Hydraulic engineering is, first and foremost, a practical discipline, and although many fluid power systems and processes have been successfully used in industry for decades, if not centuries, the sector is no stranger to innovation.
Continue reading “3 Innovative Technologies Reshaping Hydraulic Engineering in 2024”
Two of the most common causes of damage and premature failure in hydraulic cylinders are side load and misalignment. These issues can cause significant wear and tear to your cylinders over time, often necessitating early replacement or repair, and sometimes leading to critical system failure. In this article, we’ll look at the main causes of side load and misalignment issues in hydraulic cylinders, their effects on operation, and practical tips on how to prevent them in order to minimise wear and tear.
Continue reading “How To Prevent Hydraulic Cylinder Side Load And Misalignment Problems”
Industry 4.0 is one of the most commonly used (and misused) catchphrases in the manufacturing and industrial sectors today. Originating as the name of a digitalisation initiative sponsored by the German government in 2011, industry 4.0 has subsequently spread internationally as a catchall phrase to describe the convergence of the physical and digital worlds by infusing digital automation and data management systems into manufacturing.
Continue reading “Futureproofing Your Fluid Power Systems For Industry 4.0”
Offshore wind-powered renewables are a burgeoning sector in the UK, with large coastal installations now contributing significantly to the national renewable energy stock. Central to the efficiency and functionality of these offshore installations are a range of advanced fluid power systems. These applications play a vital role in optimising the operations and maintenance of offshore wind farms, helping sustain their reliability in an exposed and frequently hazardous marine environment.
Continue reading “How Hydraulic And Pneumatic Systems Are Driving UK Offshore Wind Farm Operations”
Fluid dynamics is the beating heart of some of the world’s most powerful and important machinery, spanning sectors as diverse as agriculture to construction, to renewable power generation. The ability to engineer an efficient hydraulic system is not just an art form, but a critical step towards greater energy conservation and higher performance, helping ensure that every joule of energy is harnessed to its maximum potential.
Continue reading “4 Ways To Optimise Efficiency In Your Hydraulic System Design”
Despite the trend towards electrification in many industrial applications, hydraulic engineering provides the power behind a range of groundbreaking applications and innovations in numerous sectors.
Continue reading “5 Groundbreaking Applications Of Hydraulic Engineering In Modern Industry”
In the precision world of manufacturing and engineering, few occurrences hold more of a sting than unexpected downtime. Downtime is often more than merely an inconvenience: for critical fluid power applications, downtime can cause a domino effect that impacts production schedules, overheads, and in serious cases, staff safety.
Hydraulic applications face a variety of frustrating, but usually predictable challenges. Fluid contamination, system leaks, overheating, component fatigue, and design mistakes are problems as old as hydraulic engineering itself, and can be extremely damaging when they occur. The phrase ‘prevention is better than cure’ is one of the mantras that fluid power engineers live by, especially when they are responsible for system maintenance.
Continue reading “5 Common Challenges in Hydraulic Design and How to Overcome Them”
The shift towards sustainability in all industrial and manufacturing sectors has been inexorable, with the fluid power industry being no exception. As climate change continues to make headlines and natural resources become increasingly scarce, engineers are being challenged to rethink traditional fluid power design approaches and find more environmentally sustainable solutions.
Continue reading “The Role Of Hydraulic Power In Sustainable Engineering”
Pneumatic, pressurised gas systems play a pivotal role in numerous medical and healthcare applications, due to their hygiene rating, speed, and reliability, as well as their capacity to deliver high power output within a compact design. Continue reading “How Pneumatic Systems Are Used In Modern Medical & Healthcare Applications”
