The recent Intermat exposition in Paris was Europe’s largest construction-equipment show slated for 2018. One of the highlights, the Intermat Innovation Awards, showcased some distinguished products and equipment for the construction and materials industry. Among the entries, here are some notable fluid-power related designs. Construction vacuum lifter AL-Blazer 2000 from AL-Lift is a vacuum lifting attachment for fork-based […]
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Cartridge directional valves feature internal monitoring
Based on tried and tested cartridge-type directional seat valves, Bucher Hydraulics has developed a comprehensive valve family with a reliable system for monitoring operating position. The modular design reportedly lets users create individualized systems using high-performance valves that meet extreme requirements in mobile and industrial hydraulics—whether the focus is on energy efficiency, power density, intelligence […]
Modularity for mobile hydraulics
The demands placed on a modern hydraulic system in mobile working machines are varied, but important considerations include reliability, energy efficiency, ease of maintenance and a compact design. Control blocks from Argo-Hytos, Zug, Switzerland, combine standard and application-specific components and provide the flexibility necessary for efficient systems. Different designs, sizes and control strategies can be […]
Researchers push the boundaries of mobile machine performance
One of the major themes at the IFK 2018 fluid power conference in Aachen, Germany, is machine efficiency. In a presentation by researchers from the Technical University Darmstadt, “Integrated Fluid Dynamic Vibration Absorber for Mobile Applications,” researchers discussed how the setup of a suspension always leads to a compromise between comfort and safety. To counteract […]
Bucher offers mini power pack
Engineers at Bucher Hydraulics have developed the UP40 mini power pack with the aim of bringing hydraulic control closer to the drive while providing a more-compact envelope. Compared to other products on the market, the UP40’s dimensions have been reduced to a minimum, said company officials. The external dimensions of 80 × 80 mm (3.15 […]
Hydraulic tiltrotators add to excavator versatility
A tiltrotator is a hydraulic attachment between the arm and bucket of an excavator or backhoe loader. As the name implies, it permits the operator to tilt the bucket side-to-side and rotate on its axis, much like a human wrist. The device provides an excavator with more versatility and lets the operator perform more tasks […]
The hazards of seat-of-the-pants engineering
In a couple of recent posts, “Troubleshooting tales from the trenches” and “The baffling, ballooning cylinder,” Fluid Power World contributing editor Carl Dyke enlightened us about some problems that cropped up in the field. Here’s another interesting narrative of things that can go wrong, from Carl’s presentation at the 2017 Fluid Power Technical Conference in […]
New hydraulic brake packages from Twiflex
Twiflex now offers a variety of standard and custom hydraulic brake packages to meet the static holding and dynamic (emergency) stopping duty requirements of many types of applications including elevators, ship loading gantry cranes, escalators, metal mill ladle cover hoists, amusement rides, conveyors, cold steel mills, ski lifts, and more. Twiflex brake packages combine world-class Twiflex spring […]
Microtrenching lets utilities keep pace with internet demand
It’s not exactly news that the demand for instantaneous, high-speed internet connections is growing by leaps and bounds with no sign of easing up anytime soon. As a result, the number of fiber-optic installations is rapidly increasing as carriers scramble to bring fiber cable directly to homes, businesses, schools and government facilities. In North America […]
Gates offers tips on hydraulic safety
A free Quick Reference Safety Guide is now available from Denver-based Gates Corp. The handy reference outlines preventive maintenance practices and offers safety tips for anyone working with and around hydraulic hoses and couplings—including machine operators, service technicians and even equipment designers. According to the company, Gates experts created the Guide to help improve hydraulic […]