Two weeks ago, I attended the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston. Monday—traditionally the slowest day of the show—was quiet, especially as the rain was only starting to taper off in Houston after a weekend of steady rain. But things picked up Tuesday and while most fluid power exhibitors I spoke with said numbers were […]
Seals / Leakage
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies research smart seals
Equipped with magnetic properties or electric conductivity, seals in the future will be expected to monitor their own wear, measure forces and perform other functions. Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is investigating smart materials that can take seals beyond their actual task of preventing material transfer. Seals are mostly made of elastomers, commonly known as rubber. In […]
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions appoints President of Marketing Americas
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, a global developer, manufacturer and supplier of precision seals and bearings, appoints Linda Muroski, President of Marketing Americas, headquartered in Fort Wayne, Ind. Muroski joins Trelleborg Sealing Solutions from BASF where she held several leadership roles starting in 2000 and most recently served as the Director of Water Solutions, North America. With extensive […]
Eaton’s Extreme Duty Seal Guard extends motor life in harsh environments
Eaton announced that the Extreme Duty Seal Guard, an exclusion seal that offers the highest level of motor protection, is now available on the company’s full line of hydraulic Gerotor and Geroler motor products. The advanced seal helps protect equipment working in harsh conditions, such as cement augers, dredgers, fertilizer and salt spreaders, tillers and […]
How do hydraulic cylinders fail—contamination
Today’s fluid-power users, for the most part, are well aware that keeping hydraulic fluid clean is essential in preventing premature failures and unexpected downtime. Nonetheless, contamination remains a major cause of hydraulic-cylinder failure, particularly because it leads to seal failure and leaks. And it can come from several different and unexpected sources. Internal contamination is […]
Freudenberg-NOK develops bio-renewable polymer for fluid sealing
A sugarcane-based polymer from Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies, Plymouth, Mich., is aiming to help reduce CO2 emissions while being bio-renewable. The ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber compound is made from a polymer produced from sugarcane-based feedstock. Development began in 2012 for the bio-renewable material. A sugarcane-produced ethanol is converted into ethylene which forms a substantial portion of […]
New rod wiper test method helps protect hydraulic systems
A partnership between Hallite Seals Americas Inc., Wixom, Mich., and The Milwaukee School of Engineering’s Fluid Power Institute (MSOE) has resulted in the development of a new test procedure for assessing the amount of dirt and dust that enters a typical hydraulic system through the rod wiper. According to Hallite, the test for rod wipers […]
Hydraulic O-ring kits
Variety of O-ring and bonded seal kits are offered—these are a necessity for both maintenance and repairs. Most fluid piping system sizes are measured by dash numbers. For example, a –04 port is 4/16 or 1/4-in. Dash numbers are usually nominal and are abbreviations that make ordering of components easier. Each kit is packaged in […]
Environmental considerations for fluid power system design
I have been designing and selling fluid power systems eight years, and not once has a customer ever asked for environmental friendliness to be the first consideration … nor the second, nor the third … in fact, it’s never been a requested consideration. My eight years in the industry pales compared to many of you […]
Freudenberg-NOK forms new ARPM seals committee
There are two industry challenges a new Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers (ARPM) committee being launched by Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies will likely tackle in the future. This new working group will focus on the evolving technical needs of seals and gaskets manufacturers throughout the world, said Joseph Walker, global director, Advanced Materials Development for Freudenberg-NOK. […]
