By Mark Pszczolkowski, Hydraulics Consultant at CD Industrial Group Inc., www.cdiginc.com As one who maintains hydraulic systems, I am often asked to give a reason for the performance of a machine. Some examples of questions are; Why is it running slow? Why is it running hot? Why do you think it is not lifting heavy loads? […]
Featured
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 […]
10 years of the CCEFP!
I’ve covered fluid power technology since the mid-1990s and one of my biggest complaints about the industry was that it lagged far behind Europe and Asia—at least in collaboration between fluid power manufacturers and technical universities. I was fortunate to travel to conferences in German, Finland and China where I was able to see firsthand how […]
Stephen Colbert introduces us to milk-operated hydraulics
How many times have you been stuck at a party of some sort where the inevitable question comes up, “What do you do?” And no matter what you say, the response you’ll get is likely a variation of: “Hydraulics … what’s that?!” Do you go into a long diatribe about Blaise Pascal and pressure and horsepower and power […]
Harvest time troubleshooting: Replace the pump?
By Mark Pszczolkowski, Hydraulics Consultant at CD Industrial Group Inc., www.cdiginc.com When the cylinder won’t lift the load, replace the pump! That’s a very common reaction to a hydraulic system failure. Last week this situation came around again as an almost annual harvest event. I was called by a farmer I know. His harvester has […]
Pressure control: Upstream and downstream
By Carl Dyke, Hydraulics Consultant at CD Industrial Group Inc. www.cdiginc.com “It’s a PRV … a pressure control valve … a pressure regulator.” That’s what I sometimes hear when discussing symbols on a hydraulic schematic, or even when examining components. The acronym PRV really drives me crazy because it could stand for pressure relief valve […]
Fluid power, live and in person!
Even the most casual reader of Fluid Power World would likely notice that training is an important part of the publication. Fluid power is a highly technical field, and continuing education is critical for engineers and designers of hydraulic and pneumatic systems. While we have a specific Training column that appears in each issue, a […]
Report from NFPA’s IEOC: Our amazing future energy prospects
I’ve had the privilege of seeing analyst Peter Zeihan speak several times, and his discussion, “Geopolitical Analysis of Global Economics and Energy” at this week’s Industry and Economic Outlook Conference held by the National Fluid Power Association in Chicago was truly fascinating. Zeihan feels that the United States is a country uniquely positioned in the […]
Follow coverage of NI Week 2015 via CoveritLive
The Design World editorial team will be curating some great content on NI Week 2015, and you can follow it here all week! Live Blog NI Week 2015
Technology Tuesdays Podcast: Jeff Herrin of Danfoss
Design World has launched Technology Tuesdays Podcasts in 2015, and the latest episode focuses on the business of fluid power and industrial distribution. Click below to listen to Design World Editorial Director Paul J. Heney chat with Danfoss Vice President of R&D Jeff Herrin. They discuss everything from the integration of electronics into hydraulic components to […]