Fluid Power Journal January/February 2016

January/February 2016

www.FluidPowerJournal.com

ROBOT ARMS FOR

Project Details on p.40

HYDRAULIC

VALVE

ASSEMBLY

PLUS You Can Influence the Fluid Power Industry with Chapter Outreach

Valve Positioners Offer Improved Control Valve Performance

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CIRCLE 404

In This Issue JA N UA RY / F E B R UA RY 2 0 1 6

• VO L U M E 2 3

•

ISSUE 1

45 25 FLUID POWER PROFESSIONALS’ DAY: Celebrate June 19th

26 You Can Influence the Fluid Power Industry with CHAPTER OUTREACH

25

40

Sensitive Compliant Lightweight Robot Arms for Hydraulic Valve Assembly The consortium of the research project SMErobotics is working on different aspects of the robot lifecycle with the vision of deploying cognitive robotic systems on SME shop floors.

29 EATON'S "HYDRAULICS ARE FUN!" Event Introduces Minority Students to Hydraulics Training and Career Paths

38 6 Surprising Capabilities of MODERN HYDRAULICS

42

DEPARTMENTS

4 NOTABLE WORDS

6 CERTIFICATION

SUCCESS PROFILE

8 ECONOMIC REPORT

10 IFPS UPDATES

16 NFPA UPDATES

20 CERTIFICATION

SUCCESS PROFILE

22 LITERATURE REVIEW

Valve Positioners Offer Improved Control Valve Performance

28 FIGURE IT OUT

30 INDUSTRY NEWS

32 FPEF UPDATES

34 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

This article details the many advantages of

39 IFPS EXECUTIVE PROFILE

installing and applying a positioner to a basic,

45 PRODUCT REVIEW

pneumatically actuated control valve package.

46 CLASSIFIEDS

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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.

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CIRCLE 407

NOTABLE WORDS

The Wolf at the Door

BY RANCE HERREN, CFPSD, CFPECS, CFPMT, CFPAI, 2016 IFPS President

Here we go – another year and another IFPS president. And that is a good thing. The many new members serving on the Board of Directors bring new perspective and fresh ideas that are key in defining and promoting the Society’s mission to advance professionalism, education, and certification in the fluid power industry. Traditionally, the “Notable Words” column from the incoming president highlights the Society’s plans for the coming year. I can happily report that in 2016, a number of initiatives are underway, including the release of revised study manuals and tests for the Hydraulic, Pneumatic, and Electronic Controls Specialist certifications, development of the Electronic Controls Technician certification, continuing outreach to fluid power students and professionals through scholarships and educational programs, and lots of other really cool stuff. So now that we have the formality out of the way, please allow me to get on my soapbox.

We are in a crisis. Let me say that again. WE ARE IN A CRISIS! Much like the hard sciences and the skilled trades, the fluid power industry is suffering a drain on the talent pool that is alarming, to say the least. The number of individuals coming into and staying in the industry compared with those leaving or retiring is strikingly disproportionate. And if not addressed, the encroachment from competing technologies will only erode the footprint of fluid power as a dominant force in mechanical transmission of power and motion control.

In the recent Republican debate, Senator Marco Rubio’s comment that “We need more welders and less philosophers” has certainly resonated with a lot of people, regardless of their political leanings. (I will add that we need a lot more fluid power professionals, too.) This is not a jab at the liberal arts, but it is somewhat disingenuous to not recognize there are a lot of very smart people with university educations preparing to enter the workforce with abilities that do not align with the needs of the marketplace. Or more plainly put, in many instances, we as a nation are over-educated and under-skilled. The impact of this is that the younger talent needed in the skilled trades is not keeping pace with the demand as older employees leave the workplace. And as increasingly difficult as it will be to find this new talent, it will even be more difficult to transfer the knowledge base unless they have the necessary skills to understand and apply it.

In a recent study by Deloitte Development and the Manufacturing Institute, The Skills Gap in U.S. Manufacturing 2015 and Beyond, it was noted that “The areas of skilled production (machinists, operators, and technicians) will be the hardest hit, and considering skilled production occupations account for over 50% of the total manufacturing workforce, worker shortages in this category will present a significant challenge to companies.” And in my experience, this trend cuts deeper and wider in fluid power than just about any industry.

So where does this leave us in fluid power? If we as an industry do not recognize the wolf at the door and fail to invest in the development of our employees, including training and certification, we are inadvertently promoting the industry’s and maybe even our own company’s demise. At the same time, there is also great opportunity for those willing to learn new skills and to work hard in applying them. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, in 2013, an average manufacturing income was 20% higher than compared to what an average worker earned in other occupations. And I am here to tell you those kinds of careers are available in fluid power if you are willing to work.

So as we embark on a new year and the challenges ahead, the only certainty we have, the only constant, is change. Or better put, in the words of the greatest of all philosophers Yogi Berra: “The future ain’t what it used to be.”

Rance Herren is the manager of hydraulic systems and controls for the Rig Solutions division of National Oilwell Varco. He can be reached at hydradude@earthlink.net.

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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: AskUs@ifps.org www.FluidPowerJournal.com Founders: Paul and Lisa Prass Associate Publisher: Marc Mitchell Editor: Kristine Coblitz Technical Editor: Dan Helgerson, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPS, CFPECS, CFPSD, CFPMT, CFPCC - CFPSOS LLC Account Executive: Bob McKinney Art Director: Quynh Vo Director of Creative Services: Erica Montes Accounting: Donna Bachman, Debbie Clune Digital Strategy Manager: Jeff Maile Publishing Assistant: Sharron Sandmaier 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 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President & Chairperson Rance Herren, CFPSD, CFPECS, CFPMT, CFPAI - National Oilwell Varco Immediate Past President Marti Wendel, CFPE, CFPS, CFPCC - Curtiss Wright Sprague Division First Vice President Richard Bullers, CFPPS - SMC Corporation of America Vice President Education D. Dean Houdeshell, PE, CFPAI, CFPE, CFPS, CFPIHT, CFPMHT, CFPMHM - Danfoss Treasurer Jose Garcia, CFPHS - Purdue University Vice President Membership & Chapter Support Bill Jordan, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPMHM, CFPMHT - Altec Industries, Inc. Vice President Certification Timothy White, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPS, CFPECS, CFPMIH, CFPMMH, CFPMIP, CFPMT, CFPMM - The Boeing Company Vice President Marketing & Public Relations Scott Nagro, CFPS - HydraForce, Inc. Vice President Educational Foundation Randall Smith, CFPHS - Northrop Grumman Corp.

DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE Randy Bobbitt, CFPS - Danfoss Power Solutions Kenneth Dulinski, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPECS, CFPHS, CFPMIH, CFMMH Macomb County College Frank Fetty, CFPMHM - JH Fletcher & Company Jeff Hodges, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPMHM - Altec Industries, Inc. John Juhasz, CFPECS, CFPS - Kraft Fluid Systems, Inc. Sam Kaye, CFPS, CFPMT, CFPMM, CFPMMH, CFPMIP, CFPMIH Ensign Drilling Jeff Kenney, CFPIHM, CFPMHM, CFPMHT - Coastal Hydraulics, Inc. Rocky Phoenix, CFPMHM - Open Loop Energy Robert Post, CFPHS - Bailey Hydraulics Scott Sardina, PE, CFPHS - Controlled Fluids, Inc. HONORARY DIRECTORS John Groot Robert Sheaf, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPE, CFPS, CFPECS, CFPMT, CFPMIP, CFPMMH, CFPMIH, CFPMM IFPS STAFF Executive Director: Donna Pollander, ACA Communications Manager: Adele Kayser Business Development Manager: Jeffrey Morrow Assistant Director: Jeana Hoffman Membership Coordinator: Sue Dyson Certification Coordinator: Susan Apostle Bookkeeper: Diane McMahon Administrative Assistant: Beth Borodziuk Fluid Power Journal (ISSN# 1073-7898) is the official publication of the International Fluid Power Society published bi-monthly with four supplemental issues, including a Systems Integrator Directory, OffHighway 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.

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© 2015 Aggressive Hydraulics, Inc. All rights reserved.

CIRCLE 406

CERTIFICATION SUCCESS PROFILE

PIRTEK PIRTEK was first established in Australia in 1980 and is a leader in on-site hydraulic hose replacement with nearly 400 locations in 23 countries and more than 2,000 mobile hose shops. In the United States, the company currently has 54 locations and plans to top 200 locations nationally by the end of the decade.

PIRTEK’s mission is to provide franchisees with the opportunity to be in business for themselves, but not by themselves.

Gwyn O’Kane, CFPE, is vice president of franchise development at PIRTEK and an active member of IFPS Chapter 49 in central Florida. In this interview, Mr. O’Kane tells the Journal about how IFPS certification ensures the safety and success of PIRTEK and its employees.

Our uniqueness stems from two distinct areas.

First, our service technicians are available to replace failed hoses on industrial and mobile hydraulic machines, on-site, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. We offer an estimated time of arrival on-site in less than one hour from a customer’s call to the performance of service in the specific service area.

Once onsite, technicians remove failed hoses; manufacture a replacement; and then clean, test, tag, and install it all on the job site. We also perform installations and offer preventative maintenance programs to reduce our customer’s downtime and expenses that result from hose failure. Second, PIRTEK is a franchise business format, which makes us very unique in the industry. We also sell and service our own hydraulic hoses, further differentiating ourselves within the franchise industry. We are an industrial business-to-business franchise opportunity. Our owners operate a “hose service center,” offering trade counter service and a fleet of mobile hose vans all from the same location.

What makes PIRTEK stand out in the industry?

I began working at PIRTEK as a mobile sales and service technician in 1989 after working for Ford Motor Co. in New Zealand as an engineering cadet. At the Ford factory, I was merely a small cog in a big machine. But when I joined PIRTEK, I fell in love with the small team/family environment of a PIRTEK center. I am very proud of the fact that after 18 years in the United States, we have many employees within our organization who have been with us for over a decade. PIRTEK has provided many employees with a great place to work, an excellent career opportunity, and an entrepreneurial opportunity for those who desire to own their own business.

What makes PIRTEK such an attractive place to work?

Visit www.pirtekusa.com for more information.

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www.FluidPowerJournal.com • January/February 2016 • www.IFPS.org

The IFPS has become immensely important to our organization. We are proud to be experts in hoses and fittings. The Connector and Conductor certification (C&C) provided a means to validate that expertise. The IFPS C&C shirt patch that our team members earn once they become certified has become a badge of honor for our technicians.

From a company perspective, the IFPS logo has become a symbol to our customers that we hold ourselves to the highest international standard and that they are working with a professional company. The single most important reason that we support the IFPS and certification is that it helps keep our employees safe. I would encourage everyone involved in the fluid power industry to get certified for this reason alone, because nothing is more important than ensuring we all return home safely to our families every night.

Why is IFPS certification important to PIRTEK?

I am sure most, if not all, involved in the fluid power industry would agree that fluid power is more complex and has the potential to be more hazardous than the automotive, plumbing, or electrical industries. To a certain extent, fluid power requires us to be familiar with all of these industries. These industries are heavily regulated with certifications and licensing requirements. To a large degree, we are an industry that is self-regulated, and for that reason, it is incumbent upon us to support programs like IFPS certification to ensure that we remain safe and maintain a high level of professionalism in the industry.

Why is IFPS certification important to the fluid power industry as whole?

CIRCLE 405

ECONOMIC REPORT

Global Manufacturing Update

BY CHAD MOUTRAY, Chief Economist, National Association of Manufacturers

November 2015 – There were signs of progress in the global economy in October, but manufacturers continued to face headwinds. On the positive side, J.P. Morgan Global Manufacturing PMI increased from 50.7 in September to 51.4 in October, its highest level since March. This provided a little encouragement after falling to a two-year low in August and September. In particular, this report reflected better data in the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Despite this progress, many of the underlying economic challenges have not changed much over the past few months.

Along those lines, there were five countries in the top 10 markets for U.S.-manufactured goods that remain mired in contraction territory.

These include Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong, and South Korea.

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www.FluidPowerJournal.com • January/February 2016 • www.IFPS.org

Brazil’s manufacturing activity deteriorated at its fastest pace since March 2009, while China and Hong Kong eased in their rates of decline for the month. Still, Chinese economic growth has decelerated significantly, including industrial production, with President Xi Jinping reducing China’s real GDP target to 6.5%, down from 7.0% earlier in the year.

Indeed, slowing activity in China has continued to prompt financial markets around the world to worry more about global economic growth.

Those problems are most evident in the emerging markets, where manufacturing activity has now contracted for seven straight months. Closer to home, manufacturers in Canada continue to struggle on the drop in crude oil prices, with that nation’s struggles playing a significant role in recent elections, which saw Justin Trudeau capture the majority of votes against incumbent Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

In contrast to other regions, Europe has been trending in the right direction. The Markit Eurozone Manufacturing PMI increased slightly from 52.0 to 52.3, and in general, there has been considerable progress since the sector was essentially stagnant in November 2014 (50.1). There were modest expansions in October for manufacturing new orders, output, and exports.

The United Kingdom made the most progress in October, with its PMI increasing to the highest level since June 2014. Meanwhile, Greece continued to contract, even as it notched its best reading since May. We will get provisional real GDP figures on November 13 for the third quarter, which are expected to be around 1.7% year-over-year. This would be an improvement from second-quarter growth of 1.5% on a year-over-year basis.

Deflation has been a major concern for the European Central Bank this year, spurring suggestions of increased quantitative easing moves soon. Indeed, there has been talk of more monetary stimulus by the

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Markit Purchasing Managers' Indices for the Top 10 Export Markets for U.S.-Manufactured Goods (October 2015)

55.5 53.7

53.0

52.4

52.1 49.1

48.3

48.0

46.6 44.1

Hong Kong

South Korea

Netherlands

Brazil

Germany

United Kingdom

Japan

China

Mexico

Canada

Emerging Markets Manufactuing PMI: 49.0 Manufacturing PMI: Eurozone – 52.3, Global – 51.4, U.S. – 54.1

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) represents small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector in all 50 states. For more information, visit www.nam.org.

end of this year. When you combine that news with the growing consensus that the Federal Reserve will begin to raise short-term interest rates at its December meeting, it is not hard to see why the U.S. dollar continues to strengthen. The dollar has appreciated more than 24% since the end of June 2014, making it more difficult for manufacturers in the United States to grow their exports. Weaknesses abroad are another factor challenging international trade right now.

According to updated data from TradeStats Express through the third quarter, manufactured goods exports have fallen 1.5% year-to-date in 2015 relative to the same time period in 2014. This trend extends to the top four markets for U.S.-manufactured goods: Canada (down 8.6%), Mexico (down 0.3%), China (down 0.4%), and Japan (down 3.6%). In addition, exports to Asia, Europe, and South America were down 1.9%, 3.0%, and 14.7% respectively, year-to-date. Nonetheless, the U.S. trade deficit narrowed in September on an increase in goods exports and a decrease in goods imports. In addition, the petroleum trade deficit fell to $5.6 billion, with petroleum imports at their lowest level since May 2004.

One month after announcing the conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, the United States released the text of the TPP and moved forward toward signing. Some progress was made during the 11th round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks between the United States and the European Union (EU). The House approved a reauthorization of the U.S. Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank as part of a highway bill, which is now headed to conference. Customs legislation remains under construction, and negotiations continue on environmental and information technology goods.

Excerpt reprinted with permission. For the full report, visit www.nam.org.

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AVAILABLE IFPS CERTIFICATIONS

IFPS UPDATES

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 CFPMT Certified Fluid Power Master Technician (Must Obtain CFPIHT, CFPMHT, & CFPPT) CFPIHT Certified Fluid Power Industrial HydraulicTechnician CFPMHT CertifiedFluidPower Mobile HydraulicTechnician CFPPT Certified Fluid Power PneumaticTechnician CFPMM Certified Fluid Power Master Mechanic (Must Obtain CFPIHM, CFPMHM, & CFPPM) CFPIHM CertifiedFluidPower Industrial HydraulicMechanic

IFPS 2016 Spring Meeting

March 21 – 24, 2016 Embassy Suites Downtown San Diego, CA

Join the IFPS for the 2016 Spring Meeting scheduled for March 21-24 at the Embassy Suites Downtown, San Diego, Calif. In addition to committee and board meetings, optional tours are planned throughout the week. A Technical Workshop, "Using The Correct Pump Control in Fluid Power System Design," will be presented by Jim Lane, CFPAI, on Monday, March 21, 2016. Participation in this workshop contributes towards Accredited Instructor (AI) reaccreditation requirements.

Hotel Reservations Hotel reservations can be made online by visiting www.ifps.org or by calling the Embassy Suites Downtown at 619-239-2400. A discount hotel rate of $189.00 +tax /night has been secured. Be sure to mention you are with the International Fluid Power Society to get the group rate. Reservations must be made by March 4, 2016 to secure discounted rate.

Transportation: Hotel is three miles from the San Diego airport. Cab - approximately $15, shuttle - $9.00, parking at hotel is $39/night, valet parking $42.

Visit www.ifps.org or call 800-308-6005 to register.

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www.FluidPowerJournal.com • January/February 2016 • www.IFPS.org

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 CertifiedFluidPower Master of Mobile Hydraulics (Must Obtain CFPMHM, CFPMHT, & CFPCC) CFPMIP Certified Fluid Power Master of Industrial Pneumatics (Must Obtain CFPPM, CFPPT, & CFPCC) CFPCC Certified Fluid Power Connector & Conductor CFPSD Fluid Power System Designer CFPMEC (In Development) Mobile Electronic Controls CFPIEC (In Development) Industrial ElectronicControls

IFPS 2016 Spring Meeting Schedule Monday, March 21, 2016 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Technical Workshop Optional Tour

Tuesday, March 22, 2016 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Strategic Planning Committee Meeting Education Committee Meeting Lunch Certification Committee Meeting Welcome Reception

Wednesday, March 23, 2016 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Educational Foundation Meeting Hosted Lunch Membership Committee Meeting Marketing Committee Meeting Finance Committee Meeting Annual Dinner

Thursday, March 24, 2016 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Board of Directors Meeting Strategic Planning Follow Up Optional Tour

IFPS ELECTRONIC CONTROLS SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION UPDATE Subject matter experts have been hard at work revising the IFPS Electronic Controls Specialist Certification (study manual, pre-test, written test) with expectations to be re-released the first quarter of 2016. This certification is designed to review and test understanding, specification, and application of the full breadth of electronics used in the fluid power industry from simple sensors and limits to HMIs, controllers, and networks. It includes a brief review of applicable pneumatic and hydraulic principles, as well as in-depth examples of the electronics for both mobile and industrial fluid power equipment. The Electronic Controls Specialist certification requires a three (3)-hour written test. This certification will be followed by the development of Mobile Electronic Controls and Industrial Electronic Controls certifications.

Sunfab.com CIRCLE 411

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11

IFPS UPDATES

Certification Review Training CITY

STATE

REVIEW DATE

TEST DATE

EMAIL

FACILITY

HYDRAULIC SPECIALIST (HS) Brooklyn Park

Minnesota

January 16-February 22, 2016

February 27, 2016

Jeannine.Uehling@hennepintech.edu

Hennepin Tech

Seattle

Washington

February 9-11, 2016

February 12, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Virginia Beach

Virginia

March 22-24, 2016

March 25, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Sacramento

California

May 10-12, 2016

May 13, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Milwaukee

Wisconsin

June 13-15, 2016

June 16, 2016

khalil@msoe.edu

MSOE

Centennial

Colorado

June 28-30, 2016

July 1, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Maumee

Ohio

August 9-11, 2016

August 12, 2016

hydraulicstraining@eaton.com

Eaton

Virginia Beach

Virginia

September 20-22, 2016

September 23, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Eden Prairie

Minnesota

October 11-13, 2016

October 14, 2016

hydraulicstraining@eaton.com

Eaton

Jeannine.Uehling@hennepintech.edu

Hennepin Tech

PNEUMATIC SPECIALIST (PS) Brooklyn Park

Minnesota

February 29-April 4, 2016

April 9, 2016

INDUSTRIAL HYDRAULIC MECHANIC (IHM) Seattle

Washington

March 8-10, 2016

March 11, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Dallas

Texas

April 5-7, 2016

April 8, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Virginia Beach

Virginia

April 12-14, 2016

April 15, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Riverside

California

May 24-26, 2016

May 27, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Centennial

Colorado

July 19-21, 2016

July 22, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Virginia Beach

Virginia

October 4-6, 2016

October 7, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Riverside

California

October 11-13, 2016

October 14, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Dallas

Texas

November 15-17, 2016

November 18, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

INDUSTRIAL HYDRAULIC TECHNICIAN (IHT) Sumner

Washington

March 15-17, 2016

March 18, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Irving

Texas

April 12-14, 2016

April 15, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Virginia Beach

Virginia

April 19-21, 2016

April 22, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Sacramento

California

May 17-19, 2016

May 20, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Centennial

Colorado

July 12-14, 2016

July 15, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Ontario

California

September 27-29, 2016

September 30, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Virginia Beach

Virginia

October 18-20, 2016

October 21, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Irving

Texas

December 6-8, 2016

December 9, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

MOBILE HYDRAULIC MECHANIC (MHM) Seattle

Washington

April 19-21, 2016

April 22, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Dallas

Texas

May 24-26, 2016

May 27, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Centennial

Colorado

June 21-23, 2016

June 24, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Riverside

California

July 19-21, 2016

July 22, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Virginia Beach

Virginia

September 13-15, 2016

September 16, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

MOBILE HYDRAULIC TECHNICIAN (MHT) Seattle

Washington

April 19-21, 2016

April 22, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Dallas

Texas

May 24-26, 2016

May 27, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Centennial

Colorado

June 21-23, 2016

June 24, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Sacramento

California

June 21-23, 2016

June 24, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Riverside

California

July 19-21, 2016

July 22, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Virginia Beach

Virginia

September 13-15, 2016

September 16, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

CONNECTOR & CONDUCTOR (CC)

12

Seattle

Washington

January 5-6, 2016

January 7, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Virginia Beach

Virginia

March 1-2, 2016

March 3, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Sacramento

California

April 26-27, 2016

April 28, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Cincinnati

Ohio

June 7-8, 2016

June 9, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Centennial

Colorado

August 23-24, 2016

August 25, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

Cincinnati

Ohio

December 13-14, 2016

December 15, 2016

ascheer@nttinc.com

NTT Training

www.FluidPowerJournal.com • January/February 2016 • www.IFPS.org

NEWLY CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS Jared Amundson, S, HS TRD Manufacturing, Inc. Eric Anderson, MHM ComEd Matt Babin, MHM North American Hydraulics, Inc. Ryan Bagg, HS SunSource Sam Barnes, HS Hydraquip Custom Systems, Inc.

Justin Cifreo, MHM North American Hydraulics, Inc. Brandon Cortese, CC Pirtek - Inland Valley Robbie Creel, MHM Virginia Department of Transportation Edward D’Ambrosia, MHM ComEd

Timothy Greer, CC The Boeing Company

Alphonso Luna, CC Pirtek SFO

Sheran Perera, MHM Altec Industries, Inc.

Matthew Tracht, MHM BPA

Kenneth Harris, MHM Virginia Department of Transportation

Wesly MacLeod, IHT Norcan Fluid Power

Lawrence Peterson, MHM Hawaiian Electric Company

Brandon Trahan, IHT Western Hydrostatics, Inc.

Kimberly Masi, S, HS Walt Disney Company

Hayden Pinell, HS Womack Machine Supply Co.

Chris Treadwell, IHM

Geoffrey Hartnup, HS Hydraquip Corporation Jesse Hastings, PS TRD Manufacturing Inc.

Michael De Laura, MHM Hawaiian Electric Company

Chad Hiatt, MHM Virginia Department of Transportation

John Baumgaertner, MHM City of Bellevue

Ryan Dela Cruz, MHM Hawaiian Electric Company

Jeffrey Hobbs, HS Materion

Bradford Belote, HS Zemarc Corporation

John Deppman, CC The Boeing Company

Preston Hogan, MHM City of Bellevue

Daniel Bishop, CC Electro Hydraulic Machinery Co. Inc.

James Dexter, HS Morrell Inc.

Chris Holzbauer, HS Wausau Equipment

Gordon Bogdan, MHM City of Bellevue

Douglas Diaz, CC Electro Hydraulic Machinery Co. Inc.

Kyle Hopper, S, HS TRD Manufacturing, Inc.

Matthew Bolden, IHM Georgia Pacific

Andrew Dorr, MHM Altec Industries, Inc.

William Bourne, MHM Idaho Power Company

Steven Ellsworth, MHM ComEd

Harold Briet, CC The Boeing Company

Clifford Enyeart, IHM Georgia-Pacific LLC

Josh Brongil, MHM Grays Harbor PUD

Zachary Flygare, PS TRD Manufacturing Inc.

David Brown, MHM Virginia Department of Transportation

James Folds, MHM Altec Industries, Inc.

Mike Bruneau, IHT Alberta News Print Company Enrico Cervantez, MHM Eugene Water & Electric Board Donald Childs, MHM Virginia Department of Transportation

Mitchell Gholson, HS Womack Machine Supply Co. Alan Gonzalez, IHM Gestamp Mason Christopher Graham, MHM North American Hydraulics, Inc.

Charles Howard, CC The Boeing Company Michael Hutto, IHM Georgia-Pacific LLC Triston Hyatt, HS Valin Corporation Stephen Ivey, HS Gulf Controls Co., Inc. Billy Jarrell, MHM Virginia Department of Transportation Bryan Johnson, MHM Altec Industries, Inc. Myron Kawauchi, MHM Hawaiian Electric Company Matthew Lazarz, MHM ComEd James Long, MHM North American Hydraulics, Inc.

Gilbert Mason, IHM Georgia Pacific Brandon Mathews, MHM ComEd Richard McCarthy, CC Pirtek Robert McClintock, MHM ComEd Richard McCoy, CC The Boeing Company Adam McMenamy, HS Quality Hydraulics & Pneumatics Inc. Gaurav Mehta, HS Matthew Mejia, CC Pirtek Wayland Moen, IHM Georgia-Pacific LLC James Moriguchi, MHM Hawaiian Electric Company Wayne Mumpower, MHM Virginia Department of Transportation Paul Ng, MHM Hawaiian Electric Company Matthew Olson, S, HS TRD Manufacturing, Inc. Christian O’Neal, MHM Altec Industries, Inc.

Jay Poindexter, MHM Virginia Department of Transportation

Christopher Trevisan, IHM Gestamp Mason James Vaughan, IHM Georgia-Pacific LLC

Eric Powell, CC The Boeing Company

Marshall Wade, CC Pirtek SFO

Jesus Prieto, CC Pirtek SFO

Jack Wahba, CC Electro Hydraulic Machinery Co. Inc.

H. Matthew Ray, IHM Georgia-Pacific LLC Eric Reid, HS Hydraquip Corporation Donny Remington, MHM Hawaiian Electric Company Mitchell Ress, MHM Altec Industries, Inc. Jeffrey Ripley, MHM Cowlitz PUD Julio Sarabia, IHT Gestamp Mason Peter Schlett, AJPPCC, CC Mecha-Draulic Service Inc./ Excel Hydraulics Drew Sheffield, IHM Livingston & Haven, Inc. Brian Stitely, MHM Altec Industries, Inc. Jessie Swinehart, CC The Boeing Company

Ben Pacheco, HS

Shane Takamatsu, MHM Hawaiian Electric Company

Everett Pang, MHM Hawaiian Electric Company

Matt Tolley, MHM Altec Industries, Inc.

Rob Wesley, HS Gestamp Mason Michael Wheat, IHM Georgia-Pacific LLC Aaron Wickizer, MHM Virginia Department of Transportation Rashard Williamson, MHM Altec Industries, Inc. Kristopher Wisda, CC Pirtek Rockville William Wood, HS Justin Yelverton, HS Flow Dynamics & Automation, Inc. Gilbert Yoshida, MHM Hawaiian Electric Company Ronald Young, MHM Virginia Department of Transportation Matthew Yunker, MHM ComEd Kirkrai Yuvamitra, S, HS, PS John Zgonina, MHM ComEd

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INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO TAKE ANY IFPS WRITTEN CERTIFICATION TESTS

IFPS UPDATES

IFPS Certification Testing Locations ALABAMA Auburn, AL Birmingham, 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 Safford, 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 Commerce, CA Encinitas, CA Fresno, CA Irvine, CA Marysville, CA Riverside, CA Sacramento, CA Salinas, CA San Diego, CA San Jose, CA San Luis Obispo, CA Santa Ana, CA Santa Maria, CA Santa Rosa, CA Yucaipa, CA COLORADO Aurora, CO Boulder, CO Centennial, CO Colorado Springs, CO Denver, CO Durango, CO Ft. Collins, CO Greeley, CO Lakewood, CO Littleton, CO Pueblo, CO DELAWARE Dover, DE Georgetown, DE Newark, DE

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FLORIDA Avon Park, FL Boca Raton, FL Cocoa, FL Davie, FL Daytona Beach, FL Fort Pierce, FL Ft. Myers, FL Gainesville, FL Gainesville, FL Jacksonville, FL Miami Gardens, FL New Port Richey, FL Orlando, FL Panama City, FL Pembroke Pines, FL Pensacola, FL Plant City, FL Sanford, FL St. Petersburg, FL Tampa, FL Winter Haven, FL GEORGIA Albany, GA Athens, GA Atlanta, GA Carrollton, GA Columbus, GA Dahlonega, GA Dublin, GA Dunwoody, GA Lawrenceville, GA Morrow, GA Oakwood, GA Statesboro, GA Tifton, GA Valdosta, GA HAWAII Laie, HI IDAHO 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 DeKalb, IL Edwardsville, IL Glen Ellyn, IL Joliet, IL Malta, IL Normal, IL Peoria, IL Springfield, 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 Boise, ID KANSAS Lawrence, KS Manhattan, KS Overland Park, KS Wichita, KS KENTUCKY Bowling Green, KY Covington, KY Highland Heights, KY Louisville, KY Morehead, KY LOUISIANA Bossier City, LA Lafayette, LA Monroe, LA Natchitoches, LA New Orleans, LA Thibodaux, LA MARYLAND Arnold, MD Baltimore, MD Bel Air, MD Columbia, MD Frederick, MD Hagerstown, MD La Plata, MD Westminster, MD Wye Mills, MD

University Center, MI Warren, MI MINNESOTA Brooklyn Park, MN Eden Prairie, MN Granit Falls, MN Mankato, MN Morris, MN MISSISSIPPI Goodman, MS Mississippi State, MS Raymond, MS University, MS MISSOURI 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 Bellevue, NE Lincoln, NE North Platte, NE Omaha, NE NEVADA Henderson, NV North Las Vegas, NV Winnemucca, NV

MASSACHUSETTS Boston, MA Bridgewater, MA Danvers, MA Haverhill, MA Holyoke, MA

NEW JERSEY Branchburg, NJ Lincroft, NJ Sewell, NJ Toms River, NJ West Windsor, NJ

MICHIGAN Ann Arbor, MI Big Rapids, MI Dearborn, MI Dowagiac, MI East Lansing, MI Flint, MI Grand Rapids, MI Kalamazoo, MI Lansing, MI Livonia, MI Mason, MI Mount Pleasant, MI Sault Ste. Marie, MI Troy, MI

NEW MEXICO Albuquerque, NM Clovis, NM Farmington, NM Portales, NM Santa Fe, NM NEW YORK Brooklyn, NY Garden City, NY Middletown, NY New York, NY Syracuse, NY NORTH CAROLINA Apex, NC

www.FluidPowerJournal.com • January/February 2016 • www.IFPS.org

Asheville, NC Boone, NC Durham, NC Fayetteville, NC Greensboro, NC Greenville, NC Jamestown, NC Misenheimer, NC Pembroke, NC Raleigh, NC Wilmington, NC NORTH DAKOTA Bismarck, ND Fargo, ND OHIO Akron, OH Cincinnati, OH Columbus, OH Fairfield, OH Findlay, OH Kirtland, OH Lima, OH Maumee, OH Newark, OH Orrville, OH Rio Grande, OH Toledo, OH Warren, OH Youngstown, OH OKLAHOMA Altus, OK Bethany, OK Edmond, OK Norman, OK Oklahoma City, OK Stillwater, OK Tonkawa, OK Tulsa, OK OREGON Bend, OR Coos Bay, OR Eugene, OR Gresham, 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 York, PA SOUTH CAROLINA Beaufort, SC Charleston, SC Columbia, SC Conway, SC Greenville, SC Greenwood, SC Orangeburg, SC Rock Hill, SC Spartanburg, SC

are able to select from convenient locations across the United States and Canada. The IFPS is able to offer these locations through its affiliation with The Consortium of College Testing Centers (CCTC) provided by National College Testing Association (NCTA).

To register for a written certification test: 1. Fill out an IFPS certification test application including your desired location by visiting www.ifps.org.

2. Submit your application with payment to IFPS headquarters.

3. Upon receipt of your application, you will be e-mailed instructions.

Testing dates for all locations: JANUARY 2016 Tuesday, 1/5 • Thursday, 1/21 FEBRUARY 2016 Tuesday, 2/2 • Thursday, 2/18 MARCH 2016 Tuesday, 3/1 • Thursday, 3/17 APRIL 2016 Tuesday, 4/5 • Thursday, 4/21 MAY 2016 Tuesday, 5/3 • Thursday, 5/19

TENNESSE Blountville, TN Clarksville, TN Collegedale, TN Gallatin, TN Johnson City, TN Memphis, TN Morristown, TN Murfreesboro, TN Nashville, TN

Ogden, UT Orem, UT Salt Lake City, UT

TEXAS Abilene, TX Arlington, TX Austin, TX Beaumont, TX Brownsville, TX Commerce, TX Dallas, TX Denison, TX El Paso, TX Houston, TX Huntsville, TX Laredo, TX Lubbock, TX Lufkin, TX Mesquite, TX Victoria, TX Weatherford, TX Wichita Falls, TX

WASHINGTON Bellingham, WA Bremerton, WA Ellensburg, WA Olympia, WA Rockingham, WA Seattle, WA Shoreline, WA Spokane, WA

UTAH Cedar City, UT Kaysville, UT Logan, UT

AUSTRALIA Rockingham, Western Australia

VIRGINIA Daleville, VA Lynchburg, VA Norfolk, VA Roanoke, VA Virginia Beach, VA

WISCONSIN Fond du Lac, WI La Crosse, WI Milwaukee, WI WYOMING Casper, WY Laramie, WY Torrington, WY

CANADA Calgary, AB Edmonton, AB Lethbridge, AB Lloydminster, AB Olds, AB Burnaby, BC Castlegar, BC Delta, BC Kamloops, BC Nanaimo, BC Prince George, BC Richmond, BC Vancouver, BC Brandon, MB Winnipeg, MB St. John’s, NL Halifax, NS London, ON Mississauga, ON North Bay, ON North York, ON Ottawa, ON Toronto, ON Windsor, ON Moose Jaw, SK Prince Albert, SK Saskatoon, SK Whitehorse, YT New Zealand Taradale, NZ

Calendar of Events WEB SEMINARS Free to members / $40 for non-members

IFPS STAFF NEWS

Jeff Morrow has been named business development manager for the International Fluid Power Society (IFPS). With over 20 years of experience in marketing and advertising, Jeff's role is to expand awareness of the IFPS and its certification process. He can be reached by email jmorrow@ifps.org or by calling 800-308-6005, ext. 110.

"Cylinder Repairs" Presented by Jeff Kenney, CFPIHM, CFPMHM, CFPMHT, Coastal Hydraulics, Inc. January 14, 2016 / 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Eastern “Pneumatic Directional Control Valves and IO Link Serial Interface” Presented by Sam Skelton, CFPAI, CFPPS, Festo Corporation Feb 18, 2016, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Eastern

Visit www.ifps.org to register.

IFPS MEETING DATES IFPS 2016 Spring Meeting March 21 – 24, 2016 Embassy Suites Downtown San Diego, CA IFPS 2016 Annual Meeting September 20-23, 2016 Kansas City, MS IFPS 2017 Spring Meeting February 8-11, 2017 - location tba IFPS 2017 Annual Meeting September 26-30, 2017 - location tba

In MEMORIAM

RUSSELL HENKE, a former IFPS president (1966-1967) has passed away. He was 91 year old. He was born April 28, 1924 in Elm Grove, Wisconsin, and studied mechanical engineering at UW-Madison. Russ won many fluid power awards and authored a number of technical articles and books during his fluid power career. He was honored in a private ceremony.

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NFPA UPDATES

REGISTER NOW FOR THE NFPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

FPIRC15: The Intersection of Fluid Power Technology, Workforce, and Innovation The Fluid Power Innovation and Research Conference (FPIRC) held October 14 – 16 in Chicago had a record number of international attendees from industry, research faculty, students, and the media. The event featured technical breakout sessions on advanced fluid power research, a keynote talk on organized innovation, tours of local engineering and national laboratories, and networking opportunities. FPIRC’s objective is to foster a collaborative environment between educators and industry, facilitating productive partnerships that develop based on mutual interests and priorities.

Over two days, industry practitioners, fluid power leaders, and academic researchers listened in on technical sessions on hydraulic hybrid systems, tribology, biomedical applications, modeling, testing, and components of hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Research projects sponsored by the CCEFP and NFPA were highlighted during the Technical Poster Show and the Commercialization Pitch Competition. Student researchers, pursing their bachelor’s, master’s and PhD’s, presented their solutions to fluid power challenges. Others identified a novel approach or a new fluid power application with commercial potential.

The goal of these activities is to drive interest and awareness of fluid power innovation, to make connections with emerging leaders in the industry, and to match potential investment in commercial product.

FPIRC’s unique role in the fluid power community is to create opportunities for networking and connections. Industry supporters were invited to showcase their company during the opening evening Corporate Kiosk reception. Over 30 students and 11 industry representatives participated in the FPIRC Speed Meeting. During this session, individuals meet one-on-one to discuss employment, mentorship, or internship opportunities within the industry.

The Commercialization Pitch Competition, a new facet of this year’s FPIRC, featured nine students who presented concepts, founded out of CCEFP research activity, to serve as candidates for commercialization. The winners are 1st Place: Shawn Wilhelm, University of Minnesota, “Efficient and Compact Variable Displacement Linkage Pump”; 2nd Place: Elliott Gruber, Georgia Institute of Technology, “Hammer-Cuff: Put Plumbing Noise under Arrest”; and 3rd Place: Oscar Pena, Georgia Institute of Technology, “A Novel Architecture for Energy Recovery in Hydraulic Elevators.” **FPIRC15 was sponsored in part by Bimba Manufacturing Co., Bosch Rexroth Corp., Caterpillar Inc., Danfoss, Gates Corp., Linde Hydraulics Corp., Lubrizol, Parker Hannifin Corp, Proportion-Air Inc., and White Drive Products.

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The NFPA 2016 Annual Conference is scheduled for March 9-11. The program is expected to be stronger than ever with presenters ready to demonstrate how to handle imminent changes in the workforce, the markets, the manufacturing process, and how the political landscape may affect it all. Plus, there will be a wealth of opportunities to network with fluid power industry colleagues at the newly renovated La Cantera Hill Country Resort & Spa. Book your hotel room, register for the conference, grab your cowboy boots, and join the NFPA in San Antonio!

Find all the details at nfpahub. com/events/.

NFPA to Build off of “Future of Pneumatics” Exhibit Success NFPA, Vanderbilt University, and the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) have made two appearances in 2015 before the advanced processing and packaging machine builders – the most recent time at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. Plans are already underway to continue to showcase innovative fluid power technology, next time at PACK EXPO International and Pharma EXPO, which will be held November 6-9, 2016 at the McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. The goal moving forward is to build off of the concept used in the “Future of Pneumatics” exhibit in Las Vegas, which was staffed by

To learn more about the OEM marketing trade show program, please contact Denise Rockhill at drockhill@nfpa.com.

NFPA representatives as well as CCEFP students and educators who helped to develop the innovations. The booth highlighted three research breakthroughs relevant to the packaging and process technologies. It also gave close to 100 end-users a meaningful glimpse into the future of pneumatic technology. The research projects on hand included:

Pneumatic Exhaust Gas Recovery System Controlled Stirling Power Unit Continuous Position Feedback Sensor NFPA will continue to bring these types of exhibits to upcoming shows to display the future potential of fluid power technology to a core customer audience.

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phdinc.com/fpj116 1-800-624-8511 CIRCLE 415

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NFPA UPDATES

NFPA Board Continues Focus on Growing the Fluid Power Workforce

BY ERIC LANKE, NFPA CEO As our Chairman Jeff Stuart expressed earlier this year, NFPA and its Board of Directors are increasing its focus on a set of clear, high-level objectives—what we’re coming to refer to as “ends” statements, because they describe the major ends or outcomes we wish to achieve. Of the six statements currently identified, three of them deal exclusively with what the NFPA membership consistently ranks as its number-one challenge: growing the fluid power workforce: NFPA fosters awareness and involvement of middle and high school students, helping them understand fluid power’s potential as a technology and choose fluid power as a career path.

NFPA helps increase the number of technically trained people capable of integrating and applying fluid power, and connects them to careers in the fluid power industry.

NFPA supports universities in the development of fundamental fluid power knowledge and connects our industry to an increasing number of scientific and engineering leaders in our field.

At their most recent meeting in October 2015, the NFPA Board again deepened its focus in these three areas, recognizing both our growing success in each and advancing several new program concepts that could help move the needle even farther.

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FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Fluid Power Challenge This program for middle school students continues to grow and has established itself as our primary outreach activity to young people, introducing them to fluid power technology and careers in the fluid power industry.

Last year, 1,450 middle school students participated in 14 Fluid Power Challenge events, where they built fluid power mechanisms out of simple materials and operated them in a series of timed competitions, and 2,369 additional middle school students participated in Fluid Power Challenge-related classroom activities at 28 schools. A growing number of NFPA members are running Challenges in their local communities to open doors with school districts and make ties to local technical schools, where many of the Challenge events are held. As we look to the future growth of this program, we’ll be launching a new Fluid Power Challenge website and online community, where we can more readily build a nationwide network of teachers, students, and parents interested and excited about fluid power as a pathway to STEM education and careers.

High School Fluid Power Challenge With this success at the middle school level, we have recognized the need and will be developing a companion program for the high school environment. Students first exposed to fluid power in middle school need to encounter it again in high school, hopefully in some kind of hands-on challenge, not with the wooden structures and plastic syringes they used in middle school, but with the actual fluid power components and systems in-use in the engineering marketplace they are quickly approaching. Many engineering competitions and curricula exist for these STEM-minded high school students—FIRST Robotics, SkillsUSA, and Project Lead the Way being just a few examples—and our plan is to explore a possible partnership with one of those providers to greatly accelerate fluid power’s distribution into that educational landscape.

FOR TECHNICALLY TRAINED PEOPLE

Center for Advanced Fluid Power Technical Education NFPA’s focus on 2-year technical schools and community colleges is increasing sub-

stantially as we recognize the pressing need for more employees with the technical degrees and skills that these schools provide. For several years now, our Foundation has been awarding $25K grants to these schools to buy new fluid power trainers and build new fluid power curriculum around them, but the Board has now embraced an even more ambitious plan. We’re in the initial planning phases of an exciting new funding opportunity, in which significant dollars from the National Science Foundation would be used to create and support a nationwide network of 2-year technical schools and community colleges with dedicated fluid power education and training programs. As part of this program, regionally clustered industry partners would need to work inside of local high schools to promote fluid power and direct students to one of these “Centers for Advanced Fluid Power Technical Education,” coach them through their training period, and then hire them upon graduation.

FOR UNIVERSITIES

Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power NFPA’s partnership with the CCEFP, the network of fluid power research laboratories, academic faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students at seven universities, continues to grow and deliver results for the fluid power industry. Since its inception in 2007, the CCEFP has added more than 100,000 square feet of fluid power lab space to its universities, increased the number of fluid power advanced degrees awarded by those universities by more than 500%, increased the number of fluid power educators on those campuses by a factor of 10, and engaged more than 13,000 university students in a variety of workforce development programs, including Pre-competitive Fluid Power Research Projects. Directed by industry to the topics most needed, these projects help build fluid power infrastructure at CCEFP schools and engage promising students in the study of fluid power. To date, 225 individual projects have been funded, enabling more than 250 students to earn their Masters or PhD degrees. Forty-five percent of these students go on to work in the fluid power industry.

Fluid Power Scholars Program. An in-

ternship program where industry-selected candidates receive fluid power “boot camp” training before working at the company location for the summer.

To date, 59 students have participated in this program, with more than 75% going on to work in the fluid power industry.

Fluid Power Courses. Fluid power lab exercises, textbook chapters, and online training developed by CCEFP professors are offered across the nationwide network of undergraduate mechanical engineering programs.

National Fluid Power Engineering Challenge. Building on this success, we are now exploring support and expansion of a fluid power-themed national engineering challenge, to be conducted by teams of undergraduate engineers at our nation’s universities. Many of these competitions exist, and have become an engaging staple of the undergraduate engineering environment, giving students both exciting opportunities to explore and apply their developing skills and to connect with particular technologies and industries. For several years, NFPA member Parker Hannifin has sponsored and supported one of these competitions—the Chainless Challenge—and the NFPA and the CCEFP are now working in partnership with Parker to see how the program can be repositioned under an NFPA umbrella, allowing many more fluid power companies to get engaged.

The goal would be to significantly raise the national profile of fluid power in these engineering universities and get hundreds more budding engineers engaged in our industry.

The support and engagement of NFPA members is critical to our success in all of these areas—and several more that are Eric Lanke being discussed. To that end, we have recently launched three new Education Committees—one for each school type described in our ends statements—to help plug members into our existing and developing programs.

Anyone interested in growing the fluid power workforce is invited to join the committee in a chosen area to help drive the programming even further. For more information, please contact me at elanke@nfpa.com.

www.IFPS.org • January/February 2016 • www.FluidPowerJournal.com

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CIRCLE 417

CERTIFICATION SUCCESS PROFILE

Roger Betten,

CFPHS

Roger Betten is the current president of MFP Automation Engineering. He has nearly 30 years of fluid power experience with numerous technical certifications over the years, most recently the Certified Fluid Power Hydraulic Specialist (CFPHS) designation. His passions include his family, serving his customers, God, and hunting.

For me, fluid power runs in my blood. MFP will be a third-generation, family-owned company originally started by my family in 1991. My passion for the industry only grows as I see the exciting opportunities for expansion and how much more we are able to offer our customers.

I’ve always been heavily interested in serving people and creating relationships. Working in fluid power has combined my love of manufacturing, engineering, fluid power, and unforgettable people, relationships, and customers. This industry is a perfect hybrid of all of those aspects. It allows me, my family, and the great employees at MFP to truly enjoy what we do every single day.

As we look forward to celebrating the company’s 25th anniversary next year, it is especially exciting to see the success story the employees and customers have allowed us to create from a small manufacturing shop first located in Grandville, Mich.

How did you get started in the fluid power industry?

Becoming CFPHS certified through IFPS wasn’t an option. The knowledge gained through the IFPS creates a direct tie-in with serving our customers and better understanding this ever-changing industry. We are continually looking for opportunities to expand our knowledge within the fluid power industry and to become more credible. Becoming certified has allowed me, our engineering team, and technical sales team to keep a leg up on our competition, as well as obtain the most up-to-date information and knowledge the industry has to offer.

The investment of obtaining this certification has proven invaluable. There seems to be a respect within the industry for those who see the significance in great organizations, such as the IFPS. As we grow and add employees, we will continue to add certification goals to our technical positions within MFP.

Why did you decide to pursue certification?

The experience was efficient and exceedingly worthwhile. I have already seen a return on my investment of time and energy to procure this certification. Upon registering for the certification, the organization was quick with communication to let me know how the upcoming process would be and what to expect.

The study guides were a great reminder of the importance of continued learning. We preferred the one-week refresher training and then the official certification testing on the last day; this approach not only taught our team best practices, but also confirmed our company culture for continuous learning.

The IFPS certification has taught me the importance of safety, education, and observing and maintaining skill levels of our employees. The certification was comprehensive and exemplified the importance of all facets and positions within our company. We not only have engineers on staff, but also sales specialists, technicians, and mechanics. The combined team effort and up-to-date knowledge is what keeps our company at the forefront of success.

How would you describe the certification process?

Being IFPS certified has assisted in numerous capacities. From building relationships to understanding fluid power systems design even better, the certification has reignited aspects of interest in the field for me.

This certification program has become defensible to any issues that may arise in the principles and application through the industry and related challenges.

The coursework was inspiring, practical, and has lent knowledge and understanding to real-life applications that we don’t always address in the moment.

When others in the industry see the insignia of being CFPHS certified through IFPS, there is a deeper understanding and respect for the effort it took to obtain that certification. That alone has proven the value of IFPS.

How has certification helped your career?

“The better the individuals are trained, the better the industry is as a whole.”

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Certification has allowed us to stay ahead of the competition by offering better solutions to our customers in situations where they are not just comparing the total quoted price. Certification allows us to enter conversations with fresh new technical ideas, and almost demands a level of respect for our solution and product presentations in today’s fast-paced world. We believe that staying on top of the certifications and promoting new employees to strive for this certification allows MFP to add a higher value to our customers by offering greater technical solutions that may not always be the most cost-effective solution up front but offer the highest payback for our customers in the long run.

How has certification changed the way MFP does business in terms of efficiency, reduced costs, etc.?

The fluid power industry is continually expanding and growing into the future and offering solutions to numerous other industries. Without the knowledge and certification that IFPS offers, students and the upcoming workforce could potentially miss out on some of the most valuable applications and education. The better the individuals are trained, the better the industry is as a whole. Missing out on this pertinent certification puts the industry in jeopardy of the great information and education potentially being overlooked.

Why is certification important to the fluid power industry?

What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting the IFPS certification process?

The course is valuable, comprehensive, and advanced. If interested in the certification, be prepared for an intense coursework and deeper understanding of the fluid power industry. The certification is as valuable as you allow it to be. I would recommend taking the course to anyone seriously invested in the industry. Certification provides time in class, on-site, and with real applications for an even deeper understanding of the material.

Where do you see the fluid power industry heading in the next 10 years?

With the advancement of technology and online marketing, I see the fluid power industry launching far into numerous other industries that may not even know they could have a great dependence on fluid power. Our company believes the more we can add on to a product and become an expert in turn-key solutions, the better suited we are for the future. Hiring on a team of electro-mechanical engineers for panel assembly has provided great success. The direct tie-in to becoming a one-stop shop for our customers has been invaluable. It saves the end-user time, money, and potential misunderstanding of the originally built system. These expertly crafted add-ons have added so much value, and that’s where we see the future of the fluid power industry heading.

Roger Betten can be reached at rbetten@mifp.com. For more information on MFP Automation Engineering, visit www.mifp.com.

PROTECT Everything FLUID POWER BOX, MINI-PACK & MICRO-PACK QUANTITIES CAN BE ORDERED ONLINE FOR FAST TURNAROUND

Many Sizes and Styles in Stock for Metric, SAE, BSP, JIC, NPT Threads & Fittings 30 YEARS of Manufacturing Experience

®

Caps • Plugs • Grips • Protection • Finishing • Masking

www.mocap.com | 800.633.6775 | sales@mocap.com CIRCLE 418

CIRCLE 419

www.IFPS.org • January/February 2016 • www.FluidPowerJournal.com

21

Product Catalog ADACONN® + INSERTA® • CIRCLE 430

®

®

ADAPTERS and CONNECTORS

MODULAR VALVES and FITTINGS

WINTER

LITERATURE

An updated product catalog is available as an interactive pdf version on the Adaconn® + Inserta® website, and is the most up to date resource for new product offerings. Contact the company if the latest printed catalog is desired.

Adaconn® Inserta® Blue Bell, Pennsylvania 215.643.1900 215.643.0192 www.adaconn.com www.inserta.com

Trend Setting Products for Integrated Hydraulic Systems

REVIEW

Aggressive Hydraulics Catalog Binder

Miniature Pneumatic Products Catalog

AGGRESSIVE HYDRAULICS • CIRCLE 431

CLIPPARD INSTRUMENT LABORATORY, INC. • CIRCLE 432

AH’s binder is arranged in a 5 tab system to help you succeed: 1. Double and single acting welded rod cylinders 2. Custom welded rod cylinders for new applications 3. Double and single acting telescopic cylinder manufacturing • Reverse engineering for replacement of existing applications (aftermarket) • One piece through production quantity capability 4. Replacement seals & parts for commercial telescopics 5. Repair and refurbishing Request yours today at marketing@aggressivehydraulics.com.

Clippard Instrument Laboratory, Inc. 7390 Colerain Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45239 877-245-6247 www.clippard.com/literature

Industrial Control Solutions

Free Design Guide for Fluid Power Motion Control

CYBER-TECH, INC. • CIRCLE 433

DELTA COMPUTER SYSTEMS • CIRCLE 434

Cyber-Tech, Inc. designs and manufactures custom industrial grade control handles, control pendants, mechanical and proportional joysticks with a consistent reputation for being rugged and reliable, while delivering a level of customer service that is superior in the industry. Visit our website and give us a call so we can assist you in your control needs.

Cyber-Tech, Inc. www.cyber-tech.net 1.800.621.8754

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Clippard, a manufacturer of the most complete line of miniature pneumatic products, offers a 356-page full product line catalog with technical information, product applications, and more. It includes features, specifications, photographs, and technical drawings for over 5,000 standard products. It’s your complete source for miniature fluid power products. Request your free copy today!

www.FluidPowerJournal.com • January/February 2016 • www.IFPS.org

Get your FREE copy of Delta Computer Systems’ Practical Design for Fluid Power Motion Control. Written by industry technical expert Peter Nachtwey, this informative 64-page guide provides detailed information on 17 different topics including closedloop control, cylinder-sizing, using accumulators, selecting valves and transducers, filtering, and motion tuning for optimal performance.

For your free copy, visit deltamotion.com or call 360-254-8688.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

High Speed - High Pressure Motors

2016 Seal Catalog

FLUIDYNE FLUID POWER • CIRCLE 435

HERCULES • CIRCLE 436

FluiDyne Fluid Power’s Vane Motors are widely used in many different applications. Available in four sizes: 25M, 35M, 45M and 50M. Our motors offer speeds to 3000 rpm at maximum pressure. Standard and heavy duty bearings are available. Inlet and outlet ports can be pressurized simultaneously without affecting service life or operating smoothness. Learn more about our high speed, high pressure motors by downloading our brochure today!

FluiDyne Fluid Power 586-296-7200 sales@fluidynefp.com www.fluidynefp.com

The Hercules Seal Catalog contains over 800 pages of seals. New styles for 2016 include the BHT and HT High Strength Seals, Super-Duty Rod Seals, Glass Filled and Nitrile Piston Seals, MultiPiece Piston Seal Assemblies, Snap-In and Metal Clad Wipers, Graphite Wear Rings and Head Seals. This catalog’s easy format lets you quickly locate u-seals, piston seals, scrapers, O-rings, piston rings, buffer seals and much more. Each listing includes seal material, temperature and pressure specifications along with cross-sectional drawings. Visit the Company Literature section at www.

HerculesUS.com or call 866-625-0542 to order a free copy of the catalog.

Compressed Air Filtration

LSP ExpandaFold Manifold System

LA-MAN CORPORATION • CIRCLE 437

LSP INDUSTRIES, INC. • CIRCLE 438

Brochure offers a comprehensive overview of the company’s complete line of compressed air filtration products.

Highlighted is the patented family of Extractor/Dryers. These two-stage, point of use filters remove contaminates to a 5-micron rating with flow ranges of 15 to 2,000 scfm. Additional products available include the SuperStar Membrane Dryer, .01 Micron Filter, Refrigerated Extractor/ Dryer, and much more.

La-Man Corporation (800) 348-2463 www.laman.com

This brochure explains the LSP ExpandaFold.

The system eliminates searching for components to create unique manifolds for specific applications. Put together with off the shelf inexpensive components the ExpandaFold replaces leaky, inefficient systems with a state of the art manifold system. The ExpandaFold System comes ready to assemble into customized manifolds, using screws and pipes or tubing.

Components can be assembled into varied configurations to fit your needs.

LSP Industries, Inc. 815‐226‐8090 sales@lspind.com www.lspindustries.com

Hydraulic Flanges and Components

Genuine Metaris Product Catalog

MAIN MANUFACTURING PRODUCTS • CIRCLE 439

METARIS • CIRCLE 440

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Catalog includes the popular styles of MAIN Manufacturing’s extensive offering of Hydraulic Flanges and Components – ready for immediate shipment.

Dimensional drawings, part numbers, metric and weld specifications included.

The “Quick Reference Guide” helps specify less popular items often stocked or quickly manufactured at our US plant.

Our Genuine Metaris Product Catalog includes piston, vane and gear pumps & motors, dump pumps, orbital motors, PTOs, replacement (spare) parts and accessories. It also includes specs on the various product lines. View or download the latest Genuine Metaris Product Catalog by visiting our website at www.metaris.com.

MAIN Manufacturing Products, Inc. Grand Blanc, MI (800) 521-7918; FAX: (810) 953-1385 E-mail: info@mainmfg.com Web: www. mainmfg.com/fpj

Metaris – A Hydraulex Global Company Toll Free: 888.477.2737 Tel: 416.638.6000 Email: sales@metaris.com www.hydraulex.com or www.metaris.com

www.IFPS.org • January/February 2016 • www.FluidPowerJournal.com

23

Low Speed High Torque Motors

304 & 316 Stainless Steel Liquid Level Gages

MUNCIE POWER PRODUCTS • CIRCLE 441

OIL-RITE CORPORATION • CIRCLE 442

Backed by unmatched customer support, the new line of low speed high torque motors from Muncie Power Products – featuring the MB and MJ Series – offers 23 different displacement sizes between the two series.

Available in gerotor and roller gerotor options, the low speed high torque motors are designed for quality performance to meet a variety of application needs.

Corrosive resistant properties make stainless steel gages suitable to a variety of applications. Oil-Rite offers 304 and 316 stainless steel liquid level gages in sizes from 3” to 60”. A red line on a white background enhances liquid level visibility. Available with adapters and thermometer. Visit Oil-Rite’s online product catalog for new cut sheets and detailed information.

Oil-Rite Corporation PO Box 1207 Manitwoc WI 54221-1207 Phone: (920) 682-6173 Email: sales@oilrite.com www.oilrite.com

Learn more about Muncie Power Products’ low speed high torque motors at www.munciepower.com/motors.

OEM Linear Slides & ISO Air Cylinders

Hose Service & Supply Center

PHD, INC. • CIRCLE 443

PIRTEK USA • CIRCLE 444

PHD's new line of Optimax® products is a combination of performance and pricing for machine builder applications.

The Optimax series of cylinders and linear slides in industry-standard sizes combines a high-performance feature set and longevity. These economical, efficient, and reliable actuators provide customers with an alternative choice to PHD’s standard “built-to-order” product line, delivering even more solutions to meet industrial application needs.

Jim Lager, Owner PIRTEK Love Field & PIRTEK Meacham Dallas, TX

Dallas, TX PIRTEK Love Field & PIRTEK Meacham Jim Lager, Owner

The Franchise Opportunity Opportunity The Franchise

PHD, Inc. (800) 624-8511 phdinfo@phdinc.com www.phdinc.com/optimax

Pirtek USA For more information visit us at www.ownapirtek.com or call 888-774-7835

Hydraulic Live Swivels Catalog

Your Cylinder Source

SUPER SWIVELS • CIRCLE 445

YATES INDUSTRIES, INC. • CIRCLE 446

All Designs, All Sizes, One Result.

Yates Cylinders – an ISO-9001:2008 company with facilities in Michigan, Alabama and Georgia – is your top-quality supplier for all cylinder applications. Hydraulic, pneumatic, NFPA, millgrade, or custom engineering – you name it, Yates can handle it. Complete catalog available. We also maintain an unmatched repair program used by the biggest names in the American Industry. www.yatesind.com

Inline and 90° hydraulic live swivels.

Available in sizes from 1/8" to 2-1/2", rated to 10,000 PSI, heat treated, superior quality alloy steel, chrome or stainless steel ball bearings, withstands heavy side loads, burnished (micro smooth) barrel bores, Viton®, Aflas®, or Teflon® encapsulated seals, zinc or nickel plated, available in 304 and 440 stainless steel, full flow - low pressure drop, rebuilding kits available.

Super Swivels Phone: (763) 784-5531, Fax: (763) 784-7423, Website: www.superswivels.com

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PIRTEK, the world's leading service provider for on-site hydraulic hose replacement. This franchise opportunity is a must read for individuals in the fluid power industry who are thinking about starting their own business. Franchising is a proven business model and PIRTEK is the "McDonalds" in the hose and fittings industry with over 400 locations in 23 countries.

www.FluidPowerJournal.com • January/February 2016 • www.IFPS.org

Yates Industries, Inc. 23050 Industrial Dr. E. St. Clair Shores, MI 48080 Ph: 586.778.7680 Fax: 586.778.6565

Yates Georgia 7750 The Bluffs Austell, GA 30168 Ph: 678.355.2240 Fax: 678.355.2241

Yates Alabama 55 Refreshment Place Decatur, AL 35601 Ph: 256.351.8081 Fax: 256.351.8571

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THE PHOTO CONTEST Win Some Cash and Get Published!

The International Fluid Power Society (IFPS) has dedicated June 19 as “Fluid Power Professionals' Day” - a day of recognition for all of us who work in the fluid power field!

It has been said that fluid power is a “hidden giant” because it is so common in every aspect of our day-to-day existence that we have simply overlooked the obvious. There is not a vehicle, ship, plane, or train that can operate without fluid power. There is no consumer item, no electronic gadget, and no morsel of food we grow that can exist in enough quantity at a cost we can afford without the use of fluid power and our efforts.

From the ancient waterwheels of an emerging agrarian economy through the renaissance of industrial revolution to the automation and information technology age of today, we have worked to utilize, maintain, improve, and advance this all-encompassing technology. These efforts have improved productivity, ensured safety, and provided critical services that improve the quality of all of our lives. THANK YOU!

Why June 19th?

A little bit of history behind the date is interesting. Blaise Pascal—a French mathematician, inventor, writer, and physicist—was born on this day clear back in 1623. His work in hydrodynamics and hydrostatics, including the invention of the hydraulic press, paved the way for all future innovations.

He was also instrumental in experiments in pneumatics that examined the behavior of air in a vacuum and validated the work of the man who invented the barometer, Evangelista Torricelli. Because of Blaise Pascal and his work, the scientific foundation of thermodynamics and fluid power was set to build upon for those who followed.

www.nfpa.com

www.fpef.org

www.fluidpowerjournal.com

www.ifps.org

www.fpda.org

The Fluid Power Professionals' Day Photo Contest had been a success since its beginning in 2014. We love seeing images of the industry at work and the professionals who keep it going.

Have your camera handy to snap pictures that could belong in the following categories: • Fun with Fluid Power (geared towards youth) • Fluid Power Professionals in Action • Power Density • Fluid Power in Motion • People’s Choice Award (tell your friends and family to vote for your entry!)

Prizes for each category • • • •

1st place – $250 2nd place – $100 3rd place – $50 People’s Choice – $100

Winners will be published in the Fluid Power Journal.

Contest runs from January 1st to March 31st, 2016. Visit www. fluidpowerjournal.com to enter.

www.2esa.org

www.cfpa.ca

www.IFPS.org • January/February 2016 • www.FluidPowerJournal.com

25

You Can Influence the Fluid Power Industry with

CHAPTER OUTREACH

By Scott Gower, CFPS

Talking to others about oneself is natural. Explaining one’s career in fluid power to the Average Joe is often complex, and the conversation usually involves big hand gestures to describe the size and scope of your latest project, such as “Can’t believe we load-stabilized that fire truck before the 100-ft ladder was extended” while stretching your arms as wide as possible.

I enjoy my career in fluid power, as I imagine you do. You wouldn’t have opened our industry’s magazine and started reading this article if you didn’t. So, based on our shared enjoyment of fluid power, allow me to propose some thoughts.

Our industry’s employees are aging. We need new blood to pick up the fundamental knowledge we’ll soon lose. We can’t count on colleges, evidenced by the lack of courses available. It’s up to us to make changes or create influence.

So how can you help? Think about that for a second. How can an individual “make changes or create influence” to an industry? I have an answer, but you’ll have to give something to make it work. A plan implemented by the IFPS Orlando, Fla., chapter has worked for nearly a decade, and it's got nothing to do with a mouse you visit on vacation.

IFPS had at least 50 active local chapters, located all around the U.S. and a few internationally.

I use the word “had” because chapters are past-tense in 2015. Meetings took place to allow discussion about the latest technology between professionals. Today, chapters don’t exist because you can chat online and download any literature you like. However, chapters can be refocused to facilitate this much-needed change and influence.

Chapters need your time. That’s all you give. Funding comes from IFPS, and I can help you with two sheets of paper to secure it. Call some fluid power friends, set a meeting date, make promises of time that you can keep, and call me again. I’ll help you get in touch with kids where you live who are looking for opportunities to excel in STEM-related programs. You’ll use the funding as a donation to help these programs survive, and you’ll give your time to fluid power-related activity in those programs. You’ll do it with colleagues and you’ll inspire kids who would otherwise have no idea how that fire truck doesn’t topple over when the ladder swings to the side. This really is simple; it just requires a little time. By demonstrating the magic of fluid power, you'll help kids grow and consider this industry as a career path.

My local chapter can help you with every step, from getting your chapter rebooted to recommending programs local to your city or state. I promise only one thing: what you and our industry get out of this effort will be worth more than what you put in. E-mail me when you’re ready to get started.

Scott Gower, CFPS, is a member and past president of IFPS Chapter 49 in Orlando, Fla. He is northern district manager for Gulf Controls Co. Inc. Mr. Gower can be reached at sgower@gulfcontrols.com.

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www.FluidPowerJournal.com • January/February 2016 • www.IFPS.org

ALL YOU NEED IS All you need is 10 individuals to start an IFPS chapter.

Here are 10 reasons to gather those 10 individuals and take control of your fluid power career with proactive, positive, and rewarding actions.

1/ Great opportunities to learn, serve, and share 2/ Local face-to-face networking 3/ Youth outreach through FIRST Robotics Competitions at local venues NFPA Fluid Power Challenges at middle school level Local “STEM Scout” program involvement Presentations to high school students in applied science and vocational classes 4/ A non-competitive setting to discuss new technologies, industry trends, technology advances, and common experiences 5/ Face-to-face social events 6/ Personal and professional growth opportunities 7/ Presentations, workshops, and industry tours 8/ Valuable community service opportunities 9/ Web seminars, chapter newsletters, and certification review sessions 10/ Continued education and Professional Development Points for recertification

In November 2015, IFPS Chapter 49/50 invited high school FIRST teams to participate in an "Introduction to Pneumatics" event. The chapter donated $6,000 to test the kids by giving them parts to build pneumatic catapults.

IFPS Headquarters Support Chapter Mentor/ IFPS will assign you a mentor to help you get started.

Chapter Dues Rebates/ Chapters receive 15% of IFPS membership dues for the total number of members in their chapter area (provided the chapter holds a minimum of two chapter meetings per year).

Chapter Travel Reimbursement/ Travel reimbursement is offered to a chapter representative who attends either or both of the two IFPS meetings on behalf of their chapter.

Contact Information/ Chapter officers will receive contact information for local IFPS members.

Monetary Support/ Money is available for fluid power competitions.

Dedicated Chapter Web Page/ Host your Take the first chapter information and activities on the IFPS step! Start a website (www.ifps.org) on a dedicated new chapter! chapter page.

Re-invest in Get Published/ Chapter activities and pictures yourself and are published in the Fluid Power Journal.

the fluid power industry!

Magnetostrictive noncontact technology; resolution to 1 micron Supports Star, Line or DLR topology

Three standard M12 connectors — 1 power, 2 communications

Contact Jeana Hoffman by e-mail: jhoffman@ ifps.org or by phone 800-308-6005 Ext. 114 if you would like to start a chapter.

If you happen to reside in Virginia or Oklahoma, these chapters only need a few more individuals to make their efforts a reality. Please contact Jeana Hoffman if you would like to join either of these new chapters.

Wide input power supply range (7–30V) may reduce external power supply requirements Set IP address from network PC or the last octet via the RapidRecall DIP switches

What to do

when analog won’t do.

RapidRecall™ module stores all user configuration settings

Introducing the ReadyLink™ Network LDT

Five status LEDs monitor LDT and network status Status bits warn of position/ velocity outside of programmed range

Built-in web pages for easy configuration

Automation solutions require accurate feedback of continuous position regardless of the application environment. Analog position sensing devices can have shortcomings in automation applications, including limited features, resolution and cable lengths. That’s why the ReadyLink Linear Displacement Transducer is a far better solution.

Feature for feature, it lets you do—and measure—so much more.

Learn more about this smart device technology at ametekfactoryautomation.com. © 2014 by AMETEK. All rights reserved.

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www.IFPS.org • January/February 2016 • www.FluidPowerJournal.com

27

FIGURE IT OUT

Gold Mine Crusher with Erratic Pressure

What could have caused the problem?

SOL. 1A

A hydraulic power unit operating a rock-crushing machine had erratic pressure problems, causing the crusher to stall when the pressure seemed to relieve at a lower pressure than needed. The machine was over 30 years old and was somewhat quite simple in design.

The circuit attached shows the main relief valve remotely controlled so the operator could reverse the motor’s rotation with the directional valve and adjust the pressure higher than normal to clear jambs. Once the jamb was cleared, he would reset the pressure back to the normal setting and shift the directional valve back to rotate the crusher motor in the normal operational direction.

They determined that the remote control relief valve was worn badly and needed to be replaced. Their storeroom had the same brand of relief with the same spring range, but with just one letter difference in the model number. They installed it in the manifold, adjusted the valve from fully open to the number of turns closed used by the old, similar valve with the same spring rating, and then started the system up. It seemed to run fine until the crusher jammed and blew the side of the pump out. Luckily, no one got hurt.

Switch Your Swivel!

A

B

P

T

SOL. 1B

®

Solution to Previous Problem

RETRACT COIL BURN-OUT

THOUSANDS OF SWIVEL OPTIONS

Inline & 90° Hydraulic Live Swivels • Rated To 10,000 P.S.I. • Heat Treated • Available in BSPP • Superior Quality Alloy Steel • Rebuildable Ball Bearing Design • Withstands Heavy Side Loads • 304 & 440 Stainless Steel • Full Flow — Low Pressure Drop Custom Design & Sizes Available

The D05 explosion-proof valve that was used on the Navy torpedo line had an air gap designed coil. This style of coil needs to fully shift for the high in-rush amps to drop to the low holding amps. This shouldn’t have been a problem, especially for new valves. However, because the cylinder has a rod to cap end area ratio of 2:1, the returning oil from the retracting cylinder would force 40+ gpm flow through the directional valve that's only rated for 26 gpm. Many valve spools will try to move to the center position when their maximum flow rate is exceeded. This will cause the air gap solenoid to move off of the fully shifted position, increasing the holding amps causing the coil to fail. The OEM replaced the D05 valve with a larger valve to solve the problem.

The problem was printed in our November/ December 2015 issue. See it on our website, www. fluidpowerjournal.com.

Quality U.S.A. Made Products, Patent No. 5547233 Email: sales@superswivels.com • Fax: 763-784-7423

www.SuperSwivels.com 763-784-5531 CIRCLE 421

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www.FluidPowerJournal.com • January/February 2016 • www.IFPS.org

By Robert Sheaf, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPE, CFPS, CFPECS, CFPMT, CFPMIP, CFPMMH, CFPMIH, CFPMM, CFC Industrial Training

“ HYDRAULICS ARE FUN!”

Eaton's Event Introduces 27 Minority Students to Hydraulics Training and Career Paths

from Lee Hage, engineering manager, Fixed Displacement Products Team, Hydraulics, Eaton, and Erika Crosby, senior engineer, Advanced Platform Innovations Team, Hydraulics, Eaton. Then, Merrill Irving Jr., Ed.D., president of Hennepin Technical College, discussed how the students could turn these career goals into a reality through the certificate and degree programs Hennepin offers. The students ended the day driving go-carts that were all hydrostatically driven.

“By teaming up with Hennepin Technical College, we were not only able to show these students career opportunities with Eaton in the hydraulics industry, but also provide them with steps they can take to obtain the right qualifications,” said Andre Cary, senior specialist, Industrial Sector, Hydraulics, Eaton.

To learn more about the Cookie Cart or to donate to the program, visit www. cookiecart.org.

E

aton sponsored the second-annual “Hydraulics are Fun!” event alongside Hennepin Technical College in Eden Prairie, Minn. The educational opportunity introduced 27 minority high school students to how hydraulics work in their everyday lives and how they can pursue hydraulics as a future career. The targeted students were identified through Cookie Cart, a non-profit organization that provides North Minnesota teenagers with work, life, and leadership skills through experience and training in an urban nonprofit bakery.

To kick off the event, the students took a behind-the-scenes tour of Valley Fair amusement park to learn how hydraulics and engineering keeps rides operating safely. The students greatly enjoyed seeing the pumps in action at the amusement park, especially the hydraulic pump on the Thunder Canyon ride.

“At Cookie Cart, we hope to give teens a positive learning environment, where they can gain the skills they need to expand their career options and live better lives,” said Matt Halley, executive director, Cookie Cart. “We were pleased by how engaged the students were in learning about their educational options, and we look forward to continuing this successful partnership with Eaton and Hennepin Technical College.”

Following the tour, students headed to Hennepin Technical College, where they learned about career opportunities at Eaton

LockStack

™

D03 Isolation Module

INSERTA® PRODUCTS Blue Bell, PA www.inserta.com © 2015 Inserta® Products, Inc. CIRCLE 422

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29

INDUSTRY NEWS

SCHUNK Participates in National and State Apprenticeship Week In a ceremony held in November, the NCTAP, Apprenticeship 2000, Apprenticeship Catawba, and Siemens Charlotte were all recognized by North Carolina’s Governor Pat McCrory and North Carolina Department of Commerce for leadership and mentoring of two new groups in Guilford and Alamance counties. SCHUNK is a partner in the NCTAP program, which is a four-year program based in North Carolina’s Triangle area and focuses on integrated basic training that develops technical, methodological, and social skills. The core training program gives apprentices an opportunity to develop a wide range of skills with a hands-on approach.

Jack Rensel, a second-year SCHUNK apprentice, spoke about how the program allowed him to “really understand the manufacturing environment and how everybody in the process comes together for a big picture.”

www.us.schunk.com

OIL AND WIND INDUSTRIES JOIN FORCES FOR NEW PROJECT The concept of using wind power for offshore and oil and gas applications is one step closer to realization with WIN WIN (WINd powered Water Injection), a DNV GL-led joint industry project (JIP). Project participants are ExxonMobil, ENI Norge, Nexen Petroleum UK Ltd., Statoil, VNG, PG Flow Solutions, and ORE Catapult. Initial DNV GL studies showed that a

standalone wind-powered water-injection system could become cost competitive for various types of applications, particularly for water injection far from the production platform and when costly retrofitting is not an option. DNV GL launched the WIN WIN JP to help develop the concept further. The project is now in the phase where the technical concept is being de-

veloped and the technical feasibility assessed in detail. Two of the main challenges being addressed are the off-grid operation of the system and the reservoir’s response to variable injection rates. Once these technical challenges are cleared, the concept’s economic viability will be analyzed using realistic cases provided by JIP partners. The JIP has been up and running since the beginning of 2015 and is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2016. www.dnvgl.com

PV-4 LOAD SENSE DESIGN PROPORTIONAL VALVE • QUALITY • PRICE • LOCAL AVAILABILITY!!

Up to 5000 PSI Up to 61GPM with mid section inlet....

To 37GPM with standard inlet Up to 10 Sections Electric, Hydraulic, and Manual Actuators SEE THE CATALOG ON OUR WEB SITE WWW.YOULIPV.COM Corpus Christi, Texas Toll Free 844-251-7646 • Local 361-561-1525 Fax 361-883-3893 • service@youlipv.com Proudly Sold Through Quality Hydraulic Distributors Distributor Inquiries Welcome CIRCLE 423

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www.FluidPowerJournal.com • January/February 2016 • www.IFPS.org

CIRCLE 424

EATON’S SOFTWARE USED IN CONTROLLER DEVELOPMENT Eaton’s Pro-FX™ software helped Phoenix Curb Machines develop iTerra™, a new custom-built controller for the company’s line of PCM Slipform Curb Machines. With Eaton’s technology, the controllers help create a more precise and accurate concrete application process. The controller features a complete self-diagnostic function, helping operators pinpoint and troubleshoot problems quickly, allowing for more pouring time and less downtime. www.eaton.com

MFP AUTOMATION ENGINEERING MOVES INTO NEW FACILITY MFP Automation Engineering opened a new facility in Hudsonville, Mich. The 47,000 ft2 building allowed the company to hire a few necessary positions, invest in a two-story inventory carousel, and create additional space for an enhanced and expanded CNC machine and testing shop for manifold production, as well as a panel assembly space for customers’ electro-mechanical needs. The CNC space includes five mills and two Bridgeport Vertical mills, and a dedicated pressure and leak room. An on-site Parker store will outfit hose, fitting, and light assembly needs. www.mifp.com

SVF FLOW CONTROLS OPENS NEW LOCATION IN GULF COAST SVF Flow Controls opened a new support center in Houston, Tex. The new location opened on October 27 and allows the company to provide quicker deliveries within the Gulf region, as well as handling will-call requirements in the Houston metro marketplace. www.svf.net

TIE-ROD TYPE CYLINDERS MILL TYPE CYLINDERS PRESS CYLINDERS METRIC CYLINDERS WELDED TYPE CYLINDERS ALL MOUNTING STYLES

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www.IFPS.org • January/February 2016 • www.FluidPowerJournal.com

31

2016 FPEF ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS

FPEF UPDATES

The Fluid Power Education Foundation is pleased to announce the acceptance of applications for the FPEF 2016 $2,000 Scholarships.

Randall Smith Elected as 2016 FPEF Chair

Randall (Randy) D. Smith, CFPHS, brings more than 30 years of fluid power experience to his newly elected position as FPEF chair. He has been involved with the International Fluid Power Society (IFPS) for almost 15 years, serving on the Board of Directors as a Director-at-Large and being heavily involved with many IFPS committees. Randy is currently co-chair of the IFPS Boy Scout Merit Badge initiative. He has also served on the FPEF Board of Trustees.

“I am humbled in having the confidence of my peers to be elected into this position of leadership. I look forward to harnessing the passion of this team to realize the shared vision of the FPEF Trustees to meet our goals and mission. Thank you for the opportunity, and I look forward to your continued support,” said Randy.

Randy is a senior systems test engineer at Northrop Grumman Marine Systems and spent 12 years in the Navy as a nuclear machinist mate aboard submarines and 4 years as an utilitiesman in the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 23.

Scholarships are available to students enrolled in (9) credit hours or the equivalent and have a 3.00 GPA on a 4.0 scale cumulative and who are taking a minimum of one fluid power course. Letters of recommendation, an essay, and official transcript are also required. If you know a qualifying and dedicated fluid power student, let them know about this great opportunity.

The application deadline is April 1, 2016. Visit www.fpef.org to learn more and apply.

DONATIONS, SMALL OR LARGE, MAKE A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE

“Now going into my senior year of college, fluid power and hydraulics have given me a direction in where I would like to go with my Mechanical Engineering degree. I am very grateful to receive this scholarship through the Fluid Power Educational Foundation. I would like to thank everyone involved that has helped me obtain this scholarship; it helps me with my school funding and with my future as a young engineer. Thank you FPEF Board of Trustees and the Foundation as a whole, and congrats to the rest of the winners of this award.”

Thanks to the generous donations, the following scholarships, along with 17 others, were awarded to high-caliber students who are pursuing fluid power careers. The Fluid Power Journal will print a series of these scholarship acknowledgements in upcoming issues.

Nathan DeRocha - Alfred State College

“I am extremely appreciative of the support of the Fluid Power Educational Foundation. With their support, I can fund my education and further explore my interest in hydraulics. Thank you again for your support.”

Raymond Frank - University of Cincinnati

The Fluid Power Educational Foundation is a non-profit foundation committed to stimulate, advance, and support the science of hydraulic and pneumatic technology through educational initiatives at all levels.

The FPEF is wholly supported by fluid power industry firms, associations, and individuals which enables FPEF to bring fluid power to students of all grade levels. For more information visit www. fpef.org or call 856-424-8998.

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“One quote I remember hearing from my former high school football coach that has stuck with me ever since he said it is, ‘No one is perfect, but if you strive for perfection in everything you do, you might just achieve excellence.’ I took that quote to heart with everything I do. Getting this scholarship has made it possible for me to continue striving for perfection in the industry of fluid power. Thank you for this scholarship; it is a great help for me as a college student.”

Nathan Starry - Alexandria Technical and Community College

www.FluidPowerJournal.com • January/February 2016 • www.IFPS.org

Gifts That Last The Whole Year – It’s Not Too Late!

FPEF Fundraising Initiative that GIVES money Buy a 2016 FPEF lottery calendar for $20.00, and you’ll get 52 chances to win $50 and 12 chances to win $100, supporting the Educational Foundation at the same time! One lucky number will be drawn each week, and the winner will receive a $50 check. Each month, an additional lucky number will be drawn for a $100 winning. This is an FPEF fundraising initiative; proceeds go towards FPEF scholarships. To purchase your calendar(s), visit www.fpef.org, www.ifps.org or call 856-424-8998, Ext. 114.

The Gift of Scholarships - Visit www.fpef.org and click on DONATE. Help keep our industry supplied with young professionals as they continue their education.

Name a scholarship in your company’s name by giving a $2,000 donation (or more) as a Corporate Scholarship Underwriter.

Make a $2,000 memorial donation and have a scholarship named in your loved-one’s honor.

Become a Gold, Silver, Bronze, Patron, Friend or Memorial donation supporter.

365 days of Web Presence Promote your company and help support FPEF’s website costs by becoming a website underwriter. Cost: $500 for your company logo and link on the FPEF website. Your company logo will be present all year! E-mail Adele Kayser at akayser@fpef.org for details.

Give the Gift of IFPS Membership Purchase a one-year membership for a student ($35), or a professional membership ($75) for a co-worker, or any individual interested in joining the IFPS community of industry professionals. IFPS membership offers discounts, professional development, networking opportunities, and a subscription to the Fluid Power Journal.

Call 800-308-6005.

All the Hydraulic Hardware You’ll Ever Need!

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National TOLL FREE: (800) 441-1994

CIRCLE 426

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www.IFPS.org • January/February 2016 • www.FluidPowerJournal.com

Ads-Hydraulics&Pneumatics.indd 1

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8/8/07 9:35:24 AM

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

CYLINDERS, SLIDES, AND VACUUM CUPS Low Speed High Torque Motors Stainless Steel Window Flow Sights Window flow sights are primarily used in low pressure oil lines to allow visual observation of liquid flow, clarity, and condition. Stainless steel is known for its non-corrosive and non-magnetic properties.

Oil-Rite 303 stainless steel flow sights can be installed in any direction. An optional ball enhances flow visibility.

Muncie Power Products introduces its low speed high torque motors, featuring the MB and MJ Series. Backed by unmatched customer support, the line offers 23 displacement sizes between the series, showcasing gerotor and roller gerotor options.

Muncie Power Products 800-367-7867 • www.munciepower.com/motors

(920) 682-6173 • sales@oilrite.com www.oilrite.com

CIRCLE 448

CIRCLE 447

D03, D05, D07, D08, D10 Valves & Circuit Stack Modulars

Peninsular Cylinder's CAD Configurator Saves Time and Money!

PENINSULAR CYLINDER’S CAD CONFIGURATOR is designed to eliminate ordering confusion & complexity in today’s hydraulic & pneumatic cylinder industry. Our CONFIGURATOR allows you to download & quote any NFPA or METRIC standard cylinder - quickly & efficiently. It provides you with our Peninsular part number along with a 2D or 3D cylinder CAD image that can be easily downloaded into your CAD drawings. Our CAD downloads are available in most common 2D & 3D formats.

With decades of cylinder engineering & application experience, we build longer lasting cylinders for virtually any cylinder application! Call us for your next cylinder requirement

www.peninsularcylinders.com

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www.FluidPowerJournal.com • January/February 2016 • www.IFPS.org

Power Valve U.S.A. represents, as factory warehouse and sales office, a Taiwan manufacturer of D03, D05, D07, D08, and D10 valves, and modular circuit stack valves. With inventory in the Corpus Christi warehouse, all products are competitively priced, and machine tool quality. In fact the parent company, Tai Huei Oil Industry Co., Ltd. has been selling valves for over 25 years to the machine tool industry in Taiwan. All standard AC and DC voltages are available, and all standard spool configurations are in stock. Special spools are available. Pressures to 5000psi and flows from 16GPM (D03) to 211GPM (D10) are standard. With inventory on the shelf and very competitive pricing, we invite your inquiry.

Power Valve U.S.A. Proudly sold through distribution.

Please call to be referred.

222 S. Navigation Blvd.

Corpus Christi, TX 78405 Contact the company at 713-869-1064 or e-mail to service@powervalveusa.com.

View basic specifications at www.powervalveusa.com CIRCLE 450

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Socket Head Flange Adapters The AdaflangeTM and AdaflangeportTM Socket Head Flange Adapters, with their patented internal hexagon drives, are the industry’s shortest means to adapt an SAE J518 flange pattern to a variety of male threaded connections, including the JIC 37° flare, SAE Straight Thread, NPFT (Schedules 40, 160, and Double Extra Strong), and ORS. Their construction facilitates proper assembly in close center mounting applications. These are available in reducing sizes making them a compact means to adapt a larger flange pattern to a smaller nominal male end, with a minimum of connections and leakage points.

These adapters may be used with Adaconn® Port Connectors to make very compact unions between two flanged components, or to join two dissimilar flange ports.

Adaconn® Blue Bell, PA 19422 • www. adaconn.com CIRCLE 451

SC Hydraulics Newest Addition L6-40 High Volume Pump • • • • • •

Pressures up to 5,000 psi with 125 psi air drive Flows over 4GPM at no pressure and 3 GPM at 1,000 psi. with 140 scfm air drive All wetted parts stainless steel Compatible with most fluids Air operated - No electricity needed Dimensionally interchangeable with most competitive model pumps

SC Hydraulic Engineering Corporation 714-257-4800 • info@schydraulic.com • www.SCHydraulic.com CIRCLE 452

Now Available!

Full MTR's and Lot Traceability MAIN Manufacturing Products, Inc. now offers full MTRs and lot traceability on all common flanges. Carbon, stainless, and copper-nickel alloy are available. If not part of our 7000+ in-stock products, MAIN can manufacture and ship quickly(4-5 days) is common from our US facility.

MAIN Manufacturing Products, Inc. Phone: (800) 521.7918 E-mail: info@mainmfg.com CIRCLE 453

Protection for All Things Hydraulic, Pneumatic and Fluid Power MOCAP manufactures a full line of protective closures including recently added sizes and styles of plastic Caps and Plugs for Metric, NPT, BSP, JIC and SAE Threaded Connections, Ports and Fittings. Also, recent additions are a line of Paper Caps and Plugs, as well as Pipe and Flange Protective Products. These are in addition to MOCAP’s already extensive lines of lowcost Caps, Plugs, Grips, Netting, Tubing and Tapes for Product Protection, Finishing and Masking. Nearly all of our items are stocked for immediate shipment and now available in Mini-Pack and Micro-Pack quantities.

MOCAP

H6 Heavy Duty Cylinder The Yates Industries H6 Heavy Duty Cylinder is rated for 3000 PSI and features 1½ to 20” bores standard, 22 different mounting options, is JIC-NFPA interchangeable, and can be customized with nearly limitless combinations of rod ends, cushions, couplers, seals, and ports – all backed by our legendary warranty and repair capabilities.

Yates Industries 23050 Industrial Dr. E. St. Clair Shores, MI 48080 586-778-7680 www.yatesind.com CIRCLE 455

www.mocap.com sales@mocap.com 800.633.6775 314.543.4000 CIRCLE 454

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

www.IFPS.org • January/February 2016 • www.FluidPowerJournal.com

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Corrosion Resistant Window Sights Stainless steel is resistant to corrosion, rust, and staining. It maintains its appearance over long periods and minimizes unwanted bonding between parts. Sight glasses enable viewing inside a reservoir, hydraulic line, or machine compartment. Oil-Rite offers 303 stainless steel window sights with straight or NPT threads. Made in the USA.

PV-4 Load Sense Design Proportional Valve Quality • Price • Local Availability • Up to 5000 PSI • Up to 61GPM with mid section inlet • To 37GPM with standard inlet • Up to 10 Sections • Electric, hydraulic, and manual actuators See our catalog on our website

Youli Hydraulic Industrial Co. Ltd.

(920) 682-6173 • sales@oilrite.com www.oilrite.com

Proudly sold through distributors. Distributor inquiries are welcome.

222 S. Navigation Blvd.

Corpus Christi, TX 78405 Toll free: 844-251-7646 Local: 361-561-1525 Fax: 361-883-3893 service@youlipv.com www.youlipv.com

CIRCLE 456

FluiDyne Fluid Power's A4V Piston Pumps FluiDyne Fluid Power's A4V piston pumps are in stock and ready to ship immediately.

Available in DR, FR, DRG, DFR, LR2 controls. Our A4V piston pumps pressure to 350 bar (5000) psi nominal. Pressure controls include pressure only, remote pressure, pressure & flow and horsepower limiting, side porting, Metric and SAE mounting. Model codes for FluiDyne new A4V pumps and Rexroth remanufactured pumps are available in a wide range of part numbers. Contact our customer service team for more details!

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FluiDyne Fluid Power 586.296.7200 • sales@fluidynefp.com www.fluidynefp.com CIRCLE 456

Adaconn® Unified Series Flange Adapters

CTI-TW Thumbwheel

The domestic AdaflangeTM Unified Code 61 4- bolt flange adapters are one piece design, constructed of high strength, forged and heat treated steel.

‘Jump Size’ JIC adapters are available in most sizes to closely match adapter flow porting with the mating flange port. Jump Size, Size-on-Size, and Reducing Sizes are available as off-the-shelf standards, in stock and ready to ship. The flange width is minimized, corresponding to the minimum pad width of the SAE standard.

The CTI-TW Hall Effect Thumbwheel utilizes sealed Non-contacting Hall effect sensors in a polyamide nylon housing. This small and ruggedized thumbwheel is ideally suited for tight clearances in compact control grips and panels. Resistant to vibration, shock, and extremes of temperatures typically found in mobile machine environments. The CTI-TW Hall Effect Thumbwheel offers maintenance free reliable long term use. This thumbwheel is available in three mechanical configurations: Spring Return to Center, Spring Return to Side and Friction Hold. These configurations are available in three electrical output styles: 0.5 to 4.5Vdc, 1.0 to 5.0 Vdc and 0.0-5.0 Vdc signal outputs.

As a result, weight is reduced, and very compact manifold and component porting can be made, requiring only simple drill and tap operations, and eliminating the need for cavity form tools.

Adaconn® Blue Bell, Pennsylvania www.adaconn.com • 215.643.1900

Cyber-Tech, Inc. 1.800.621.8754 www.cyber-tech.net CIRCLE 460

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

RAF Series Tank Top Return Filter RTF Series Tank Top Return Filter Clean Filtration U.S.A. is proud to offer their RAF and RTF tank top return filter assemblies. With inventory in Corpus Christi these filter assemblies are very competitively priced to meet U.S. market demands. From 3/4" NPT to 3-1/2" SAE code 61 flange porting, these filters offer flow range from 14 GPM to 264 GPM. Synthetic glass fiber filter elements come in 5, 10, and 20 micron ratings for best pressure drop flow conditions. With inventory on the shelf in Corpus Christi, and very competitive pricing, we invite your inquiry.

The New MD Series Air Treatment Product Line The New MD Series air treatment product line is a miniature modular FRL solution designed for reduced dimensions, connection flexibility, a large range of options, reduced weight, and competitive pricing. The technopolymer construction generates a simplified, lightweight and robust system using a single body size with interchangeable port cartridges.

Ports are available in 1/8”, 1/4”, and 3/8” both NPT and BSP thread sizes as well as push-connect cartridges 1/4”, 5/16”, 3/8”, 6mm, 8mm, and 10mm tube sizes.

Visit us at www.camozzi-usa.com.

Clean Filtration U.S.A.

CIRCLE 462

222 S. Navigation Blvd. • Corpus Christi, TX 78405 1-888-861-8058 or 713-861-8058. service@cleanfiltrationusa.com www.cleanfiltrationusa.com

Stops Leaking Hydraulic Lines

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Save Time • Save Money • Save Labor • Save Oil • No tools required, one hand installation • No expensive hardware needed • No more rags stuffed into hoses • No more messy plastic caps • The ultimate contamination control tool • Eliminate hydraulic oil spills & clean up • Quick installation & ease of usage • Safe for personnel & environment • Industry acclaimed

FlangeLock™ Contact Mike Pearl at 914.980.8890 or email: mike@flangelock.com • www.flangelock.com CIRCLE 463

“AA” Flange, 1DG Series Double Pumps “A” Flange, 2DG Series Double Pumps “B” Flange, 3DG Series Double Pumps 2DG and 1DG double pumps available from Corpus Christi stock.

3DG series based on factory lead time.

Honor Gear Pumps Corp. of Taiwan, with U.S. warehouse in Corpus Christi, is pleased to announce local availability of double pumps in “AA” flange and “A” flange. The “B” flange doubles are available subject to factory lead times. OEM inquiries through distribution are welcome. In addition to doubles, all single pumps are kept in stock in Corpus Christi, in the 4F17, “AA”, “A”, and “B” flange models. Aluminum body with cast iron flanges and rear covers are standard. Standard stock displacements in the 3GB series pump are 2.31, 2.68, 3.17, and 3.66 cu.in./rev. All other displacements are available subject to factory lead times.

Honor Gear Pumps Corp.

Proudly sold through distribution. Please call to be referred.

Honor Pumps U.S.A. 222 S. Navigation Blvd. • Corpus Christi, TX 78405 Toll free: 800-984-9727 • Local: 713-984-8144 Fax: 713-461-9631 Email: service@honorpumps.com Web: www.honorpumps.com CIRCLE 464

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Early Warning Device for Industrial Actuators and Other Moving Parts PHD’s Series KG Impact Sensor is used on industrial actuators and other moving parts as an easy-to-use early warning device. When maintenance is needed, the LED simply changes from green to red. Just-in-time maintenance dramatically increases productivity and is easy to accomplish with the Series KG Impact Sensor.

PHD, Inc. (800) 624-8511 • phdinfo@phdinc.com • www.phdinc.com/kg CIRCLE 465

www.IFPS.org • January/February 2016 • www.FluidPowerJournal.com

37

Surprising

CAPABILITIES OF MODERN HYDRAULICS

By Dr. Steffen Haack, Bosch Rexroth AG

Ready-to-install servo-hydraulic axes have an integrated fluid loop and are driven by the same servo drives as the electro-mechanical versions.

A

nyone gaining only a superfluous familiarity with fluid technology can easily underestimate the performance and intelligence of modern hydraulics. Who would think that this technology is highly precise, energy efficient, and ready today for Industry 4.0 applications? Here are six capabilities of a strong drive technology:

MICROMETER PRECISION Electro-hydraulic axis controllers close the control loop decentrally, similar to electrical servo drives, and harmonize the target/actual position in real time within milliseconds.

The precision of the movement solely depends on the respective utilized measuring system.

In tool and plastic machines, hydraulic drives reliably position axes to a precision of a few micrometers.

COMPACT It is often difficult to place electromechanical drives with sufficient performance in tight construction spaces.

Unlike hydraulic drives, they also add significant heat. Since power generation is decentralized in the power unit and since it is connected to the actuator via lines or pipes, OEMs can generate high forces even on minimal construction space.

The relatively low level of heat created in the work area dissipates optimally through the hydraulic fluid.

BALANCED DRIVE PHYSICS

SIMPLY EXCHANGEABLE

NEED-BASED ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Fluid technology is not always inherently linear.

Drive software for hydraulic actuators takes these particularities into consideration and harmonizes them automatically. Preprogrammed, typical hydraulic functions, e.g. synchronization or positiondependent braking, merely require the optimization of parameters within the scope of startup. They are based on a transparent software structure and function equally on all hardware platforms.

Ready-to-install servo-hydraulic axes have an integrated fluid loop and are driven by the same servo drives as the electro-mechanical versions. Since axes are encapsulated systems, engineers must only connect power and communication cables for assembly and start-up, and then start-up can begin. Everything else (for example, the parameterization values determined from simulations) is already stored in the drive software and supports the plug and run philosophy.

Software combines the best from electrical and hydraulic systems.

The decentralized intelligence in the electronic control device adjusts the rotational speed of the pump drive on demand as the consumer requires power, or it lowers it to zero.

In comparison to common constant drives, this reduces the energy consumption of hydraulic power units by up to 80%.

By the way, even older facilities and machines can be retrofitted without major efforts to significantly reduce the energy consumption in production.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Steffen Haack is a member of the Executive Board for Bosch Rexroth AG and is responsible for the industrial applications and sales division.

For more information, visit www.boschrexroth-us.com.

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OPEN AND OUTGOING With increasing frequency, realtime Ethernet protocols in modern machines integrate all actuators and peripherals into each other. Modern motion controls for hydraulic drives support all common protocols, e.g. Sercos, EtherCAT, Ethernet IP, PROFINET RT, Powerlink, and Varan. Their software is also based on open standards, e.g.

IEC 61131-3 and PLCopen. This makes them an ideal match for the increasingly integrated and technologyoverlapping infrastructure of modern production environments – all the way up to Industry 4.0.

IFPS EXECUTIVE PROFILE

Scott Sardina,

CFPHS

Scott Sardina is a licensed professional engineer, certified fluid power hydraulic specialist, and engineering manager for Controlled Fluids, Inc. He previously held multiple engineering positions in the hydraulic systems division of The Oilgear Company for eight years. Scott has a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Mechanics and Astronautics and Mathematics from the University of Wisconsin. He also has a Master of Science degree in Engineering Mechanics. He has worked on various demanding applications for forging, extrusion, aerospace, civil, and oil and gas industries. He has worked in all aspects of the project phase from design to project and applications engineering. Scott now resides in Houston, Tex., and is dedicated to managing the engineering team at Controlled Fluids, Inc. He is a member of the 2015 IFPS Board of Directors.

Q

How did you get started in the fluid power industry?

As like many others, I accidentally stumbled upon the fluid power industry. I started as an intern at Oilgear in Milwaukee, Wis., after my freshman year of college. My career started in the hydraulic systems division, which introduced me to many different applications. I enjoy working with hydraulics due to the tribal knowledge, variety of applications, and its necessity in industry.

Q

What have you gained, professionally and personally, by being involved in the IFPS?

Q

What have you learned so far by working in the fluid power industry?

Q

Where do you see the fluid power industry heading in the next 10 years?

Q

What advice would you give someone just starting out in the industry?

The fluid power industry truly is a niche market. There is an ever-growing need for people who understand hydraulics and how to properly apply it. Fluid power is all around us and affects our lives on a daily basis.

Depending on the application or industry, there will be an increased use of environmentally friendly fluids with a high demand on efficiency.

Also, I foresee system pressure requirements going beyond the standard 3000 and 5000 psi, along with a need for more wireless control. Think of controlling a system wirelessly with your phone. Some manufacturers are starting to do this with their products installed in hard-to-reach areas.

I have three pieces of advice: Learn as much as you can from those before you, because a lot of the information cannot be found in a book.

Figure out what you enjoy the most (systems, design, components, etc.) and become an expert in it.

Get out in the shop or field, and turn a wrench.

My involvement with IFPS started with taking the Hydraulic Specialist certification exam. The more I learned about IFPS and its goals, the more I wanted to get involved. I’m a firm believer in educating people on fluid power, which is a large part of the organization. I was appointed to the IFPS Board of Directors in March 2015 and look forward to influencing the fluid power industry even further. Everyone in the organization is very passionate about what they do, which is great for the advancement of the organization and outreach of the industry.

Q

What are some of your favorite hobbies or interests?

I enjoy training for marathons and triathlons in my free time. My ultimate goal is to run a marathon in every state. I have run eleven marathons and covered seven states. As for triathlon, I completed my second full Ironman in 2015 and have done multiple other triathlons in the past.

Q

Q

What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?

Why did you decide to pursue IFPS certification, and how has it helped your career?

I was first introduced to the IFPS certifications in 2013 when one of my colleagues at the time was unable to take the Hydraulic Specialist exam, which opened up a slot for me. I was asked a week prior to the exam if I was interested. After some research on IFPS, I accepted and was successful in obtaining the certification. The CFPHS certification has helped me stand out in the industry and demonstrate my dedication to fluid power.

I have been in twelve operas and considered majoring in vocal performance instead of engineering.

Scott Sardina can be reached at scottjsardina@gmail.com.

www.IFPS.org • January/February 2016 • www.FluidPowerJournal.com

39

BY CHRISTIAN LEHMANN, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Chair of Automation Technology, Germany

Utilization of Sensitive Compliant Lightweight

Today’s industrial robots are well-fitted for the needs of mass production. They can perform repetitive tasks with high performance within a well-structured environment. Their capability of dealing with process uncertainties or producing different products (or product variations), however, is limited. Therefore, the economically viable use of industrial robots outside mass production is also limited.

Most of today’s standard robots require robot experts to program them. Especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), those experts are regularly not available, posing yet another obstacle for

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widespread robot deployment. To overcome these obstacles, the consortium of the research project SMErobotics1 is working on different aspects of the robot lifecycle with the vision of deploying cognitive robotic systems on SME shop floors. An integral part of the project is eight demonstrator setups, which are used to evaluate and optimize the research and technical developments based on realistic manufacturing conditions. Reference applications from different industrial sectors have been selected to cover a broad range of manufacturing scenarios and end-user needs.

 FIG. 1: Example of sectional valve components to be assembled within the prototype cell  FIG. 2: (opposite page) KUKA LBR iiwa robot utilized in the assembly cell

One of these demonstrators is the HyLight (short for hydraulic valve assembly using sensitive compliant lightweight robots) robot cell. This cell was developed by Brandenburg University of Technology, Chair of Automation Technology in cooperation with Bucher Hydraulics S.p.A. and Fondazione Democenter Sipe to cover the assembly of a family of sectional valves (Fig. 1) at the Bucher Hydraulics facility in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The targeted use-case is characterized by a large number of variations and small batch sizes for each respective variation. Therefore, a robotic work cell with a high degree of flexibility was needed.

Fast changeover between different variations had to be possible, and new variations have to be teachable in an easy way. Additional difficulties arose from the assembly process itself: the insertion of the valve piston is difficult to realize with conventional industrial robots due to small cylindrical tolerances of the assembly components, which are below the robot’s positional accuracy. Also, the quality of the coupling between the piston and valve section has to be evaluated as part of the assembly sequence to avoid significant amounts of rework during subsequent manufacturing operations.

The developed robot cell prototype is based upon the KUKA LBR iiwa lightweight robot (Fig. 2). Most industrial robots are programmed and controlled based on positions. Thus, the positional accuracy of the respective robot limits its applicability. The KUKA LBR iiwa is equipped with torque sensors on all of its joints. By comparing the measured with the expected torques (considering f.i. the current motion and load), external torques and forces (such as reaction forces during assembly operations) can be detected. Using a specific control mode (impedance control), the robot also is able to react to those forces and torques in specific ways—e.g., a virtual compliance can be assigned to certain axes or Cartesian motion directions. Other possibilities are to let the robot generate a defined contact force or force oscillation.

These capabilities are used in the demonstrator cell to automate the challenging assembly steps of the targeted use-case.

The most critical process (being the valve piston insertion) was solved using an oscillating motion of the robot’s end-effector in combination with a (program-wise) reduced Cartesian stiffness of the robot. Due to the reduced stiffness, the robot compensates positional and angular deviations, while the oscillating motion avoids jamming between the different edges on the piston and the valve section. After successfully assembling the piston, the robot performs a force-based quality check of the piston coupling, which is mimicking a currently performed manual quality check operation, but allows the definition of quality threshold values and the detailed documentation of this quality check. Only sections where the piston coupling meets specifications are assembled further. Possible malfunctions that can be detected using this test are that the piston cannot be shifted correctly within the valve section (due to a too-tight coupling) or that the valve section has impermissible leakage (due to a too-loose coupling).

 FIG. 3: (left) Loose supply of the assembly components (right) Components pre-separated by the robot  FIG. 4: (below) Validation of the assembly cell in the facilities of Bucher Hydraulics S.p.A., Reggio Emilia

In total, almost 20 different assembly operations have been realized.

All of them have been packaged into separate functions of the robot cell.

Utilizing these functions, the automatic generation of the assembly sequence for different valve section variations has been realized. The cell operator only has to load the production plan (including valve variations that have to be produced and the respective batch sizes) and has to ensure that all required assembly components are available in the work cell.

The form of supply of the assembly components has been another important aspect during development of the prototype assembly cell.

Due to cost and space constraints, a presorting of the different assembly components in matrizes or magazines is not possible. Instead, almost all components can be supplied loosely in small boxes, as it is the case for the current manual workstation. The robot then performs a pre-separation of the components and then grasps the pre-separated parts using a 2D-vision system (Fig. 3).

The described assembly cell prototype has been set up at the Bucher Hydraulics facilities in Reggio Emilia (Fig. 4) and was deployed during several days of production in November 2015. During this period, the robustness of the individual assembly processes and the overall cell performance have been evaluated. Based on the experiences of this test-deployment, a modified version of the assembly cell will be developed by a robotics integrator.

For more information on the SMErobotics project, visit www.smerobotics.org.

REFERENCE 1 The SMErobotics project is funded by the European Union’s 7th Framework Programme under Grant Number 287787.

www.IFPS.org • January/February 2016 • www.FluidPowerJournal.com

41

VPOSITIONERS ALVE OFFER IMPROVED CONTROL VALVE PERFORMANCE By David Matherly, Spirax Sarco Inc.

Valve positioners have changed the way actuated control valves respond within a process control loop. By adding either a pneumatic or electro-pneumatic positioner to the valve, both single-acting and double-acting actuators can be precisely positioned and controlled. The valve can become an integral part of a digitally controlled system that relays both valve health and diagnostic information to assure that the loop maintains set point within a desired accuracy. This article details the many advantages of installing and applying a positioner to a basic, pneumatically actuated control valve package.

CONTROL VALVE BASICS

The operation of a control valve involves positioning its plug relative to the stationary seat within the valve. An actuator is directly coupled to the valve plug via the stem and moves the valve plug to the desired control position. A pneumatic or electric actuator is normally used to control this valve plug position. Pneumatically actuated control valves function either air-to-open or air-to-close. Air-to-open valves are normally held closed by a spring and require an air pressure to open; air-to-close valves are normally held open by a spring and require air pressure to close them. The mechanical design of the valve and actuator combination determines which way the actuator functions, but the desired fail-safe condition determines which type is applied (in case of plant instrument air failure).

A computer, controller, PLC, thermostat, or other electrical-controlling device sends an analog electrical signal directly to an electric actuator or through a current/voltage-to-pneumatic converter or electro-pneumatic positioner to a pneumatic actuator. The signal is based

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upon the desired system set point and modulates the valve linearly more open or more closed. By automating valves in this manner, they can be used to directly and/or indirectly control temperatures, pressures, and flows within an open or closed-loop system.

Heat exchangers are a common type of closed-loop control application where both pneumatically and electrically actuated control valves can be used to regulate water, steam, and condensate. A partial graphical representation of a typical heat exchanger utilizing a control valve is shown in Fig. 1.

VALVE POSITIONER

As modern heat exchange system design demands higher efficiencies, so has the need for improving control valve performance. Closely matching heat exchanger performance with process system demands while generating minimal waste adds up to real savings. The accurate modulation and control of valves that offer fast response and accuracies within 2% of set point adds up to less waste steam and condensate fall-out and removal. Some of the advantages of using valve positioners include the following features:

\\ FASTER SPEED OF RESPONSE

A heat exchanger that does not respond quickly enough to temperature changes brought on by process load changes/upsets to the steam system can be caused by something as simple as an incorrect hot water or steam valve or valve actuator being used. Everything from poor system or piping redesign to added demand caused by facility expansion can result in this slow response. Changing from an electrically actuated valve to a pneumatically actuated valve that utilizes a positioner can sometimes make the difference provided the

heat exchanger can still meet the facility’s capacity requirements.

With the correctly sized pneumatic actuator, the valve reacts faster than its electrically actuated counterpart and can keep up with faster-changing hot water demand.

\\ CONTROL HIGHER OR VARYING DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURES ACROSS VALVE

If higher differential pressures or varying differential pressures across the valve plug cause the valve position to change, the positioner automatically adjusts the air pressure to the actuator to “re-position” the plug according to the control signal. When a positioner is used, the valve has its own closed-loop control based upon the input signal and stem position feedback. This is accomplished through the stem position feedback linkage, pneumatic amplification relay, and adjustment of the output pressure to the actuator according to the input control signal. This closed-loop control circuit is integral to the positioner and therefore maintains consistent closing and opening forces (thrust) dictated by the differential and valve position.

\\ CONTROL OF LARGE DIAPHRAGM/PISTON ACTUATORS

Larger diaphragm or piston-actuated control valves can require increased air volumes, increased forward and reverse flows, and increased air pressures that are not generated by traditional converters (I/P or E/P). For example, a larger pneumatic diaphragm-style actuator may have an internal volume of 0.30 ft3 (cubic feet) that must be filled in order to move a valve fully to the open or closed position. If a positioner is used that has a forward and reverse flow rating of 0.07 scfs (standard cubic feet per second), that same valve will open or close within 4.3 seconds. Without the use of a positioner, the open or closing time can be very long. Most I/P and E/P converters are only rated for 0.02 scfs forward flow volumes and have reverse flow volumes of even less. So a valve may open within the required system response time but close at an unacceptable rate.

Positioners also supply air pressures to the actuator at or near their supply pressures to move the valve into the desired position. They become the “powering force” regardless of how much air pressure (psi) is required to the actuator in order to move the valve where it needs to be to achieve force-balance equilibrium. An I/P or E/P converter cannot and does not operate in this manner. The converter supplies an output pressure based upon the linear electrical control input signal only. Usually, their pressure spans are within 30 psi with normal operating ranges of 3-15, 3-27, or 6-30. Those air delivery pressures can only be changed by 2-3 psi. While the electro-pneumatic positioner may receive the same type of linear electrical control input signal, it is not bound by the calibrated operating range restrictions. It will deliver pressures all the way up to its regulated supply setting to the actuator.

Being able to deliver these higher pressures is very helpful, especially in overcoming the negative effects of hysteresis and deadband that are always present within larger actuator and valve combinations.

Friction is the most common contributor to these negative effects and is always in opposition to the air pressure generated from the control signal at dynamic conditions. The positioner is always comparing desired set point with the stem position and adjusting the air pressure to the actuator so that the friction effects are minimized.

\\ CONTROL ACTION CHANGE

The concept of control action is more easily understood by considering a pneumatically actuated control valve that is air-to-open with an electro-pneumatic positioner installed. With direct control action, as the electrical input signal to the positioner increases, so does the pneumatic output from the positioner to the actuator. The valve opens and modulates proportionally while flow through the valve increases or decreases accordingly.

With reverse control action, as the electrical input signal to the positioner increases, the pneumatic output from the positioner to the actuator decreases. Sometimes system design changes due to piping

Fig.1

In order for a pneumatically actuated valve to interface with an electric control signal generated by a controlling device, there are three methods of controlling valve position: a current/voltageto-pneumatic converter (I/P or E/P), a converter and pneumatic positioner combination, or the electro-pneumatic valve positioner. Choosing a valve positioner for control offers several significant advantages over using a converter only.

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43

re-routing or logic control changes within the controller, computer, or DDC require a control valve to operate in this manner. While the use of a positioner cannot change the valve’s function, it can switch its control action from direct to reverse and vice versa.

\\ SPLIT-RANGING CAPABILITY

Many domestic hot water heat exchangers have two control valves of different sizes installed on the same control loop to handle wide-ranging system flow demand changes. A split-range set-up of those valves is a common method of calibration and set-up where positioners make this possible. Their flexible span and zero adjustments allow a valve’s travel and stroke to be shifted around within its range. In normal operation, a control valve’s full stroke will follow the full span of the input control signal. For example, an electro-pneumatic positioner that accepts a 4 mA to 20 mA analog input current will normally stroke a control valve from 0% to 100% of its travel respectively. If the positioner is split-ranged, the valve will travel 0% to 100% with only a corresponding 4 mA to 12 mA input current. In both examples, the valve’s span is shifted in relation to the input current signal.

Split-ranging the positioner as described above allows one (smaller) valve to control at lower system demand while the other (larger) valve controls when system demand is higher.

Fig. 2 shows the relationship between the positioner input signal and valve travel when two control valve positioners are split-ranged.

Notice that the second valve does not begin to open until the input signal to the positioner is at 50% of span.

\\ CHANGE OF CONTROL VALVE FLOW CHARACTERISTIC

Installed inherent flow characteristics (design characteristic) of a control valve are determined by the type of plug, seat, cage, etc. that are used. Sometimes that linearization of a non-linear flow characteristic is necessary so that the process valve gain is constant, regardless of the controller output. Changing or adjusting the flow profile is necessary to tighten control accuracy and improve performance.

Depending on the design and type of positioner, linearization can be accomplished by switching a mechanical cam or by digitally/ electronically reprogramming a new performance curve into the positioner. Utilizing a positioner to change the inherent flow characteristic can be a more cost-effective solution than installing a new valve or changing out the valve trim.

Valve A

Fig.2

Valve B

100%

t

Valve Travel

50%

0

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Positioner Input Signal

44

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\\ LIMITED TRAVEL WITH REDUCED LIFT

Reducing the amount of lift or limiting a valve’s travel is sometimes required in a control system for performance or safety reasons. Valves are sometimes mistakenly oversized, resulting in inefficient operation at the lower 5-10% of their travel. Similar to split-ranging the input signal to match the full stroke of the valve, as described in the previous section, the positioner’s pneumatic output signal can be compressed to match the full electrical signal input. This allows full input resolution of the control signal to be applied to the first 5-10% of the valve stroke. But there is a trade-off between a valve’s ability to respond to small control signal changes and having more input span resolution.

Hysteresis and deadband effects are greatly amplified and can negatively affect control valve performance with such a high “turndown.”

Operating a control valve in this manner should only be a temporary measure until an appropriately sized valve can be installed.

Sometimes a valve’s travel or lift is limited for safety reasons or process protection. If the positioner’s set-up and calibration is changed for these reasons, the installation of a mechanical travel stop should immediately follow. Mechanically limiting the travel assures that the valve will not open beyond this point in the event of a positioner failure and does not cause an unsafe condition.

\\ DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS/DIAGNOSTICS CAPABILITY

Microprocessor-based electro-pneumatic valve positioner designs have not only allowed manufacturers to move away from using mechanical cams for determining stroke (and flow) characteristics, but they have also offered the ability to embed significant intelligence and communications into the electronics. This can be very advantageous when interfacing the positioner to control systems that utilize digital communications, such as HART®, BACnet®, Modbus®, or LonWorks® protocols.

Sensors within the positioner now provide information associated with valve stroke and thrust, output pressures to the actuator, enclosure temperature, valve seat/plug wear, and valve performance. Onboard diagnostics and alerts are commonplace within digital valve positioners along with historian data logging of abnormal valve performance events. But added intelligence does come with an added cost.

Depending on the type of digital positioner selected, the added technological complexity can be intimidating. In order to take advantage of the additional information, sometimes operations, engineering, and maintenance personnel must become familiar with many more control parameters and process variables. Software utility applications that allow valve positioner interfacing to a central computerized control system or PC are the most common methods of monitoring and changing those parameters. Using a software utility can ease the complexity through its display of graphical views of valve parameters. The software helps the end user interactively set-up, tune, and maintain the control valve/positioner and save the configuration into a software file for later reference or download.

The use of a valve positioner can solve simple and complex control valve problems along with offering significant performance and accuracy improvements to a control system.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David Matherly is a product manager for controls and instrumentation with Spirax Sarco, Inc. He has more than 30 years of experience in instrumentation and controls, and has held engineering, product management, marketing, and technical positions. For more information, email david.matherly@us.spiraxsarco.com or visit www. spiraxsarco.com.

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Dan Helgerson, CFPAI, CFPS, sits on the International Fluid Power Society Board of Directors and is the technical editor for the Fluid Power Journal. He can be reached at dhelgerson@ fluidpowerjournal.com.

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