companies offer on-site training, there is still room for growth. That’s why I […]
Is it a fair fight? Hydraulics vs. electrics
By Josh Cosford In my last blog, I squared hydraulics off against pneumatics in a battle to decide the champion of fluid power. The judges called it a draw, because the competitors simply weren’t in the same weight class. Hydraulics is the super heavy-weight of mechanical motivation, with power to spare, but not always light […]
The Metric vs Inch debate: Retaining rings weigh in
The retaining ring was invented in Germany nearly 100 years ago and naturally followed the DIN metric standard since its inception. When the retaining ring was first produced in the U.S. a few decades later, it conformed to the inch standard. The U.S. engineers who conceived the inch version considered their design an improvement over […]
Hydraulics and pneumatics: The big battle
By Josh Cosford Fewer topics in the fluid power realm garner more conversation than that of the differences between hydraulics and pneumatics. The two types of fluid power motivation are very similar, both in the use of a fluid to transmit mechanical energy and the executions using similar terminology, symbols and components. Both hydraulic and […]