Fluid Power Journal January 2022 by Innovative Designs & Publishing, Inc.

JANUARY 2022

fluidpowerjournal.com

Grip on Reality

PNEUMATIC ROBOTICS TOOLING

TEST YOUR SKILLS PRODUCT REVIEWS Innovative Designs & Publishing • 3245 Freemansburg Avenue • Palmer, PA 18045-7118

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IN THIS ISSUE

JANUARY 2022 VOLUME 29 • ISSUE 1

Features 6 Sustainable Solution: A Versatile Hydraulic Option This actuator features the best of established technologies.

8 Wireless Command: Radio Remote Controls and Fluid Power Advancements in smart communications make untethered machine operation efficient and safe. 12 Cover Story Grip on Reality: Pneumatic Tooling in Automation Robotics End-of-arm technology leads to new tools that can grasp a greater range of objects. 24 Test Your Skills Recognizing Misaligned Cylinders

Departments

Publisher’s Note: The information provided in this publication is for informational purposes only. While all efforts have been taken to ensure the technical accuracy of the material enclosed, Fluid Power Journal is not responsible for the availability, accuracy, currency, or reliability of any information, statement, opinion, or advice contained in a third party’s material. Fluid Power Journal will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on information obtained in this publication.

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS

Notable Words

Figure It Out

NFPA Update

IFPS Update

Component Showcase

Product Spotlights

Classifieds

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N OTA B L E WO R D S

New Board President: Integrate Improvised Approaches to Certification By Denis Poirier Jr., CFPHS, CFPAI, AJPP, AJPPCC, CFPIM, CFPCC, IFPS Board President and Chairperson

TO SAY LAST YEAR was more challenging than other years would be an understatement. For me, any mention of 2021 immediately pulls thoughts of how life was forever changed and remains so moving forward. With all the struggles and challenges, is it possible that anything good could come from such a challenging year? I would say yes; despite all the negative, I still saw great things. When people couldn’t travel, they got creative. The establishment of the home office was priority one for just about everybody. An unintended consequence of the home-office boom was society’s willingness to try new technologies. This created an environment rich in innovation as everyone raced to solve problems that had never existed before. People flexed and made it happen. Put simply, society embraced change. As I consider the International Fluid Power Society, 2021 was all about thinking outside the box. For example, historically the accredited instructor workshop was a process normally completed with attending in-person training sessions. But 2021 brought about a willingness to try new training delivery methods. As a result, the virtual accredited instructor workshop was born. Surprisingly, what we found was that not only did a virtual session work, it worked well! Other examples include livestreamed training sessions on challenging topics in support of certification. Attendance for these training sessions was solid, and the feedback was positive. Adding video content to social media and other public sites allows others to rapidly locate and view fluid power-related content. Adding additional animation into other electronic study manuals enhances learning for those who choose a self-paced study option. The momentum gained over the past 12-18 months should not be wasted. Necessity has created a climate of change. The availability of personal computers provides the interface to endless opportunities. Advancements in communications, software, and hardware bring with them a new frontier of learning experiences in which two-way streaming sessions between continents are now normal. Virtual reality provides an ever-expansive environment in which gaming tools can be leveraged to support the delivery of technical training. Why would we go back to the way it was? Why wouldn’t we look for a balance between then and now? As I look to the year ahead – whether it is accessing prerecorded sessions in the IFPS membership database, expanding media content in the electronic study guides, attending an IFPS virtual training session, or incorporating virtual reality into future IFPS products – we have come too far as a society to disregard the benefits of integrating technology into our learning strategy. Employing multiple delivery methods to support certification provides a sound solution. As IFPS members we should consider what an integrated world should look like and how incorporating technology can support the expansion of certifications to other parts of the globe. It is an exciting time, and I hope you are as excited as I am for the journey ahead.

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JANUARY 2022

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FIGURE IT OUT

New Problem PUBLISHER Innovative Designs & Publishing, Inc. 3245 Freemansburg Avenue, Palmer, PA 18045-7118 Tel: 800-730-5904 or 610-923-0380 Fax: 610-923-0390 • Email: Art@FluidPowerJournal.com www.FluidPowerJournal.com Founders: Paul and Lisa Prass Associate Publisher: Bob McKinney Editor: Michael Degan Technical Editor: Dan Helgerson, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPS, CFPECS, CFPSD, CFPMT, CFPCC - CFPSOS LLC Director of Creative Services: Erica Montes Account Executive: Norma Abrunzo Accounting: Donna Bachman, Sarah Varano Circulation Manager: Andrea Karges INTERNATIONAL FLUID POWER SOCIETY 1930 East Marlton Pike, Suite A-2, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003-2141 Tel: 856-489-8983 • Fax: 856-424-9248 Email: AskUs@ifps.org • Web: www.ifps.org

2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Denis Poirier Jr., CFPAI/AJPP, CFPHS, CFPIHM, CFPCC Danfoss Power Solutions Immediate Past President: Rocky Phoenix, CFPMMH Open Loop Energy First Vice President: Scott Sardina, PE, CFPAI, CFPHS Waterclock Engineering Treasurer: Jeff Hodges, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPMHM - Altec Industries Vice President Certification: James O’Halek, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPMIP, CMPMM - The Boeing Company Vice President Marketing: Chauntelle Baughman, CFPHSOneHydraulics Vice President Education: Randy Bobbitt, CFPAI, CFPHS Danfoss Power Solutions Vice President Membership: Garrett Hoisington, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPS, CFPMHM - Open Loop Energy DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE Stephen Blazer, CFPE, CFPS, CFPMHM, CFPIHT, CFPMHT - Altec Industries Steve Bogush, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPHS, CFPIHM - Poclain Hydraulics Cary Boozer, PE, CFPE - Motion Industries Lisa DeBenedetto, CFPS - GS Global Resources Daniel Fernandes, CFPECS, CFPS - Sun Hydraulics Brian Kenoyer, CFPHS - CemenTech Jon Rhodes, CFPAI, CFPS, CFPECS - CFC Industrial Training Mohaned Shahin, CFPS - Parker Hannifin Randy Smith, CFPHS - Northrop Grumman Ethan Stuart, CFPS, CFPECS - Wainbee Limited Brian Wheeler, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPMM, CFPMIP The Boeing Company EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (EX-OFFICIO) Donna Pollander, ACA HONORARY DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE AND EX OFFICIO Paul Prass, Fluid Power Journal Liz Rehfus, CFPE, CFPS Robert Sheaf, CFPAI/AJPP - CFC Industrial Training

IFPS STAFF Executive Director: Donna Pollander, ACA Communications Director: Adele Kayser Technical Director: Thomas Blansett, CFPS, CFPAI Assistant Director: Stephanie Coleman Certification Coordinator: Kyle Pollander Bookkeeper: Diane McMahon Administrative Assistant: Beth Borodziuk Layout/Design Assistant: Suzanne Rulon

Fluid Power Journal (ISSN# 1073-7898) is the official publication of the International Fluid Power Society published monthly with four supplemental issues, including a Systems Integrator Directory, Off-Highway Suppliers Directory, Tech Directory, and Manufacturers Directory, by Innovative Designs & Publishing, Inc., 3245 Freemansburg Avenue, Palmer, PA 18045-7118. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any material in this publication is acceptable with credit. Publishers assume no liability for any information published. We reserve the right to accept or reject all advertising material and will not guarantee the return or safety of unsolicited art, photographs, or manuscripts.

Emergency System Fails to Close Safety Doors By Robert Sheaf, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPE, CFPS, CFPECS, CFPMT, CFPMIP, CFPMMH, CFPMIH, CFPMM, CFC Industrial Training

A LOCAL REPAIR shop was asked to troubleshoot a problem on the hydraulic system that closes a watertight door on a floating casino. The circuit was designed with an electrically driven hydraulic power unit that would open and close the door with two hydraulic cylinders. If there was a power failure, the normally open door would be closed with a manual hydraulic valve connected to an accumulator. A problem was encountered when the door was tested during a safety inspection. They found that the accumulator circuit that was designed to open and close the door two complete cycles out and back only moved the door in one position about halfway and would fail to move any further. If they put power to the hydraulic unit, it would cycle the door as needed. Shutting it down and trying the manually operated piston accumulator cycle would only move the cylinder halfway before it stopped. They observed the nitrogen gas charge would show system pressure when the main electric unit was running and dropped to a very low pressure when the manual circuit was engaged. What could be the problem?

Solution to the November/December 2021 problem:

Drifting Cylinder in a Rolling Mill

When I looked at the problem, I asked the company for the circuit and noticed that the directional valve center position had the A and B ports blocked, preventing the signal lines from quickly draining to tank, which would allow the checks to totally close and lock the cylinder into position. Typically, A and B pilot-operated checks require a valve center position to have A and B connected to the tank. I think the designers experienced the same drifting problem and thought blocking the A and B ports was the solution. I had the customer change the relief valve to a solenoid operated on/off pilot-operated relief, which lowered the back pressure caused by the retrun filter. They also changed the center position of the directional valve to an all-portsconnected design.

SOL. A

SOL. B

Robert Sheaf has more than 45 years troubleshooting, training, and consulting in the fluid power field. Email rjsheaf@cfc-solar.com or visit his website at www.cfcindustrialtraining.com. WWW.IFPS.ORG • WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM

JANUARY 2022

By Carl Richter, Vice President

ustainable manufacturing is being promoted globally. Some companies feel it is important regardless of the costs, others do what makes sense, and still others are on the sidelines and unsure of the available options. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines sustainable manufacturing as “the creation of manufactured products through economically sound processes that minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources. Sustainable manufacturing also enhances employee, community, and product safety.” Regarding hydraulics, we can focus on three basic principles: social, environmental, and economic. The sustainability message helps a company focus on the long term, increasing efficiency, eliminating waste, and providing a safer environment for employees while strengthening the company’s brand, With existing hydraulic systems operating throughout the world there is always room for improvements regarding sustainable manufacturing. At the end of the day, for most companies it is about production, how many parts per shift and per day, and so forth. Changing machines is costly and may not make sense in the short term. Many companies are reviewing alternative options for new builds or upgrades and how to make them more sustainable. For hydraulics, options available today include electromechanical actuators (EMAs). Some companies have tried EMAs with limited success. Many EMAs are not up to the hydraulic robustness or are not cost effective. Other options include techniques to make the hydraulic power unit more efficient, such as installing a timer to turn off the HPU motor when not operating for so many minutes. Or using a variable-frequency drive to control a pump motor or implement servo-controlled HPUs. The servo power unit is becoming popular; it minimizes or eliminates hoses and hydraulic connections and provides power on demand while offering more control capabilities. What if there was a technology that combines the best features of hydraulics and the electromechanical technologies? And what if that technology also reduces the challenges? The Kyntronics smart hydraulic actuator (SHA) is an ideal solution for sustainable manufacturing. 6

JANUARY 2022

ics

and General Manager, Kyntron

EMA Benefits

Hydraulic Benefits

• Power on demand • Ease of control

• Shock tolerance

SHA

• 4Q Control

• High force density • Fluid characteristics

• Fieldbus

• Ingress protection

• Diagnostics

• Cost effective

• Easy to reconfigure

• F = A * PSI

EMA Challenges

Hydraulic Challenges

• Expensive • Site loading

• Leaks

• Shock loading

• Maintenance

• L10 specific life

• Fieldbus integration

• Metal to metal wear

• Continuous running motor

• Ingress protection

• Difficult to reconfigure

• Requires a brake

• Control challenges

• Maintenance

• Floor Space

• Backlash

WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM • WWW.IFPS.ORG

SHA technology contributes to sustainability momentum in five key factors that support the basic principles: environmental, reducing waste and pollution, reducing energy usage, saving time and money, and the human factor. Environmental. The SHA is a self-contained hydraulic actuator that discharges no contamination, doesn’t leak, and uses a minimal amount of fluid. Even with a catastrophic towmotor incident, a mop can clean up most spills. Reducing waste and pollution. SHA fluid does not need to be replenished on a regular basis. Reducing energy usage. The SHA is a poweron-demand device that only uses power when it is needed and is therefore an efficient actuation solution. Compared to a typical continuously running 15-horsepower HPU, an SHA can save around $8,000 per year in energy costs.

WWW.IFPS.ORG • WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM

Saving time and money. With the SHA, the hydraulic infrastructure design time is eliminated, as are maintenance challenges. The SHA is simple to install. Bolt it up, connect the wires, setup the parameters, connect the fieldbus as needed, and it is ready to perform. The human factor. The human factor is an important but forgotten part of sustainability. As mentioned, the SHA eliminates dangerous slippery surfaces. There is no worker contamination from continuous cleaning. The SHA is a significantly quieter solution, and

noise is substantially reduced by the power-ondemand. With the lower-decibel servo solution, the factory is a much safer, quieter environment. The SHA is a versatile solution that combines benefits from established successful technologies while solving sustainability challenges. It meets current needs and will help future generations to meet theirs. The SHA is one small tool in a toolbox that can make a change.

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JANUARY 2022

Wireless Command

Radio Remote Controls and Fluid Power By Hector Sanchez and Reed Miller, Regional Sales Managers for Mobile Hydraulics, HBC-radiomatic

afety and productivity are top priorities for any machine builder, especially where human interaction with the machine is common. Time and again, industrial radio remote controls have proven central to the rapid improvement of productive, efficient, and safe machine control solutions. Offering the inherent advantages of untethered operation, coupled with rapid advancements to radio communications and intelligent functionality, it is no wonder that the inclusion and integration of radio controls into hydraulic and pneumatic machinery continue to grow year after year. Hydraulic and pneumatic equipment is found in a variety of environments and industries, each with its own set of challenges for keeping operators and machines safe. Radio remote controls allow operators to position themselves with an optimal view of the machine, the work being 8

JANUARY 2022

done, and the broader operating environment. They remove the potential of the operator working in hazardous or dangerous environments and locations. In addition, they enable the direct communication between the equipment operator and jobsite operation personnel, while reducing miscommunication and the potential for the misinterpretation of hand signals. They also remove assumptions of the machine operation in relation to the environment. By means of a radio remote control, the operator can evaluate work tasks, check conditions, and constantly monitor the work environment for operational changes, obstacles, or sudden weather events. State-of-the-art products provide complete machine feedback to the radio remote control for the operator. Feedback options include high resolution displays, LEDs, haptic, and audible alerts. Safety initiatives WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM • WWW.IFPS.ORG

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that are driving all industries have increased the demand for the use of radio remote controls. More recent developments such as RFID operator cards and data logging devices can manage operator access and monitor machine and control activities. Another safety initiative for radio remote controls is the use of live video feedback technology. This innovation allows for the display of live video images of the working environment on a color display that is integrated into the radio control transmitter. The video feature may work with one or more cameras installed on the machine or in the working area and is easily selected via a rotary or toggle switch. Using a separate radio link with a range of up to approximately 150 meters (165 yards), the cameras transmit high-quality live images to the radio control’s display. Operators benefit from a clear view of the working area. They can detect and react to potential dangers, and work becomes considerably safer. Additionally, the operator can choose between the live video feedback or machine diagnostics.

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(Continued on page 10) WWW.IFPS.ORG • WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM

JANUARY 2022

(Continued from page 9) Remote operation of fluid power equipment All hydraulic and pneumatic equipment lends itself to remote operation. Radio remote controls can be found in a broad range of industries including mining, manufacturing, oil and gas, entertainment, utilities, construction, agriculture, transportation, automation, and logistics. Radio remote controls frequently control construction equipment such as excavators, dozers, mobile truck cranes, wheel loaders, self-erecting cranes, and all- and rough-terrain cranes. They also control oilfield tools such as pipe handlers, rig walkers, torquing tools, and winches. Additionally, they can be seen controlling industrial transporters, trailers, dollies, lift trucks, and specialty agricultural equipment. As long as the equipment is electrically or electrohydraulically controlled, radio remote control systems can be easily implemented via several standard interfaces. These may include relays, variable voltage/current/PWM, relay or high-side switch outputs, or bus interfaces such as CANopen, CANopen Safety, Profibus, RS232/485, Profinet, SAE J1939, UART, IQAN, DeviceNet, and EtherNet/IP. The broad capability of today’s radio remote controls typically offers the same control the driver would have in the cab or at the control station. The operator sees machine feedback via display screen graphics, LEDs, audible or haptic feedback, or live video feedback from remote cameras. These capabilities significantly increase productivity by minimizing extra personnel while speeding up work processes and making each task safer. Radio remote controls offer the operator an optimal vantage point of the controlled machine, reducing miscommunication between workers and permitting constant monitoring of the operating environment.

JANUARY 2022

Assessing remote control systems Safety is the top priority when discussing radio remote controls. Concerns include the safety of operators and other personnel and protecting the machines themselves. Secondary concerns include durability, reliability, and security, which also contribute to safe operation. The operator needs to be on the jobsite to perform the work at hand and needs the equipment to be reliably ready. Rugged radio remote controls are ideally suitable for highly demanding tasks in diverse environments and weather conditions. Operators rely on durable, high-quality products that react safely and dependably in all cases. In addition, customers and operators require systems that are serviceable and supported by the manufacturer. Worldwide service networks need to offer quick and competent personal service around the globe, wherever the customer may be. Another important question is customization. Operators are increasingly requiring tailor-made products that perfectly fit their needs, not only for an ideal interface for the operator but also for the optimum operation of the equipment. Most original equipment manufacturers have their own unique way of designing controls layout, and radio remote control systems are no exception. They are routinely designed to complement this layout to provide consistency for the operator. The general operating environment of the machine or equipment typically dictates whether remote control operation is feasible, efficient, or safe for the operator. At the core of radio remote controls is the radio technology. Due to the various operating environments and types of equipment, the frequency management of these systems is essential when evaluating radio remote control systems. Another critical point is the capability to engineer the type of system that provides the optimal

WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM • WWW.IFPS.ORG

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balance to the operator, equipment, and the required functionality. This includes the type of transmitter the operator uses, how it is designed and configured to maintain consistency with the cab or control station, and the everyday demands of the task and the environment. Functional safety of commands has also become a requirement for the radio remote control of modern machines, which require radio remote control systems that can be seamlessly integrated while maintaining or exceeding the mandated safety levels for control. Worldwide acceptance of safety standards such as the machinery directive ISO 13849-1, ATEX, IECEx, NEC, and others may drive many functional requirements of a radio remote control system. Training challenges As with any change, there is always a learning curve when adapting to a radio remote control system. However, the extent of this curve depends on the careful selection of radio control solutions to ensure they match the natural movement of the operator with the application. Training should focus on slow and steady progress in a controlled environment, and the types of training depends on the complexity of the application and its standard operating procedures. Training options are also often subject to the specific criteria defined by the employer, the manufacturer of the equipment, or government regulation. HBC-radiomatic offers safety options for radio remote control systems to assist with the training of new operators on various pieces of equipment. Operator-specific system and feature access can be implemented via smart access cards to ensure the available control options fit to the experience and skill level of the operator. Radio controls have become a valuable tool for the safe operation of mobile and industrial equipment in all types of environments. As fluid power markets continue to evolve with new applications and safety requirements, radio control manufacturers must invest in developing new features and functions to help customers optimize efficiency and economic viability of their systems. With almost 75 years of leadership and development of safe radio remote controls, HBC-radiomatic has been a cornerstone of this growing industry.

CMY

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WWW.IFPS.ORG • WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM

JANUARY 2022

COVER STORY

Grip on Reality

Pneumatic Tooling in Automation Robotics By Frank Langro and Mike Guelker, Festo

s implementations of stationary and autonomous mobile robotics grows, the focus on innovations in end-of-arm tooling technology intensifies. End-of-arm tooling innovation falls into two broad areas. The first involves designing new and improved specialized tools for performing single-purpose tasks such as gluing or screwdriving. In the second, design engineers work toward solutions that expand flexibility in picking and placing, holding, and clamping. The greater the range of objects grasped by a gripper, the more a single robot can do and do efficiently. Pneumatic- and vacuum-powered grippers are applied in numerous industries and applications due to their small-form factor and high-force capabilities as well as the lower relative cost of pneumatics compared to servo-electrics. Pneumatics and vacuum are also ideal for adaptively gripping variable shapes and delicate, easily damaged objects. Servo-electric grippers are primarily used for precision, low-force gripping and have a narrower band of applications compared to pneumatics. In some cases, unique designs rather than force, size, and cost make pneumatics the ideal choice. In one recent customer application, a pneumatic cylinder incorporated a vacuum assist and blow-off function via a hollow through rod on the cylinder. Compressed air flowing from the through rod removed debris and protected the workpiece surface. 12

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Demand for flexible automation The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated interest in flexible automation. Automation reduces worker density, lowering the risk of airborne germ transmission. Flexible automation also helps lower dependence on a labor market in which too few skilled workers are applying for open positions and serves to counteract the rising price of labor. The development of autonomous mobile robots has moved robotics into new applications. Robots today, for example, can sanitize areas of a facility between shifts and other transition periods. The implementation of robotics for these tasks makes it possible to sanitize more often, thus protecting patients, guests, staff, and workers in hospitals, hotels, and plants. Due to the variety of tasks diverse types of grippers could be needed to accommodate different sanitizing tasks. New materials, controls, manufacturing innovations such as 3D printing, and energy management for greater sustainability are driving innovation in robotic gripping. The ideal gripping solutions are typically lightweight and handle a variety of objects. This means that most gripping solutions no longer consist solely of heavy-duty metal parts. Today, 3D-printed and molded parts are increasingly incorporated into grippers. The speed and versatility of 3D printing allows for customized gripper fingers to handle specific objects. Companies that WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM • WWW.IFPS.ORG

can 3D print gripper fingers internally are less susceptible to supply chain disruption and better equipped to make repairs and modifications rapidly, which positively impacts uptime and productivity. A rapid prototyping capability provides companies with greater agility and can help them adapt to a rapidly changing environment.

Artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence and smart pneumatics also play a part in furthering pneumatics gripping applications. AI, smart pneumatics, and gripping are simply a natural fit. The ability to adjust and control grip force based on the attributes of the object is useful in applications in which the objects being grasped can vary. As the AI system recognizes TM the object, with a pneumatic gripper pressure can be adjusted to apply Robot with parallel grippers for versatile picking and placing boxes in a warehouse. the appropriate gripping force or vacuum level to hold the part securely without causing damage. with these food items, they gently shape around them without harm. AI and smart pneumatics are making great strides in terms of not Part only number Part description Applicable machines Number of parts Weight (kg) adjusting force but also in the flexibility of the “grasp.” The human hand Pneumatics with its inherent cushioning makes this possible. Swing hose FlangeLock kit EX5600, EX8000 16 x 2062U - red FlangeLock 6.7 Similar soft gripping EX3600, solutions for agriculture are rapidly developing has 27 degrees of freedom, enabling it to grasp and manipulate SWINGFLGLCK2062 many strategies shape, sizes, and4.5 ripedifferent objects with varying force. In production environments,SWINGCAP2062 this successful Swing circuit cap kit to deal EX3600,with EX5600,inconsistency EX8000 16in x 2062 - cap level of flexibility would eliminate changeovers in tooling and prevent ness. Mobile robots with AI-based systems in tandem with soft gripping EX3600, EX5600, EX8000 16 x 2462U - purple FlangeLock 7.7 TRAVELFLGLCK2462 Travel hose FlangeLock kit production interruptions. In distribution centers, handlike gripping are learning to differentiate fruit and vegetables that are ready to pick Travel circuit kit not. EX3600, EX5600, EX8000 16 x with 2462 - cap 6.4 of thatcapare Labor shortages along the emergence accelerates the adoption of robotic picking and packing. And in TRAVELCAP2462 agri- from those robotic applications in the 14 x 3262U - black FlangeLock Frontvertical attachment farming are drivers of new culture, flexibility facilitates planting and harvesting, particularly of indoor and EX3600, EX5600, EX8000 8.9 FRONTATTFLGLCK326162 4 x 3261U - black & silver FlangeLock FlangeLock kit agricultural space, opening the door to a host of soft gripping applications. fruits and vegetables. 14 x 3262 - cap FRONTATTCAP326162 Front attachment cap kit EX3600, EX5600, EX8000 9.5 4 x 3261 - cap Food processing and the handling of meat, poultry, and fish require Boom arch hose high levels of sanitation. Soft gripping solutions made from food-safe EX3600, EX5600, EX8000 20 x 3262U - black FlangeLock 9.9 BOOMARCHFLGLCK3262 FlangeLock kit materials can prevent contamination from being introduced to the food BOOMARCHCAP3262 Boom arch hose cap kit EX3600, EX5600, EX8000 20 x 3262 - cap 11.3 stream and can be easily disinfected. As soft grippers come into contact (Continued on page 14)

HITACHI FLANGELOCK AND CAP KITS AVAILABLE TM

CONTAMINATION CONTROL

Routine and scheduled maintenance of hydraulic systems are vital to getting the most out of your Hitachi Mining Excavator. While maintenance plays the largest role in the prevention of unnecessary machine downtime, it can also expose the hydraulic system to high levels of contamination rapidly decreasing component longevity. The importance of contamination control is sometimes overlooked when performing maintenance due to incorrect practices being used.

CO U T CO NTA LTIM HE NT M A RO INA TE L T TI OO ON L

Stop the Mess

THE FLANGELOCK™ TOOL AND CIRCUIT BLANKING CAPS

The FlangeLock™ tool and caps are the ultimate contamination control tools for protecting your hydraulic system. The FlangeLock™ allows for the simple sealing of open hydraulic flanges without tools while the caps can be bolted in place of a flange connection. Easy on, easy off, they offer a leak-proof solution to hydraulic systems and environmental cleanliness. FlangeLock™ tools and caps stop the mess.

The FlangeLock™ Tool is the ultimate contamination control tool for protecting HITACHI MAKING systems. CONTAMINATION CONTROL EASY sealing of open SAE code 61, 62 your hydraulic It allows for the simple Hitachi have packaged FlangeLock™ tool and caps specifically for Hitachi mining excavators. The Hitachi customised & make CAT-Style hydraulic without Constructed from lightweight aluminum. kits sure no matter whichflanges component routine tools. maintenance is being performed on, you will always have the exact Easyofon, easy off.™*Offers to hydraulic system and environmental number FlangeLocks and capsatoleakproof help reducesolution contamination. cleanliness. FlangeLock™ Tools stop the mess! ™ *Note: FlangeLocks are not to be used under pressure

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This product is Patented, other Patents pending.

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JANUARY 2022

Adaptive grippers in a bakery gently grasp dough in a high-speed pretzel-making process.

(Continued from page 13)

Autonomous mobile robots Stimulating profound change in automation is the marriage of autonomous robotic mobility with flexible gripping. In manufacturing and end-of-line packaging, work comes to the robots; the robot does not go to the work. Using autonomous mobile robots with flexible gripping, robots travel safely among humans and go to the work. This is happening in hospitals and distribution centers were people and robots safely inhabit the same environment. For these applications, innovative, compact, portable, and low energy consumption compressors are being introduced. The most common types of industrial pneumatic robotic grippers are parallel, three-finger, angled, and vacuum. Parallel grippers, the most frequently applied, do just what their name implies: two slides either close parallel to the workpiece to grip its outside edges or open out to put pressure on inside walls. Three-finger grippers are used to center the workpiece between the fingers, which are offset by various angles. The three fingers slide the workpiece to the gripper’s center, holding the workpiece snugly. A variation of the angled gripper is the radial gripper: The fingers open a full 180˚, which is useful where vertical space is limited. Fully open radial fingers can rest just above or below the workpiece and close when it is in position. Vacuum grippers can be as simple as a single suction cup or as complicated as a 12-x-12 matrix with different configurations of cups fed vacuum as needed to conform to various shapes and weights of the load to be grasped. Adaptive gripping is a new class of gripper. These grippers offer flexibility in the range of objects they can grasp. Mention adaptive grippers to anyone in manufacturing or assembly 14

JANUARY 2022

Parallel pneumatic gripper.

today and their first response will be to say adaptive grippers are being developed for collaborative robotics. They would be partially correct. Just as important as collaborative robotics, other industries are driving development principally because the price of automation is falling, and the capabilities are rising. For example, dairy farming is a labor-intensive agricultural business with low margins and a shortage of workers. Due to technology advancements, there is a trend toward dairy farms incorporating robotic milking barns where cows learn to enter the barn to feed and, at the same time, be milked by a milking robot – all without human intervention. In the baked-goods industry, soft-adaptive grippers gently grasp breads and muffins. These flexible robotic systems can pick and pack mixed assortments to conform to each customer’s order. WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM • WWW.IFPS.ORG

There are drawbacks to adaptive grippers. They open and close more slowly than comparable stroke conventional grippers. Elastomeric materials wear faster than metal or hard plastic. The size and weight of objects limit what these grasping devices can manage. The greatest area of exploration for the future of adaptive gripping will be simulating the functionality of the human hand. The reason for this is simple. The hand offers the greatest efficiency – one gripper for a wide assortment of tasks. And with sensor technology providing

touch feedback there can be object manipulation, something grasping finger-based grippers cannot do. Shorter product lifecycles, small lot sizes, and labor demographics are accelerating the need for adaptive systems. There are fluid power engineers today envisioning the possibilities and moving the industry forward. For a fluid power engineer, the opportunities for innovation in this field are endlessly gripping.

•

For items that are oddly shaped and not easily damaged, adaptive grippers with metal or hard plastic hinged fingers can be used for grasping. For items easily damaged, such as produce or baked goods, the pneumatic fingers are made of a flexible elastomer. Some elastomeric grippers have flexible zones and nonflexible zones. When pressurized, the flexible zones inflate and flex around the nonflexible zones, creating a nonmechanical hinge. Elastomeric fingers do not damage an item because both the elastomer and compressed air give when in contact with an object and thus offer a built-in cushioning effect. This inherent damping causes less shock during initial grasp, making these grippers ideal for baked goods, confections, fruits, and vegetables. The continued advancement of adaptive gripping will rely in varying degrees on: • Tactile force sensors for measuring force and detecting different objects. • Flexible printed circuit board with inertial and force sensors. • Compact valve terminal with proportional piezo valves for rapidly and precisely ventilating and exhausting individual gripper fingers and swivel modules. • Inertial sensors for recording the position of the gripper fingers. • Elastic silicone skin for improving the haptics (the experience of simulated touch) and protecting the sensors. • 3D textile knitted fabric of high-strength synthetic fibers for long wear. • AI for reinforcement learning. • Vision systems for identification and location sensing. WWW.IFPS.ORG • WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM

JANUARY 2022

The Bionic Mobile Assistant Prototype I

ndustrial change demands new kinds of interaction among people, machines, and data. In the future, operators and robots will interact closely together, so Festo has been working intensively on systems that can relieve people of monotonous or hazardous activities while at the same time posing no risk. Artificial intelligence plays a significant role here. The BionicMobileAssistant is a prototype of a robot system that moves independently in three dimensions and can identify objects, grip adaptively, and collaborate with humans. The entire system, which has been developed in collaboration with ETH Zurich, has a modular design and consists of three subsystems: a mobile robot, an electric robot arm, and the BionicSoftHand 2.0. First presented by Festo in 2019, the pneumatic gripper mimics the human hand. With its unique combination of force, dexterity, and fine motor skills, the human hand is a true miracle of nature. To enable the BionicSoftHand 2.0 to replicate the movements of the human hand, compact valve technology, sensors, electronics, and mechanical components are integrated in the tightest of spaces. The fingers and the opposable thumb are made of flexible bellows structures with air chambers surrounded by a firm yet yielding knitted fabric. This makes the hand light, adaptive, and sensitive, yet capable of exerting strong forces. The pneumatic fingers are actuated by a compact valve terminal with piezo valves mounted directly on the hand. In order to extend the maneuverability of the thumb and index finger compared with the first version of the BionicSoftHand, the developers 16

JANUARY 2022

The SoftHand 2.0 can adapt its gripping force to a particular item.

increased the lateral swivel range of both fingers. As a result, they now work well together and grip with great precision. Thanks to a 3D-printed wrist with two degrees of freedom, the hand can also move both back and forth as well as to the left and to the right. This means that gripping with a tight radius is also possible. To increase the stability of the fingers, the air chambers now each contain two structural elements that function as bones. For each finger, a bending sensor with two segments determines the positions of the fingertips. The hand also wears a glove with tactile force sensors on the fingertips, the palm, and the outer sides of the robot hand. This allows it to sense the nature of the item to be held, and to adapt its gripping force to the particular item – just as people do. In addition to the tactile sensors, the hand has a depth camera inside the wrist so it can visually detect the objects. Using it, the robot hand detects and grips a range of objects, even when they are partially covered. Once the hand has been correctly trained, it uses the collected data to assess the objects and distinguish good from bad, for example. The information is processed by a neural network that’s been trained in advance with the aid of data augmentation.

Electric arm The BionicSoftHand 2.0 is combined with a mobile ballbot and a lightweight electric robot arm – the DynaArm. The DynaArm can carry out fast and dynamic movements thanks to its lightweight design with highly integrated drive modules that weigh just 1 kilo (2 pounds). For the ballbot, the developers chose a sophisticated drive concept: the robot balances on a

ball. This means that the BionicMobileAssistant can move freely in all directions. All the system’s energy supply is onboard: the battery for the arm and robot is located in the body; the compressed air cartridge for the pneumatic hand is installed in the upper arm. The robot is thus not only mobile but also works autonomously. The algorithms stored on the master computer also control the system’s autonomous movements. The robot orients itself independently in three dimensions using two cameras.

Hand in hand with people The system would be perfect to directly assist people, as a service robot, as a helping hand in assembly, or to help carry out ergonomically strenuous or monotonous tasks. It could also be used in environments where people cannot work because of hazards or restricted accessibility, such as maintenance or repair work, data measurements, or visual inspections. Imagine mobile robots carrying out simple tasks in areas of risk infection. Other future scenarios include robots bringing drinks and food to the table in restaurants or delivering medicines to hospital or nursing home patients. Thanks to the modular concept, the BionicSoftHand 2.0 can be quickly mounted on other robot arms and is easy to commission. Combined with Festo’s BionicCobot or BionicSoftArm, the gripper can, for example, form a completely pneumatic robot system that works hand in hand with people.

•

WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM • WWW.IFPS.ORG

N F PA U P D AT E

Growth in Fluid Power Shipments Continues Data from the National Fluid Power Association shows that pneumatic and hydraulic shipments continue to grow. Year to date, shipments grew 18.6% in October 2021. Raw index data shows industrial hydraulic and pneumatic shipments for October 2021 down slightly down from September, while mobile hydraulic shipments were slightly higher. The data was collected from more than 80 fluid power manufacturers in NFPA’s Confidential Shipment Statistics (CSS) program.

Hydraulic and Pneumatic Shipments

SHIPMENTS

Raw Index Data, Index: 2018=100

MONTH

TOTAL FLUID POWER

TOTAL HYD.

TOTAL PNEU.

Aug. 2021

17.7

17.1

Sept. 2021

18.5

18.7

16.8

Oct. 2021*

18.6

19.3

16.1

*Preliminary data subject to revision.

Shipments – Cumulative year‐to‐ date % change (2021 vs. 2020)

This graph of raw index data is generated by the total dollar volume reported to NFPA by CSS participants and compared to the average monthly dollar volume in 2018. For example, the October 2021 total dollar volume for pneumatic shipments is 102.1% of the average monthly dollar volume in 2018. (Base Year 2018 = 100)

The table above is expressed in terms of cumulative percent changes. These changes refer to the percent difference between the relevant cumulative total for 2021 and the total for the same months in 2020. For example, October 2021 pneumatic shipments figure of 16.1 means that for the calendar year through October 2021, pneumatic shipments increased 16.1% compared to the same time-period in 2020.

Pneumatic, Mobile and Industrial Hydraulic Orders 12/12 Ratio Each point on this graph represents the most recent 12 months of orders compared to the previous 12 months of orders. Each point can be read as a percentage. For example, 124.3 (the October 2021 level of the industrial hydraulic series) indicates that industrial hydraulic orders received from November 2020 to October 2021 were 124.3% of the orders received from November 2019 to October 2020. (Base Year 2018 = 100)

Total ‐ Hydraulic and Pneumatic Shipments 12 Month Moving Average This graph of 12-month moving averages shows that in October 2021, the moving average for shipments increased across the board. (Base Year 2018 = 100)

WWW.IFPS.ORG • WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM

JANUARY 2022

I F P S U P D AT E

Registration Open for IFPS Spring Meeting CELEBRATING 60 YEARS

THE INTERNATIONAL FLUID Power Society's spring meeting is scheduled for March 7-10 in Charleston, South Carolina. In addition to meetings with IFPS committees, attendees can take local tours. A technical workshop titled Proportional Directional Control Valves for Mobile Hydraulic Applications takes place March 7. At the meeting, attendees meet with a fun and dedicated group of professionals who exchange ideas and discuss ways to improve and educate the fluid power workforce. IFPS members who can’t attend in person can join individual committee meetings virtually. To register, visit www.ifps.org or contact scoleman@ifps.org.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Monday, March 7 8:00 AM. - 2:00 PM.............................................................................................Technical Workshop 2:30 PM. - 5:00 PM........................................................... Board Orientation (board members only) 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM............................................... Board of Directors Dinner (board members only) Tuesday, March 8 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM..............................................................Strategic Planning Committee Meeting 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM..........................................................................Education Committee Meeting 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM................................................................... Membership Committee Meeting 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM................................................................................................... Hosted Lunch 12:45 PM - 1:30 PM........................................................Membership Committee Meeting (cont'd) 1:45 PM - 5:30 PM..............................................................................................Fort Sumter Tour ($) 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM.............................................................................................. Welcome Reception 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM.........................................................................................Star's Rooftop Bar ($) Wednesday, March 9 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM...................................................................... Certification Committee Meeting 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM........................................................................................ Lunch (on your own) 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM................................................................................................... Carriage Tour ($) 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM.....................................................................................................Dinner & Games Thursday, March 10 8 AM - 10:30 AM................................................................................Marketing Committee Meeting 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM........................................................................... Finance Committee Meeting 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM.................................................................................................... Hosted lunch 12:45 PM - 2:30 PM................................................................................Board of Directors Meeting 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM............................................................. Strategic Planning Committee follow up

Hall of Fame Nominations Open

NOMINATIONS FOR THE Fluid Power Hall of Fame are now being accepted and remain open until April 15. A panel of judges reviews the applications and announces the inductees on Fluid Power Professionals Day, June 19. Inductees will be honored at an awards dinner during the International Fluid Power Association’s fall meeting in October in San Diego. Anyone can nominate a living or deceased professional who has 25 or more years’ experience in the fluid power industry. Living nominees will be contacted and asked to complete an application. The Fluid Power Hall of Fame was established to acknowledge individuals who have made significant contributions to the fluid power industry. To make a nomination, visit www.fluidpowerhalloffame.org.

IFPS Welcomes New Board Members

IFPS ELECTED TWO new directors-at-large to the board of directors at the fall meeting in October. The members take office this month. Stephen Blazer, PE, CFPE, CFPS, CFPMHM/MHT, is manager of prevention and product safety at Altec Industries. Blazer earned a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Kansas State University in 1986 and began his career at Boeing Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas. In 1988 he joined Altec, where he’s worked in many different roles and with a variety of groups. In his spare time, he operates a small family farm producing corn and soybeans, along with specialty crops of Aronia berries, chestnuts, and papaws. He also tends a dozen beehives for honey production and 18

JANUARY 2022

enjoys hunting, fishing, flying, and restoring antique airplanes and classic muscle cars, including a 1965 Ford Mustang. He is married and has three wonderful children. Ethan Stuart, CFPS, CFPECS, is an application specialist at Wainbee Limited. Stuart earned a bachelor’s in applied science from the University of British Columbia and has worked at Wainbee for nine years, designing custom fluid power systems. He is engaged to be married.

WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM • WWW.IFPS.ORG

I F P S U P D AT E

Hydraulic Specialist Online Training Modules Available

IFPS HAS REVAMPED Hydraulic Specialist online training modules, which are helpful when preparing for the HS certification test or just to boost skills. Members have access for one year so they can learn at their own pace. Enhanced features of the modules include: • a voice explanation for each circuit • three sets of additional pretest questions not included in the print HS study manual • interactive quizzes at the end of each section • reworded complex topics for easier comprehension with additional examples and enhanced graphics • streamlined equation formulas and text describing how to compute complex formulas • “bar” added to equations involving pressure units To order, visit ifps.org/hydraulic-interactive.

Don’t compromise! Use MAIN Manufacturing Products, Inc. as your source for hydraulic flanges Dependable - 60 yrs service Informed - members of SAE,

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IFPS Announces VFD Webinar

IFPS WILL HOST a web seminar titled Variable Frequency Drives in Hydraulic Applications on Jan. 20 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern. Presented by Alan Froslie, CFPAI, of Airline Hydraulics, the webinar introduces the function and considerations of a VFD for a hydraulic system, providing insight into the potential benefits and possible drawbacks to this technology. From electric motor and VFD basics to an examination of two applications, the webinar presents knowledge to determine when a VFD works for an application. Register at www.ifps.org/web-seminars. WWW.IFPS.ORG • WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM

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800.521.7918 810.953.1380 Grand Blanc, MI USA

JANUARY 2022

I F P S U P D AT E

IFPS Fall Meeting Highlights

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS

From left: Jim O’Halek, Tom Blansett, Paul Prass, Mohaned Shahin, Chauntelle Baughman, and Mark Baughman.

First Vice President Scott Sardina presents a clock in appreciation to outgoing Board President Rocky Phoenix. From left: Melinda Sardina, Scott Sardina, Alan Froslie, Donna Pollander, Brian Wheeler, and Jeff Hodges.

Rocky and Susan Phoenix at the National Automobile Museum.

Seated, from left: Lisa DeBenedetto, Elizabeth Fontecchio, and David Fontecchio. Standing, from left: Barb DeCesare, David Bates, and Jane Bates. Hall of Fame inductees from left: Craig Fox, Medhat Khalil, George Beniek, Alan Hitchcox, and Peter Nachtwey. 20

JANUARY 2022

From left: Adele Kayser, Donna Pollander, and Stephanie Coleman.

WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM • WWW.IFPS.ORG

I F P S U P D AT E

Newly Certified Professionals September 2021 SPECIALIST (holds HS & PS certifications) Matthias Honermeier Matt Savage Artin Tosounian, SMC Corporation of America HYDRAULIC SPECIALIST Seth Brokaw Matt Savage Derrick Bohl, JWF Technologies Travis Barthalow, Manitowoc Crane Group Alfin Leo, Parker Hannifin Eric Amato, Radial Dynamics Nicholas Virostko, The Lubrizol Corporation PNEUAMTIC SPECIALIST Matthias Honermeier Artin Tosounian, SMC Corporation of America Jon Murray, Cross Company CONNECTOR & CONDUCTOR Matthew Winkleman, Controlled Fluids Gary Loving, Controlled Fluids Ronald Granger, Controlled Fluids

Rocky Burks, Controlled Fluids Karl Haynes, Controlled Fluids Noe Hernandez, Controlled Fluids Daniel Nunley, Open Loop Energy Micheal Ballantyne, The Boeing Company Jordan Mazi, The Boeing Company INDUSRIAL HYDRAULIC MECHANIC Paul Wiggert, Paragon Technologies MOBILE HYDRAULIC MECHANIC Kevin Costlow, AEP Jonothan Dahlke, Alliant Energy Kenny Meisgeier, Alliant Energy Ed Schultz, Alliant Energy Corey Smith, Alliant Energy Bryce Burgett, Altec Industries Garrett Conrad, Altec Industries Carlos Contreras, Altec Industries Brandon Melvin, Altec Industries Duane Predmore, Altec Industries Isaac Salcido, Altec Industries Jason Jones, City of Tacoma Jeremy Anderson, City of Tacoma Caleb Curtiss, Clark Public Utilities Dustin Flanagan, Duke Energy Levi Gordon, Duke Energy Jason Johnson, Duke Energy

WWW.IFPS.ORG • WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM

William Loomis, Duke Energy Daniel Lydon, Duke Energy Randall Mann, Duke Energy Matthew Mckay, Duke Energy Nicholas Molenda, Eugene Water and Electric Board Zachary Sligar, Grant County PUD Craig Wood, Grant County PUD Justin Dalton, Idaho Power David Jackson, Idaho Power Zac Lucas, Idaho Power Jack Rupe Jr., Rupe’s Hydraulics Wayne Collins, Rupe’s Hydraulics Eduardo Flores, Rupe's Hydraulics Paul Montgomery, Rupe's Hydraulics

Michael Howard, The Boeing Company John Ildefonso, The Boeing Company Harold Wilson, The Boeing Company

PNEUMATIC TECHNICIAN James O'Halek, The Boeing Company

MOBILE HYDRAULIC MECHANIC Michael Dill, Alabama Power Justen Hutto, Alabama Power Donovan Lewis, Alabama Power Russell Elfast, Altec Industries Edwin Rivera, Altec Industries Holden Shillingstad, Altec Industries Paul Benedetto, Benedetto Nursery Raul Aldape, Duke Energy Jon Blomberg, Duke Energy Sean Pickard, Duke Energy Brandon Pogue, Duke Energy Zachary Richardson, Duke Energy

October 2021 CONNECTOR & CONDUCTOR Michael Vallon, Pirtek Jason Wood, Pirtek Daniel Coats, The Boeing Company Dustin Henning, The Boeing Company

SPECIALIST (holds HS & PS Certifications) Alex Adams, Womack HYDRAULIC SPECIALIST Caleb Peterson, CNH Industrial Chad Wood, Genesis Attachments PNEUMATIC SPECIALIST Alex Adams, Womack

JANUARY 2022

I F P S U P D AT E

AVAILABLE IFPS CERTIFICATIONS CFPAI Certified Fluid Power Accredited Instructor CFPAJPP Certified Fluid Power Authorized Job Performance Proctor CFPAJPPCC Certified Fluid Power Authorized Job Performance Proctor Connector & Conductor CFPE Certified Fluid Power Engineer CFPS Certified Fluid Power Specialist (Must Obtain CFPHS & CFPPS) CFPHS Certified Fluid Power Hydraulic Specialist CFPPS Certified Fluid Power Pneumatic Specialist CFPECS Certified Fluid Power Electronic Controls Specialist CFPMT Certified Fluid Power Master Technician (Must Obtain CFPIHT, CFPMHT, & CFPPT) CFPIHT Certified Fluid Power Industrial Hydraulic Technician CFPMHT Certified Fluid Power Mobile Hydraulic Technician CFPPT Certified Fluid Power Pneumatic Technician CFPMM Certified Fluid Power Master Mechanic (Must Obtain CFPIHM, CFPMHM, & CFPPM) CFPIHM Certified Fluid Power Industrial Hydraulic Mechanic CFPMHM Certified Fluid Power Mobile Hydraulic Mechanic CFPPM Certified Fluid Power Pneumatic Mechanic CFPMIH Certified Fluid Power Master of Industrial Hydraulics (Must Obtain CFPIHM, CFPIHT, & CFPCC) CFPMMH Certified Fluid Power Master of Mobile Hydraulics (Must Obtain CFPMHM, CFPMHT, & CFPCC) CFPMIP Certified Fluid Power Master of Industrial Pneumatics (Must Obtain CFPPM, CFPPT, & CFPCC)

Tentative Certification Review Training IFPS offers onsite review training for small groups of at least 10 persons. An IFPS accredited instructor visits your company to conduct the review. Contact kpollander@ifps.org for details of the scheduled onsite reviews listed below. HYDRAULIC SPECIALIST Feb. 7-10, Fairfield, OH. Contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. Written test Feb. 10. March 14-17, Mukwonago, WI, offered through Milwaukee School of Engineering. Written test March 17. Aug. 29-Sept. 1, Fairfield, OH. Contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. Written test Sept. 1. ELECTRONIC CONTROLS March 21-24, Fairfield, OH. Contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. Written test, March 24. PNEUMATIC SPECIALIST June 13-16, Fairfield, OH. Contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. Written test June 16. CONNECTOR & CONDUCTOR May 24-25, Fairfield, OH. Contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. Written test May 26. Nov. 15-16, Fairfield, OH. Contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. Written test Nov. 17. MOBILE HYDRAULIC MECHANIC April 19-21, Fairfield, OH. Contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. Written and JP test April 22. Oct. 10-12, Fairfield, OH. Contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. Written and JP test Oct. 13. Online review for written test. Contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. IFPS members can email askus@IFPS.org for a 20% off coupon code. Test fees not included. INDUSTRIAL HYDRAULIC MECHANIC July 18-20, Fairfield, OH. Contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. Written and JP test July 21. INDUSTRIAL HYDRAULIC TECHNICIAN Onsite review training for small groups. Contact IFPS for details. MOBILE HYDRAULIC TECHNICIAN For dates, call 513-874-3225 or contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. PNEUMATIC TECHNICIAN and PNEUMATIC MECHANIC For dates, call 513-874-3225 or contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. JOB PERFORMANCE TRAINING Online review. Contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. Reviews includes stations 1-6 of the IFPS mechanic and technician job performance tests. Members can email askus@IFPS.org for a 20% coupon code. Test fees not included. To register, contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com. LIVE DISTANCE LEARNING JOB PERFORMANCE STATION REVIEW Contact info@cfcindustrialtraining.com for information.

CFPCC Certified Fluid Power Connector & Conductor CFPSD Fluid Power System Designer CFPMEC (In Development) Mobile Electronic Controls CFPIEC (In Development) Industrial Electronic Controls

JANUARY 2022

WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM • WWW.IFPS.ORG

I F P S U P D AT E

Certification Testing Locations Individuals wishing to take any IFPS written certification tests can select from convenient locations across the United States and Canada. IFPS is able to offer these locations through its affiliation with the Consortium of College Testing Centers provided by National College Testing Association. Contact headquarters if you do not see a location near you. Every effort will be made to accommodate your needs. If your test was postponed due to the pandemic, please contact headquarters so that we may reschedule.

TENTATIVE TESTING DATES FOR ALL LOCATIONS: February 2022 Tuesday 2/8 • Thursday 2/24 March 2022 Tuesday 3/8 • Thursday 3/24 April 2022 Tuesday 4/5 • Thursday 4/21 May 2022 Tuesday 5/3 • Thursday 5/19

ALABAMA Auburn, AL Birmingham, AL Calera, AL Decatur, AL Huntsville, AL Jacksonville, AL Mobile, AL Montgomery, AL Normal, AL Tuscaloosa, AL ALASKA Anchorage, AK Fairbanks, AK ARIZONA Flagstaff, AZ Glendale, AZ Mesa, AZ Phoenix, AZ Prescott, AZ Scottsdale, AZ Sierra Vista, AZ Tempe, AZ Thatcher, AZ Tucson, AZ Yuma, AZ ARKANSAS Bentonville, AR Hot Springs, AR Little Rock, AR CALIFORNIA Aptos, CA Arcata, CA Bakersfield, CA Dixon, CA Encinitas, CA Fresno, CA Irvine, CA Marysville, CA Riverside, CA Salinas, CA San Diego, CA San Jose, CA San Luis Obispo, CA Santa Ana, CA Santa Maria, CA Santa Rosa, CA Tustin, CA Yucaipa, CA COLORADO Aurora, CO Boulder, CO Springs, CO Denver, CO Durango, CO Ft. Collins, CO Greeley, CO Lakewood, CO Littleton, CO Pueblo, CO DELAWARE Dover, DE Georgetown, DE Newark, DE FLORIDA Avon Park, FL Boca Raton, FL Cocoa, FL Davie, FL Daytona Beach, FL Fort Pierce, FL Ft. Myers, FL Gainesville, FL Jacksonville, FL Miami Gardens, FL Milton, FL New Port Richey, FL Ocala, FL Orlando, FL Panama City, FL Pembroke Pines, FL Pensacola, FL Plant City, FL Riviera Beach, FL Sanford, FL

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Tallahassee, FL Tampa, FL West Palm Beach, FL Wildwood, FL Winter Haven, FL GEORGIA Albany, GA Athens, GA Atlanta, GA Carrollton, GA Columbus, GA Dahlonega, GA Dublin, GA Dunwoody, GA Forest Park, GA Lawrenceville, GA Morrow, GA Oakwood, GA Savannah, GA Statesboro, GA Tifton, GA Valdosta, GA HAWAII Laie, HI IDAHO Boise, ID Coeur d ‘Alene, ID Idaho Falls, ID Lewiston, ID Moscow, ID Nampa, ID Rexburg, ID Twin Falls, ID ILLINOIS Carbondale, IL Carterville, IL Champaign, IL Decatur, IL Edwardsville, IL Glen Ellyn, IL Joliet, IL Malta, IL Normal, IL Peoria, IL Schaumburg, IL Springfield, IL University Park, IL INDIANA Bloomington, IN Columbus, IN Evansville, IN Fort Wayne, IN Gary, IN Indianapolis, IN Kokomo, IN Lafayette, IN Lawrenceburg, IN Madison, IN Muncie, IN New Albany, IN Richmond, IN Sellersburg, IN South Bend, IN Terre Haute, IN IOWA Ames, IA Cedar Rapids, IA Iowa City, IA Ottumwa, IA Sioux City, IA Waterloo, IA KANSAS Kansas City, KS Lawrence, KS Manhattan, KS Wichita, KS KENTUCKY Ashland, KY Bowling Green, KY Erlanger, KY Highland Heights, KY Louisville, KY Morehead, KY

LOUISIANA Bossier City, LA Lafayette, LA Monroe, LA Natchitoches, LA New Orleans, LA Shreveport, LA Thibodaux, LA MARYLAND Arnold, MD Bel Air, MD College Park, MD Frederick, MD Hagerstown, MD La Plata, MD Westminster, MD Woodlawn, MD Wye Mills, MD MASSACHUSETTS Boston, MA Bridgewater, MA Danvers, MA Haverhill, MA Holyoke, MA Shrewsbury, MA MICHIGAN Ann Arbor, MI Big Rapids, MI Chesterfield, MI Dearborn, MI Dowagiac, MI East Lansing, MI Flint, MI Grand Rapids, MI Kalamazoo, MI Lansing, MI Livonia, MI Mount Pleasant, MI Sault Ste. Marie, M Troy, MI University Center, MI Warren, MI MINNESOTA Alexandria, MN Brooklyn Park, MN Duluth, MN Eden Prairie, MN Granite Falls, MN Mankato, MN MISSISSIPPI Goodman, MS Jackson, MS Mississippi State, MS Raymond, MS University, MS MISSOURI Berkley, MO Cape Girardeau, MO Columbia, MO Cottleville, MO Joplin, MO Kansas City, MO Kirksville, MO Park Hills, MO Poplar Bluff, MO Rolla, MO Sedalia, MO Springfield, MO St. Joseph, MO St. Louis, MO Warrensburg, MO MONTANA Bozeman, MT Missoula, MT NEBRASKA Lincoln, NE North Platte, NE Omaha, NE NEVADA Henderson, NV Las Vegas, NV North Las Vegas, NV Winnemucca, NV

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS

NEW JERSEY Branchburg, NJ Cherry Hill, NJ Lincroft, NJ Sewell, NJ Toms River, NJ West Windsor, NJ NEW MEXICO Albuquerque, NM Clovis, NM Farmington, NM Portales, NM Santa Fe, NM NEW YORK Alfred, NY Brooklyn, NY Buffalo, NY Garden City, NY New York, NY Rochester, NY Syracuse, NY NORTH CAROLINA Apex, NC Asheville, NC Boone, NC Charlotte, NC China Grove, NC Durham, NC Fayetteville, NC Greenville, NC Jamestown, NC Misenheimer, NC Mount Airy, NC Pembroke, NC Raleigh, NC Wilmington, NC NORTH DAKOTA Bismarck, ND OHIO Akron, OH Cincinnati, OH Cleveland, OH Columbus, OH Fairfield, OH Findlay, OH Kirtland, OH Lima, OH Maumee, OH Newark, OH North Royalton, OH Rio Grande, OH Toledo, OH Warren, OH Youngstown, OH OKLAHOMA Altus, OK Bethany, OK Edmond, OK Norman, OK Oklahoma City, OK Tonkawa, OK Tulsa, OK OREGON Bend, OR Coos Bay, OR Eugene, OR Gresham, OR Klamath Falls, OR Medford, OR Oregon City, OR Portland, OR White City, OR PENNSYLVANIA Bloomsburg, PA Blue Bell, PA Gettysburg, PA Harrisburg, PA Lancaster, PA Newtown, PA Philadelphia, PA Pittsburgh, PA Wilkes-Barre, PA York, PA

SOUTH CAROLINA Beaufort, SC Charleston, SC Columbia, SC Conway, SC Graniteville, SC Greenville, SC Greenwood, SC Orangeburg, SC Rock Hill, SC Spartanburg, SC TENNESSEE Blountville, TN Clarksville, TN Collegedale, TN Gallatin, TN Johnson City, TN Knoxville, TN Memphis, TN Morristown, TN Murfreesboro, TN Nashville, TN TEXAS Abilene, TX Arlington, TX Austin, TX Beaumont, TX Brownsville, TX Commerce, TX Corpus Christi, TX Dallas, TX Denison, TX El Paso, TX Houston, TX Huntsville, TX Laredo, TX Lubbock, TX Lufkin, TX Mesquite, TX San Antonio, TX Victoria, TX Waxahachie, TX Weatherford, TX Wichita Falls, TX UTAH Cedar City, UT Kaysville, UT Logan, UT Ogden, UT Orem, UT Salt Lake City, UT VIRGINIA Daleville, VA Fredericksburg, VA Lynchburg, VA Manassas, VA Norfolk, VA Roanoke, VA Salem, VA Staunton, VA Suffolk, VA Virginia Beach, VA Wytheville, VA WASHINGTON Auburn, WA Bellingham, WA Bremerton, WA Ellensburg, WA Ephrata, WA Olympia, WA Pasco, WA Rockingham, WA Seattle, WA Shoreline, WA Spokane, WA WEST VIRGINIA Ona, WV WISCONSIN La Crosse, WI Milwaukee, WI Mukwonago, WI

WYOMING Casper, WY Laramie, WY Torrington, WY CANADA ALBERTA Calgary, AB Edmonton, AB Fort McMurray, AB Lethbridge, AB Lloydminster, AB Olds, AB Red Deer, AB BRITISH COLUMBIA Abbotsford, BC Burnaby, BC Castlegar, BC Delta, BC Kamloops, BC Nanaimo, BC Prince George, BC Richmond, BC Surrey, BC Vancouver, BC Victoria, BC MANITOBA Brandon, MB Winnipeg, MB NEW BRUNSWICK Bathurst, NB Moncton, NB NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR St. John’s, NL NOVA SCOTIA Halifax, NS ONTARIO Brockville, ON Hamilton, ON London, ON Milton, ON Mississauga, ON Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON North Bay, ON North York, ON Ottawa, ON Toronto, ON Welland, ON Windsor, ON QUEBEC Côte Saint-Luc, QB Montreal, QB SASKATCHEWAN Melfort, SK Moose Jaw, SK Nipawin, SK Prince Albert, SK Saskatoon, SK YUKON TERRITORY Whitehorse, YU UNITED KINGDOM Elgin, UK GHAZNI Kingdom of Bahrain, GHA Thomasville, GHA EGYPT Cairo, EG JORDAN Amman, JOR NEW ZEALAND Taradale, NZ

JANUARY 2022

TEST YOUR SKILLS

Figure 1: Bent cylinder rod.

Figure 2: Bent cylinder rod on an excavator.

Recognizing Misaligned Cylinders Misalignment of a cylinder occurs when the load is not applied along the centerline of the rod. Many applications have a small amount of inherent misalignment because of clearance requirements due to cylinder size. It travels through an arc or in parallel to a single support guide. Most cylinder misalignment problems occur when the rod is extending. As the rod retracts, the cylinder tends to pull on the centerline of the rod, even when the load is misaligned. During extension, misaligned cylinders tend to cock, bind, seize, wear, and leak, particularly near the end of the stroke when the cylinder is fully extended, as shown in figure 1. Overloaded cylinders are more likely to become misaligned during normal operation. Long cylinders tend to become misaligned because they sag. This requires that the head end of the cylinder and the rod itself be provided additional support that is spaced out as the rod extends from the cylinder. Ladder trucks and other equipment that extend booms with long-stroke cylinders require this type of additional support. A cylinder with a bent cylinder rod will also misalign itself because the force is not exerted on the centerline of the rod. If the rod is misaligned, it tends to bend as the rod extends, as shown in figure 2. Another condition that may cause the cylinder rod to bend is lack of lubrication at the rod eye, causing the rod eye to seize at the pin. When the pin turns as the cylinder is extended, it can bend the rod next to the eye and cause it to break. This is a lubrication maintenance problem. Whatever the cause of misalignment, side-loading will cause the rod bearing in the head end of the cylinder to wear “out of round,” causing the cylinder to leak at the rod seal. This is not a reasonable wear condition for a cylinder. If two cylinders are connected by a machine member (crane boom or a loader bucket) such that they are mechanically linked, then they will have a tendency to bind or cock because the loading on the cylinders isn't equal. This is likely to happen when each cylinder is equipped with a

JANUARY 2022

Figure 3: Tandem-mounted cylinders with counterbalance valves.

Figure 4: Tandem-mounted cylinders supporting an uneven load.

WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM • WWW.IFPS.ORG

counterbalance valve to prevent the load from dropping, but the valves open at different set points (figure 3). Misalignment of two cylinders that receive fluid from a common source can also occur if the load is not equally distributed to each cylinder (figure 4). For example, on a garbage truck, if two cylinders that compact the load from each side of the body unit encounter a solid object (e.g., a car engine) on one side, the sweep blade will be twisted as the side under load stops and the side without a load moves forward. A problem of this type is aggravated if the relief valve pressure has been increased to compact bigger loads. In severe cases, the cylinders may break loose or damage the compactor body. A cylinder rod will leave telltale signs of misalignment, including scuff marks that show on one side of the rod when it is extended, a bent cylinder rod, and uneven wear side to side in the rod-eye and cap-end clevis. This would not include oval-shaped eyes that wear straight across the pin, which is caused by a lack of lubrication or extended use. Another way to detect misalignment is to watch the cylinder as it extends under load to see if it cocks and bows to one side when it stalls near the end of the extension stroke. Misalignment can cause the piston to cock and gall the cylinder tube I.D. When the cylinder rod cocks, rather than riding smoothly in the bore, the piston is thrust against one side of the bore, causing metal-to-metal contact. Continued operation galls the cylinder bore and wears the piston on one side. Boring, or at least honing, is required to rebuild the cylinder, and piston replacement may be necessary. When a cylinder is installed, the cylinder body and rod should be perpendicular to the clevis pins. The pins should be parallel to each other. The cylinder should also be parallel to the arc of travel in pivoting applications. A swivel rodeye (figure 5) may be used to minimize any side loading to accommodate unavoidable “misalignment” between the cylinder rod and the driven object.

•

TEST YOUR SKILLS

which condition would 1. Under a side-loaded cylinder show the most misalignment ( Position - Stroke)? a. Retracted - no load. b. Mid-stroke - extending. c. Mid-stroke - retracting. d. End of stroke - extending. e. End of stroke - retracting.

cocking” from misalignment 2. “Rod or over extension can cause the

cylinder rod to: a. gall. b. become dented. c. seize. d. retract. e. stretch.

See page 31 for the solutions.

LEAD TIMES OF HOURS. NOT WEEKS. HYDRAULIC PUMPS. MOTORS. VALVES. SERVO VALVES. PROPORTIONAL VALVES. When you need to get a machine back up and going yesterday, we’re here for you with our Hydraulex Reman™ line. Remanufactured pumps, motors and valves engineered to deliver OEM level performance and that carry an industry-best 24-month warranty. With our unmatched on-the-shelf inventory of units and parts, and our ability to convert or build units in hours instead of days or weeks, we’re sure to have the unit or part you need right now. Speed and availability redefined. Put a Hydraulex Reman™ unit to work for you.

1.800.422.4279 sales@hydraulex.com www.hydraulex.com

Figure 5: Swivel rod-eye.

WWW.IFPS.ORG • WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM

JANUARY 2022

SPECIAL AD SECTION

COMPONENT SHOWCASE CLIPPARD CORDIS ELECTRONIC PRESSURE CONTROLS Precise, linear pressure control within a closed-loop system with ultra high resolution and repeatability. Clippard’s Cordis is a revolutionary microcontroller primed for escape velocity from a proportional control market. Built with the highest quality Clippard EVP and DVP proportional valves at its heart, the Cordis is designed to outperform the competition in every way. With unparalleled performance and flexibility not possible with current analog proportional controllers, the Cordis makes everything from calibration to sensor variety acceptance to future development opportunities more accessible and less complicated. The future of proportional pressure control has arrived, and it’s digital. Made in the USA.

For further information on the Cordis Pressure Controls or any of Clippard’s line of electronic and pneumatic valves, visit www.clippard.com. Proudly made in the USA.

T-TYPES AND SPIN ONS FOR HYDRAULIC USE

3B Filters, Inc. Email: sales@3bfilters.com Website: 3bfilters.com

Keep your system clean and functioning with hydraulic filters from 3B Filters Inc. We offer a variety of filter configurations to fit your system’s needs. Filters provide needed protection from contaminants. Regular maintenance involving filter cleaning and replacement is key to limit downtime and save money on maintenance. Replacement elements are available for all our filter assemblies. We also offer interchanges for OEMs. Contact us to keep your system running clean and contaminant free!

T-TYPE FILTERS HIGHLIGHTS • Pre-filter or Final-filter • Mounted in any direction • Easy access to replace filter element • 4 Series Options • Up to 40,000 PSI • Flow Rates from 1.5 GPM to 50 GPM •S tainless Steel, Aluminum, Brass, Monel & Custom Construction

SPIN ON FILTERS – Most Popular in Fluid Power HIGHLIGHTS • Low pressure • High Flow • Easy element replacement • 2 Series Options • Up to 200 PSI • Flow Rates up to 70 GPM •A luminum and Stainless Steel Construction 26

JANUARY 2022

Visit Our Element Store 3BFiltersStore.com

WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM • WWW.IFPS.ORG

SPECIAL AD SECTION

COMPONENT SHOWCASE It all started in 1957 when our founders built the actuator that put us on the map through a process reliant on customer intimacy. Since then, our core capabilities have grown, our product line has advanced, and we've expanded operations in Fort Wayne and across the globe. One thing that hasn't changed, however, is our commitment to building automation solutions that help our customers work smarter and keep moving forward. Today, our products have a reputation that precedes them. They're built to last for maximum efficiency, low cost of ownership, reduced downtime, and repairability. We also have the engineering expertise and factory capability to customize solutions across industries and applications. Our job is to improve the way manufacturers do theirs. Our solutions empower efficiency and productivity, fueling your breakthroughs, innovations, and success. They're exactly what you need to build products that simplify, improve, and advance people's everyday lives.

PHD, Inc. 9009 Clubridge Dr Fort Wayne, IN 46809

We've got you covered from every axis of motion: Cylinders, Grippers, Linear Slides, Clamps, Rotary Actuators, Escapements, Multi-Motion Actuators, Switches & Sensors.

THE FIRST TIME, EVERY TIME YATES IS YOUR CYLINDER SOURCE. "TIMELESS Profit-robbing breakdowns don’t always happen during business hours. That’s why we’re available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year to handle your repair. Yates provides 350,000+ sq. ft. of manufacturing space, outstanding customer service, repairs on ALL makes and models, 24/7 Emergency service at all locations, warranty on all cylinder repairs, in-house design team, 50 years of experience, and much more. TIMELESS Profit-robbing breakdowns don’t always happen during business hours. That’s why we’re available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year to handle your repair. With our multiple boring mills, CNC machines, radial arm drills, and 11 manual lathes, we can have your unit repaired faster and with higher quality than anyone else. At Yates, we pride ourselves on our ability to return a cylinder to its original specifications or better “The First Time, Every Time. Yates is Your Cylinder Source®"

Yates Cylinders 586-778-7680 www.yatesind.com WWW.IFPS.ORG • WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM

JANUARY 2022

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

SPECIAL AD SECTION

New—Flat Face Design "TVF" Series Quick Disconnect • Up to 6,000 PSI Operating Pressure— Coupled or Uncoupled • Full 4:1 Safety Factor • Superior Flow Characteristics—Minimal Pressure Drop • RoHS Compliant Plating • Multiple Port Options—Female NPTF, Female SAE O-Ring, Female BSPP, Code 61 & 62 Flange Port/Head P.O. Box 6479 • Fort Worth, TX 76115 817.923.1965 • www.hydraulicsinc.com

Advanced Cylinders’ NFPA Cylinders Available! Stock all 17 NFPA mounting style 3000 PSI finished cylinder parts from 1 ½” to 4” bore sizes with all rod sizes and strokes. It can cross over all standard 3000 PSI NFPA cylinders from different suppliers with 5 days delivery. We also stock all agricultural cylinders with the same day delivery. We can repair and design all custom cylinders per your requirement. For more information, call us at 909-920-6437 or visit www.advancedcylindersllc.com

GEMELS IS THE WORLD'S LEADING MANUFACTURER OF HIGH PRESSURE VALVES & QUICK COUPLINGS.

GEMELS NORTH AMERICA INC. 630.422.3119 northamerica@gemels.com gemels.com

MODULAR CONNECTORS Inserta® Code 61 and Code 62 4-Bolt Modular Connectors can be customized with optional outlets in order to add flexibility and compactness to piping systems. Reduced size flange patterns can be provided on side outlets. Threaded SAE O-ring and NPTF pipe ports are also available on these steel modules. Gauge and test ports can be provided on any custom or standard modular connector. A Custom Modular Fitting Form is available on our website that allows one to sketch the port required on each face and submit for quotation.

Helical Hydraulic Rotary Actuators Young Powertech, Italian made Helical Hydraulic Rotary Actuators cover a wide range from 45 to 40,000 LB-FT torque and up to 750 degrees rotation for mobile and industrial applications. Local inventory for quick delivery and service and worldwide support makes it the best option for your rotating applications.

Inserta® Products Blue Bell, PA www.inserta.com 215.643.0192 delivers solutions

JANUARY 2022

3060 Plaza Dr. #108 Garnet Valley, PA 19060 Telephone: 610-558-0760 Email: info@youngpowertech.com www.youngpowertech.com

WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM • WWW.IFPS.ORG

SPECIAL AD SECTION

Reducing Your Wiring Has Never Been Easier

Don’t Compromise – that hydraulic flange you want maybe at MAIN MAIN stocks 10,000+ hydraulic flanges and manufactures components in 4-7 days in the USA. SAE J518 Code 61 and J518 Code 62, JIS, DIN, ISO 6162, ISO 6164, and specials with socket-weld, butt-weld, ORB, BSPP, etc.; all geometries, flange heads, flange adapters; in carbon, stainless, cupro-nickel, ductile, aluminum, etc. Sixty years’ experience plus SAE and ISO technical committee experience. MAIN Manufacturing Products, Inc. 800.521.7918 https://mainmanufacturing.com/block-categories

The xtremeDBm CAN Splitter is the robust solution to terminal strips and soldered connections in a mobile vehicle's electrical system. Six 4-pin ports keep the CAN signal and the power consolidated within fewer connections, and the compact, in-line design means this splitter can go anywhere you need it. In stock and ready ship, order yours today!

Data Panel Corporation www.datapanel.com

Valve + Actuator: Compact Automated On/Off Valve

Motor Crossover? No Problem! FluiDyne Fluid Power can offer you quick upturn to any downtime with our full line of hydraulic motors. Our high torque, low speed motors are available in J, H, S, 211, 500, 2000, 4000, 6000 and 10,000 series. They are the same form, fit and function as the popular brands: Eaton/Charlynn, White, Ross, Parker, TRW and Danfoss. FluiDyne’s motors are offered in nickel plating and epoxy coating to keep them running strong in severe environments or wash down situations. Our motors are 100% performance tested and are ready for immediate shipment. Each motor has 18 month warranty, so if you have any problems, we have a solution. Call, email, chat…we’re ready to help.

The VA Series is a compact, pneumatic on-off coaxial valve, available in 3/8” to 2”. Nickel plated brass body, Buna-N, Viton or EPDM seals make it ideal for hydraulic, pneumatic and vacuum control. Operating life has been tested to well over 1,000,000 cycles.

Visit our unique online Valve Configurator to build, view, price or order your valve package easily and quickly. https://assuredautomation.com/VA/ 800-899-0553 • sales@assuredautomation.com

586.296.7200 sales@fluidynefp.com www.fluidynefp.com

Contact us to showcase your products and services in the Product Spotlight. This special section is a high-profile area offering product-specific advertising. Visit www.fluidpowerjournal.com for more information or to view our media guide.

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JANUARY 2022

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

HITACHI MAKING CONTAMINATION CONTROL EASY Hitachi have packaged FlangeLock™ tool and caps specifically for Hitachi mining excavators. The Hitachi customised SPECIAL AD SECTION kits make sure no matter which component routine maintenance is being performed on, you will always have the exact number of FlangeLocks™* and caps to help reduce contamination. *Note: FlangeLocks™ are not to be used under pressure

Stop The Mess!

SAVE

Call you local Hitachi Muswellbrook representative or • No tools required TIME • No expensive thehardware branchneeded on 02 6541 6300 forSAVE more information. • No more rags stuffed into hoses MONEY • No more messy plastic caps SAVE • The ultimate contamination control tool LABOR • One hand installation SAVE • Eliminate hydraulic oil spills & clean up OIL • Quick installation & ease of usage • Safe for personnel & environment • Industry acclaimed For more information, call (203) 861-9400 or email sales@flangelock.com.

Delta Computer Systems announces the LC8 Load Cell Module for the RMC200 motion controller. The LC8 connects directly to eight load cells without external signal conditioners. The maximum sensitivity is 5mV/V in full Wheatstone bridge configurations, and quarter and half bridge configurations are supported with a user-supplied bridge completion circuit. Both four and six wire load cells are supported, and each of the eight inputs includes a sense input for wire voltage drop compensation.

www.flangelock.com

JANUARY 2022

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CL ASSIFIEDS

HIGH FLOW PROPORTIONAL FLOW CONTROL

HYDRAULIC FLANGES and COMPONENTS

• 16MM to 50mm • Standard ISO 7368 and DIN 24342 cavity • High performance 5,000 psi • On board amplifier • 0-10 volt command

almomanifold.com

LEAD TIMES OF HOURS. NOT WEEKS.

PUMPS · MOTORS · VALVES SERVO/PROPORTIONAL VALVES

sales@hydraulex.com www.hydraulex.com

MAIN Mfg. Products, Inc.

Phone: 989.984.0800 Toll Free: 1.877.ALMO. NOW Fax: 989.984.0830

800.521.7918 fax 810.953.1385 www.MAINMFG.com/fpj

10 & 15 mm Electronic Valves IN STOCK FROM 25MM TO 80MM MANY COVERS IN STOCK • Pressure, Flow, Directional • Large Flow 90° Valves

almomanifold.com

1.800.422.4279

THE “SPECIAL” YOU WANT IS PROBABLY ON OUR SHELVES

• Single DIN blocks • Active Valves • Monitored Poppets

Compact, quick, powerful!

Technical Support

Phone: 989.984.0800 Toll Free: 1.877.ALMO. NOW Fax: 989.984.0830

The correct answers to Test Your Skills on page 25 are 1-d and 2-a.

Large Inventory Standard, High Flow, Latching & ISO Series

877-245-6247

ADVERTISER INDEX Company............................................................................... Page..........................................................Phone................................................................. Web 3B Filters, Inc..........................................................................................24...................... 1-800-3B-Filters, 1-708-636-6240........................................................... 3BFilters.com Advanced Cylinders, LLC.................................................................28, 30.......................................................909-920-6437............................ www.advancedcylindersllc.com Almo Manifold & Tool Co......................................................................31................. 1-989-984-0800, 1-800-ALMO-NOW.................................................. almomanifold.com Assured Automation......................................................................... 3, 29.......................................................800-899-0553.........................................assuredautomation.com CFC-Solar.................................................................................................. 9................................................... 1-513-874-3225.............................. www.cfcindustrialtraining.com Clippard Instrument Lab Inc.................................................................24................................................... 1-513-521-4261...................................................www.clippard.com Data Panel Corp.................................................................................7, 29................................................... 1-952-941-3511................................................www.datapanel.com DELTA Computer Systems Inc........................................................11, 30................................................... 1-360-254-8688......................................................deltamotion.com Flange Lock......................................................................................13, 30.......................................................203-861-9400...............................................www.flangelock.com Fluidyne Fluid Power....................................................... 29, Back Cover................................................... 1-586-296-7200.............................................. www.FluidyneFP.com Gemels spa.......................................................................................21, 28................................................... 1-630-422-3119............................ww.northamerica@gemels.com Hydraulex..........................................................................................27, 28................................................... 1-800-422-4279................................................ www.hydraulex.com Hydraulics, Inc..................................................................................19, 28.......................................................817-923-1965.......................................... www.hydraulicsinc.com Inserta Products ............................................................................... 3, 28.......................................................215-643-0192.....................................................www.inserta.com Main Manufacturing Products Inc.................................................19, 29................................................... 1-800-521-7918........................................... www.mainmfg.com/fpj MOCAP INC............................................................................................30................................................... 1-800-633-6775....................................................www.MOCAP.com Peninsular Cylinder Co. Inc...................................................................15................................................... 1-800-526-7968............................... www.peninsularcylinders.com PHD, Inc. ................................................................................................25................................................... 1-800-624-8511..................................................... www.phdinc.com Super Swivels........................................................................................... 3................................................... 1-763-784-5531.......................................... www.superswivels.com Yates Cylinders, Inc............................................................................1, 25................................................... 1-586-778-7680.................................................. www.yatesind.com Young Powertech, Inc...........................................Inside Front Cover, 28.......................................................610-558-0760....................................www.youngpowertech.com

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JANUARY 2022

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Fluid Power Journal January 2022

Articles inside

Sustainable Solution: A Versatile Hydraulic Option

Cover Story

Wireless Command: Radio Remote Controls and Fluid Power