FLUID POWER WORLD DECEMBER 2021

Hydraulic fittings selection p. 34

Walking on air with IIoT p. 38

A primer on sensors and switches p. 42

www.fluidpowerworld.com

December 2021

Direct drives tackle rugged marine applications PAGE 28

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FLUIDLINES Mary C. Gannon • Editor

A refreshing — and useful — change I’m the first to admit I struggle with change. When something works and it’s already good, I become frustrated when the powers that be feel the need to change things. But change can be welcome. Change that will help others is never a bad thing. But changing just to change, changing because others think you need to … that’s where I stumble.

If you visit our website regularly, you may notice a change. Not in the fundamentals of who we are or how we serve our audience, but in how we deliver some of our content to you.

We recently completed a minor facelift to the home page of www.fluidpowerworld.com. Some categories changed to make it easier for our website visitors to better find the content they are looking for. So instead of Articles, you’ll now see Technologies. That first tab is further broken up into various component technologies, separated by hydraulic or pneumatic uses. We felt this would be a more functional way for our readers to find content — whether it’s basic FAQs, deeply technical articles, products, or industry news — relevant to the specific technologies they may be searching for.

Additionally, we have added two new menu items — Engineering Basics and Trending. Engineering Basics houses all our FAQs and basics articles on what components are, where they are used, how to specify and maintain them, common problems, troubleshooting tips and more. This is a great location to have your new fluid power engineers visit on a regular basis to get a handle on the many technologies they may be designing with in the future.

Under the Trending category, we’re bringing popular content under one umbrella on hot topics such as electrification, IoT, autonomous vehicles, the state of the industry, and more. Here, you will find the latest in system and machine innovations and where the future will take the fluid power industry.

Here is change I can be excited about. We at Fluid Power World look forward to continuing to bring you the best content out there on hydraulics and pneumatics technologies and we hope you find this facelift one worth celebrating.

Wishing all of our readers a happy New Year in 2022!

FPW

Mary C. Gannon • Editor mgannon@wtwhmedia.com On Twitter @DW_marygannon

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FROM THE FIELD Paul J. Heney • VP, Editorial Director

What’s coming in 2022 for fluid power At the NFPA’s recent economic update meeting in Cleveland, Jim Meil of ACT Research Co. LLC talked to attendees about what’s ahead for the industry, from an economics perspective. Meil sees a COVID recovery through 2021, and “into 2022-2023 and beyond,” which is good news for fluid power manufacturers.

Meil sees some definite problems in the current economy, though: • • • • •

We can’t satisfy customer demand We can’t get materials, or at least not in an affordable manner Because of inflation, we can’t control costs We can’t find good workers We can’t guarantee delivery times for products

Meil also noted that while there’s prosperity to be had, good times are hard work, so we can’t sit back and relax.

But he sees plenty of good news, too. Machinery and equipment demand is very, very strong. There’s a competitive advantage for asset holders; just examine the asset and property prices.

“Take a look at the stock market,” Meil said. “If you own assets now, you’re in a strong, commanding position. Year-end holidays will be frantic, so for anybody who deals in the world of materials and transportation, know that it’s going to be crazy out there.

And the general proposition … is goods are in and services are, if not out, at least iffy. It’s a struggle if you’re in lodging, if you are in personal transportation like airlines, if you’re in entertainment. It’s

much tougher than being in the goods manufacturing and goods distribution world.”

Concerning construction equipment, Meil notes that a solid turnaround was in place already. “There was talk about infrastructure, but now apparently, it’s a reality,” he said.

And for U.S. farm machinery, there was a peak about a year ago, but he thinks that the market should see a tailwind in 2022 from commodity prices and demand from China. Oil & gas equipment is in the midst of a multi-year depression, but that is starting to turn positive as oil prices escalate. Meil said that oil prices of roughly $80/ bbl is a game-changer for that industry.

“This is a promising market as we start to see a turnaround. I think that’s a solid bet for 2022 and 2023. After that, energy is a crazy field. And then you also have this thought of a political will towards putting constraints on hydrocarbons as an energy source, so you have that element of growth,” Meil said.

FPW

Paul J. Heney

VP, Editorial Director pheney@wtwhmedia.com

On Twitter @wtwh_paulheney

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DECEMBER 2021

C ontents |

vol 8 no 7

|

fluidpowerworld.com

12

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2021

F E AT U R E S MARINE HYDRAULICS

Direct drives tackle rugged marine applications Hydraulic drives and effective maintenance strategies are key to success in demanding offshore environments.

HYDRAULIC FITTINGS

How to find the right fittings for your hydraulic system With a myriad of choices available, it is critical you fully understand your system needs before choosing your hydraulic fittings.

COMPRESSED AIR

Why manufacturers are walking on air with IIoT Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies are placing compressed air systems front and center, despite usually being in the shadows.

SENSING TECHNOLOGIES

A primer on sensing technologies Sensors and switches in fluid power use electronics to gauge critical system parameters, such as pressure, temperature, position, level and more.

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28 34 38

D E PA R T M E N T S

42

02

FluidLines

04

From The Field

08

Korane’s Outlook

10

Association Watch

12

Design Notes

16

Fundamentals

18

Safety

20

Maintenance

22

R&D

24

Distributor Update

26

Energy Efficiency

46

Products

51 Component Focus

ON THE COVER

A new generation of compact, hydraulic direct drives meets the needs of workboat and offshore environments for winches, trenchers and more. | courtesy of Adobe Stock

12 • 2021

SILVER NATIONAL AWARD

SILVER REGIONAL AWARD

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KORANE’S OUTLOOK Ken Korane • Contributing Editor

Why hydraulic efficiency is becoming critical Volvo’s L25 electric wheel loader delivers up to six hours of work per charge, depending on the environment and task at hand.

OEMs are developing moreefficient hydraulics to further extend charging intervals on battery powered equipment. | Courtesy of VolvoCE

Given the heightened attention on climate change and growing regulatory attempts to rein in CO2 emissions, the push toward electrification of mobile equipment is gaining momentum. Mobile OEMs are in the infancy of a major transformation toward electric-powered systems, but success in large part hinges on more-efficient fluid power systems.

Why does hydraulic efficiency matter? At December’s NFPA/FPIC virtual conference on Eco-Friendly Fluid Power Systems, Marty Christianson, market manager for E-Mobility at HYDAC Corp., offered a straightforward explanation by comparing conventional and e-drive machines.

In a typical machine like a wheel loader, he said, a diesel engine powers the main pump, which drives hydraulic functions such as steering, hydrostatic travel, and bucket tilt and lift. The diesel engine itself is quite 8

FLUID POWER WORLD

12 • 2021

inefficient, converting only about 35% of the available chemical energy in the fuel tank into mechanical energy to power the pump and other tasks. The rest is wasted as heat through the radiator or exhaust out the stack. The hydraulic system is perhaps 60% efficient due to frictional and flow losses in the pump, lines, manifolds, valves, and actuators. At the end of the day, a conventional machine is only about 12% efficient at converting energy in the tank into functional work.

In what Christianson calls Phase 1 of electrification, or the proof-of-concept stage, OEMs are removing the engine and replacing it with a single electric motor and batteries, with no change to the hydraulics.

The battery and inverter have virtually no losses and the e-motor offers up to 95% efficiency. Now, with the same hydraulics, the overall machine runs about 30% efficient. But that also means much of the battery power is wasted because of lessthan-optimal hydraulics. www.fluidpowerworld.com

In each case, say we upgrade the system design and components to boost hydraulic efficiency by 20% at a reasonable cost of around $5,000. On the conventional vehicle, that might save the user five gallons of fuel per day and would not be worthwhile in terms of ROI. Because the diesel engine is so inefficient, even highly efficient hydraulics plays a minor role in reducing actual energy loss of the entire system.

With an electric machine, in contrast, the hydraulics becomes very important as it accounts for almost two-thirds of the losses.

The same circuit upgrade might boost overall machine efficiency from 30 to 50%, and that brings several very tangible benefits.

One is longer intervals between battery recharges. Equipment can operate for extended periods between charges with higher overall output, offering a significant competitive advantage. Then there’s battery cost. Wasting energy on a less-efficient system, in turn, requires a bigger battery for the same performance. Larger battery packs will add tens of thousands of dollars in upfront costs. And outsized batteries weigh a lot more, which means a lower load capacity and lower productivity.

So it becomes critically important to examine hydraulic efficiency on an electric machine, particularly as OEMs look beyond Phase 1 to more advanced electrified architectures where the efficiency of every function will be scrutinized.

Forward-looking equipment builders are focused on energy-efficient hydraulic components and systems, as they have a direct impact on the type and size of batteries and motors. Ideas abound, from variable speed motor-pump drives that only run on demand, common-rail and decentralized systems, and valveless circuits to high-VI fluid additives, low ΔP filters and 3D printed manifolds with optimal flow paths. In the end, successful development of extremely efficient hydraulics will enable the requisite e-machine performance that customers demand.

Otherwise, electromechanical alternatives will eventually win the day.

FPW

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ASSOCIATION WATCH Edited by Mary Gannon • Editor

IIFPS launches Hydraulic Specialist Interactive Study Manual The International Fluid Power Society (IFPS) has updated and launched its Hydraulic Specialist (HS) Interactive Study Manual. Whether you are preparing for the HS Certification test or just want to boost your skills, the HS Interactive Study Manual makes learning easier.

Purchasing the manual gives you access for one year, allowing users to learn and understand at their own pace.

The online study manual includes: • Voice explanation for each circuit • Three sets of additional pre-test questions (only available in the Interactive Study Manual) • Interactive quizzes at the end of each section • Reworded complex topics for easier comprehension, additional examples, and enhanced graphics to support the material • Streamlined equation formulas and subsequent text describing how to compute complex formulas for ease of calculation • “Bar” has been added to the equations whenever pressure units are used to reflect the relevance to the fluid power industry.

Visit ifps.org/hydraulic-interactive to order.

FPW

Registration open for NFPA’s 2022 Annual Conference in Phoenix Registration is now open for the 2022 NFPA Annual Conference, taking place at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix from February 22-24. This members-only event will offer ample opportunities to network in-person with top fluid power executives as well as enriching presentations from expert speakers covering topics like geopolitical events, executive wellness and retaining employees in a high turnover environment. | Courtesy of Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort

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For those unable to travel, there will also be a virtual option that allows users access to live-streamed and recorded content from the three-day event for a limited time. Inperson attendees will also have access to this content portal to view on-demand sessions after the event.

The event will also host the NFPA Foundation Golf Fundraiser. This is an excellent opportunity to network informally with industry peers as well as raise money for the workforce programs shaping the minds of future fluid power professionals.

The fundraiser offers the choice of three donation levels featuring varying player perks and sponsor exposure.

Emerging company leaders are also encouraged to register for the conference and join NFPA’s Future Leaders Program.

Participants will have access to exclusive

www.fluidpowerworld.com

networking and educational opportunities and enjoy a reduced registration rate.

For members joining in-person, hotel reservations at the NFPA rate of $399/night will only be available until January 21, 2022, or until the block is full. Attendees who register by January 14 will be entered in NFPA’s Suite Deal Contest, which will bump two registrants to free, upgraded rooms. The contest is only available to members who have 1.) registered for the conference 2.) booked their hotel room and 3.) have either added a spouse/guest to their registration or are representing a company with more than one registered and booked employee.

Learn more at nfpahub.com/events.

Visit fluidpowerhalloffame.org for full bios on all 2021 recipients.

FPW

Last call for IFPE 2023 Education Content Proposals The International Fluid Power Exposition (IFPE) has announced a call for education content proposals for the event that showcases the latest innovations and expertise in the fluid power, power transmission and motion control industries. IFPE will be held March 14-18, 2023, in Las Vegas. The event is co-located with the largest construction equipment trade show in North America, CONEXPO-CON/AGG. Proposals are due no later than December 31.

IFPE features targeted education events that provide crucial information on new fluid power, power transmission and motion control technologies to engineers and others involved in the design and manufacturing process.

“Automation, digitization, electrification, these aren’t just ‘buzz words,’ they’re real concepts that are propelling the fluid power industry forward,” said John Rozum, IFPE show director. “From smart systems and energy efficiency to machine safety and motion control, the technology of tomorrow is out there today. We’re looking for the experts who can bring these technologies to life, share their insights and help show attendees gain valuable knowledge that they can take back to their businesses.”

“IFPE provides a dynamic global resource for industry professionals to keep up with the latest advances and interact with the fluid

power community,” said Eric Lanke, president and CEO of the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA), who co-owns the show. “This is where engineers come to learn everything to help their company stay at the forefront, and we’re looking for people who are at the forefront of fluid power to present their insights.”

If you have cutting-edge knowledge to share, this is your opportunity to share best practices, updates, and case studies.

The topics of interest for 2023 should include a focus that fits within the following areas: • • • • • • • •

IoT- Smart Systems/Connected Systems Electrification of Vehicle Powertrains (Hybrid to fully electric) Electrification of motion control Equipment Up-Time Optimization and Availability Energy Efficiency Machine Safety Autonomous Equipment/Machines Professional Development (career development, workforce issues, economics)

Proposals are due no later than December 31. Submissions will be evaluated by the IFPE 2023 Education Committee. Those accepted will be notified by mid-March 2022.

For inquiries regarding the program, please contact: Helen Horner hhorner@aem.org, 414-298-4179.

Abstracts can be submitted at ifpe2023callforsessions.cfp.lineup.ninja.

FPW

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DESIGN NOTES Edited by Mary C. Gannon • Editor

Editor’s note: This month, rather than our normal Design Notes section, we wanted to highlight the winners in our 2021 LEAP Awards (Leadership in Engineering Achievement Program), with five key technologies in fluid power that were recognized for being innovative and forward-thinking products serving the design engineering space. Read the following to learn about two mobile hydraulic designs and three innovations in the pneumatic space. Visit mobilehydraulictips.com and pneumatictips.com for more details on these winning designs.

Mobile technologies dominate LEAP Hydraulics category Winners of the 2021 LEAP Awards were announced with products across 12 categories. This annual competition saw a record number of submissions. This year’s winners were chosen by an independent judging panel of 12 engineering and academic professionals.

Of note, two technologies geared towards mobile machinery notched the silver and bronze awards for the hydraulics category.

Garnering the silver award was HydraForce with its IoT capabilities.

HydraForce’s IoT Solutions has changed the landscape for servicing mobile hydraulic equipment. Traditionally, software updates and support for a fleet vehicle or machine would require a trip to the field from a service technician or engineer. The development of IoT solutions allows for internet connectivity of mobile equipment to the cloud, making it possible to operate vehicles remotely, plus perform machine telemetry and analysis — all in real time.

HydraForce partnered with Epec Oy to offer IoT and telematics products for mobile hydraulic equipment applications. It includes Epec’s GlobE and GatE cloud-based service plus the new HydraForce ERAU 6200 remote access unit that can be paired with HydraForce electronic control units (ECUs).

TheHydraForceERAU-6200 is the communication link that processes data between GlobE and GatE and mobile 12

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12 • 2021

HydraForce’s IoT capabilities

machinery. This versatile remote access unit has multiple use cases, including: • • • • • •

Logging and analyzing machine data Continuous condition monitoring of machinery Optimizing use of resources Machine tracking/geolocation Remote desktop control of machine calibration Smartphone access to machine controls, operator and service manuals

HydraForce’s IoT solution reduces fleet service costs and improves uptime of mobile equipment. It may be retrofitted to existing machinery already equipped with electrohydraulic controls. And it allows new www.fluidpowerworld.com

equipment manufacturers to build in this capacity paired with a HydraForce premier hydraulic control solutions package.

Technology is advancing the way equipment is operated and serviced.

HydraForce IoT improves machine efficiency by providing crucial data to fleet operators.

Continually monitoring performance allows for preventative maintenance to take place before equipment fails.

For the bronze award, Eaton (now part of Danfoss) was recognized for its CMT valve section for the CMA advanced mobile valve.

The CMT section uses a twin-spool architecture to control two separate machine functions independently. It provides highly accurate meterin flow control and is software configurable.

Features include CAN communication, onboard sensors, digital flow sharing, and electronic load sensing, which provide precise flow control and high responsiveness.

By controlling two machine services from one section, instead of the one service that’s typical of sectional valves, CMT can reduce the total number of sections needed in a valve bank by as much as 50%, minimizing valve bank size and weight.

The CMT section’s greatest advantage is that it enables OEMs to tailor the hightech CMA valve for all vehicle requirements: CMA sections can be used for services that demand superior precision and control, while streamlined CMT sections can be used for standard machine functions. The availability of two stackable section options enables OEMs to reduce overall system cost without sacrificing performance.

The CMT valve section is ideal for hydraulic services such as bucket, clamping, extension, outriggers, and auxiliary functions on mobile machinery.

In 2016, Eaton introduced the CMA advanced mobile valve. It was — and still is — one of the industry’s most technologically advanced sectional mobile valves. Featuring independent metering, on-board electronics and advanced control algorithms, the CMA valve can solve long-standing mobile machine challenges such as boom stability, feed force control and more.

CMA valve with two CMT sections and two CMA sections

A challenge with the CMA valve, like most high-tech products, is its price point. In addition, the CMA valve’s precision and control is not required on every machine service. Think of an aerial fire engine, for example. With a CMA section serving the boom, firefighters can deploy the ladder faster, achieve greater placement accuracy, and significantly reduce boom bounce. This advanced functionality is not required for the truck’s outriggers — a more standard level of control is sufficient.

Prior to the introduction of CMT, every service on that fire truck had to use a CMA section, regardless of whether it was needed.

Now, with the availability of the CMT section, machine designers can tailor the valve for each machine function. Services that require the superior precision and control of independent metering, such as the fire engine boom, can use CMA. Services that require only accurate meter-in control, such as the outriggers, can use CMT. The capability to stack the two section options, combined with CMT’s ability to control two services from one section — which can reduce the total number of sections needed — lowers the price point of the CMA valve, making it a more feasible option for mid-range machinery.

FPW

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12 • 2021

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DESIGN NOTES

Pneumatics category highlights wireless and vacuum technologies Taking the gold in the 2021 LEAP Awards in the Pneumatics category was Emerson’s Wireless Auto Recovery Module (ARM). The wireless ARM improves AVENTICS Series G3 electronic fieldbus valve system’s capability by enabling wireless connectivity that is the first of its kind. The wireless ARM, paired with the Series G3 fieldbus valve system, replaces conventional hard-wired solutions to integrate communication interfaces and input/output capabilities to pneumatic valve manifolds.

The judges commented: “Great product, which would really help in the setting up and diagnostics of pneumatic systems, without actually physically connecting up to the system.

This makes maintenance easier and increases practicality.”

The wireless ARM is engineered to be easily added as a clip into existing G3 fieldbus platforms. Compared to hardwired solutions, the Series G3 fieldbus valve system simplifies commissioning, installation and integration of pneumatic valves into the overall automation system. This enables faster start-ups and enhanced diagnostics that help identify problems earlier and faster, contributing to increased equipment uptime and greater productivity. The wireless ARM provides real-time access to pneumatic component diagnostics and enables easy valve system commissioning and configuration wirelessly.

Sensor data from pneumatic devices networked through the G3 fieldbus platforms are sent via secured Wi-Fi connection to a web-based dashboard that can be accessed by a smart device.

Emerson’s Wireless Auto Using the wireless ARM allows the valve Recovery Module (ARM) manifolds to be fully commissioned and monitored prior to machine startup, which includes setting operational thresholds and alarm settings.

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www.fluidpowerworld.com

Festo’s pressure and

vacuum generator PGVA

Festo took the silver with its pressure and vacuum generator PGVA. Many in-vitro diagnostic, pharmaceutical and other life science applications use air pressure and vacuum to reliably and safely accomplish critical liquid control tasks, from pipetting biological samples for clinical testing, to using precise air and vacuum to push samples and reagents through “lab on a chip” microfluidic applications.

Pressure and vacuum used in fluidic/ microfluidic processes needs to be precisely controlled, frequently down to 10 millibars (mb) – much less than the air pressure changes inside a typical lab on any given day. The air must be free of particulate that might contaminate the system or clog fluid passages. Typical solutions require large tanks of compressed gas, or using industrial compressed air, which requires extensive treatment to meet the moisture and filtration requirements for lab use.

The Festo PGVA fills all the pressure and vacuum requirements required for low volume fluidic aspiration, dispensing, and flow control in a box not much larger than an abridged dictionary. Pressure is supplied by a quiet 50 db pump and stored in internal pressure and vacuum cells at 750 mb pressure and vacuum. It is then filtered to –0.001 um purity, and finally controlled by a silent servo controlled piezoelectric regulator providing precise, clean air in a single 200 x 200 x 75-mm box.

Completing the package is software control via RS 232 or TCP/IP. With the single built in output, a designer can control a complete dispense system, using the simple GUI on PC in minutes. Modbus TCP allows control in more complex automated systems just as easily.

And finally, PHD Inc. won the bronze award for its FLEXION, an innovation in gripping technology inspired by the ultimate gripper: the human hand. The act of bending a finger — anatomically defined as flexion — gives the human hand a vast range of ability and adaptability. When actuated, FLEXION’s multiple joints perform as a human finger to conform and encapsulate a part or grip it by the fingertips. Adjustment of the operating pressure allows for a wide working range of usable force, providing industrial strength for demanding applications or a delicate touch for soft and sensitive product handling.

This uniquely configurable system consists of finger modules situated on either a parallel or radial gripper hub. Modules can be mounted in arrays of one to five

fingers in each position for adaptability offering an unmatched level of versatility and fulfilling a wide range of application requirements. Additionally, each finger can be equipped with two switches to sense positions providing feedback to controls.

The system supports ISO 9409 mounting standards, mounting directly to most robots on the market.

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PHD’s FLEXION gripper

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FUNDAMENTALS

By Josh Cosford • Contributing Editor

How can you prevent hydraulic cylinder drift?

Drift is the unintentional movement of a cylinder when it’s meant to be held in place by directional, PO check or counterbalance valves. The objective of many cylinder applications is to move a load to a predetermined position and maintain that position for various lengths of time. For example, a bucket lift used by utility providers to work on power lines absolutely requires a cylinder to lift to the desired position and stay there. Therefore, a drifting cylinder is disconcerting at best and dangerous at worst.

A cylinder may drift for various reasons, most of which offer us explanations for a drifting bucket lift application. First, assuming we start with a cylinder facing rod upwards in our lift application, we know pressurized fluid must remain in the cylinder’s piston side (cap side) until directed to exhaust by the operator. So long as the fluid is contained under pressure in the cylinder’s piston side volume, the cylinder is stable.

Should any fluid leave or leak from the piston side volume, the cylinder will lower (or drift) unintentionally. The cause of this drift may be directly attributed to the path the fluid takes to exit.

The most likely culprit of cylinder drift is the valve located closest to the cap side port. In most cases where the safe control of cylinders is required, a counterbalance valve is that closest valve.

A counterbalance valve is essentially a pilot-operated relief valve with a reverse flow check valve. As cap pressure exerts its force upon the port of the valve, its spring holds the valve closed until load pressure increases above the spring value.

However, only in rare circumstances does a counterbalance open directly from load pressure. If such is the case, you need a higher pressure valve or a larger actuator. A counterbalance valve should remain shut until it receives a pilot signal from the opposing work port, piloting the valve open to allow the cylinder to retract.

Should any leakage occur in the counterbalance valve, fluid may pass through to either the downstream or opposite work ports allowing the cylinder to drift.

Leaking piston seals may also allow a cylinder to drift … but sometimes not. With the above application using a single counterbalance valve, it’s recommended to use a float or open center spool in the directional valve, allowing the work ports

Stable cylinders are critical in lifting applications, where hydraulic cylinder drift could pose a risk. | Courtesy of Adobe Stock

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Poppet-style counterbalance valves offer the lowest leakage rate for directional or pressure valves. Always keep in mind that leakage in any form could result in drift. | Courtesy of Danfoss

to drain to tank in neutral. Opening the work ports to the tank ensures the counterbalance valve’s spring chamber remains drained and does not allow pressure additive to the spring value. With the above configuration, leaking piston seals will allow the cylinder to drift down as fluid leaks from the piston to the rod side of the cylinder.

However, if your cylinder is held aloft with just a closed center directional valve, you might assume that a cylinder with leaking piston seals could still drift downward. Fluid should travel from the cap side volume to the rod side volume, right?

Not at all, actually. Because the fluid volume in the rod side of the cylinder is smaller than the volume in the cap side of the cylinder, fluid has nowhere to go. You could literally remove the piston seals entirely, and the cylinder will only drop a fraction of an inch as the pressure equalizes inside the entire volume of the cylinder.

If your cylinder application employs a roddown configuration, it could absolutely drift to the bottom in some cases. This is because fluid quickly moves from the rod side of the cylinder to the piston side above when seals leak. This scenario may occur whether you have a closed center valve, counterbalance valves or even dual PO check valves, and is a sure sign your piston seals are shot.

The final example of cylinder drift occurs during a more unassuming situation. There are circumstances where hydraulic fluid leaks into a cylinder. Rare cases involve a positioning cylinder operated with no other valves than simply a directional valve with a closed center operated by a pressure compensated pump.

Should pressure in the tank line increase due to some restriction, fluid from the pressure compensated pump may leak towards the cylinders and expose the work ports to that fluid. Because of the differential area of the cylinder, the force acting upon the piston side overcomes the force on the annular area of the rod side, and the cylinder may drift forward.

Preventing drift

So we know how cylinder drift may occur, so let’s discuss how to prevent or remedy drift. The first step to prevent cylinder drift comes at the design stage. Going back to our first example with the counterbalance valve, you must understand how the valve interacts with the cylinder. Because a counterbalance valve is essentially a relief valve, there is always the chance it could crack open slightly if load pressure is too close to the valve’s spring setting.

A cylinder too small for the application may experience periods of load-induced pressure exceeding the maximum value of the spring inside the counterbalance valve.

It’s unlikely the load will drop catastrophically, but the poppet or spool in the valve may begin to crack open, allowing the cylinder to drift downward. Ensure that you choose your cylinder bore and counterbalance valve pressure range far enough apart never to experience pressure overlap.

Choosing the correct cylinder and seal package for your application is also essential.

Well-engineered and well-manufactured cylinders offer tighter clearances between their piston outside diameter and the cylinder barrel inside diameter. This tighter gap helps seals better prevent leakage not only when new but especially when worn. As well, higher quality cylinders are offered with better quality finishes, such as a chromed and honed finish to the barrel ID. The seal selection makes a difference because not all seal types work as effectively at sealing, strangely enough. Some seals, such as U-Cup or lip seals, offer low-friction designs better suited to high velocity or low friction applications requiring little or no static friction.

As a result, they’re designed to break away from a stop position more quickly and will “chatter” less in most applications. Under low pressure, a lip seal also has a better chance of leaking since they count on pressure pushing www.fluidpowerworld.com

the lips out against the wall surface, thereby improving their sealing.

An interference fit seal, such as a T-seal or crown seal, offers a superior guard against leakage, especially at lower pressure. However, it comes with more friction and the resulting reduction in maximum cylinder velocity.

However, many of the interference fit seal options are considered “leak-free” and will hold a load indefinitely should it be asked. And when these seals fail, you can get by in a pinch by replacing them with O-rings supported with backup rings.

It goes without saying that a cylinder must be adequately maintained to ensure the sealing material is always fresh and ready to do its job. If you neglect maintenance duties, such as proper cooling and filtration, you can expect your seals to fail prematurely. Even the most wellmaintained machines will still see their cylinder seals wear over time. To prevent leakage and drift from old, tired seals, ensure you have in stock replacement seals to execute a quick repair should cylinder drift become an issue.

Lastly, preventing leakage that causes cylinder drift comes down to choosing and maintaining the correct valves, whether directional or pressure. Although it’s not recommended to hold a load using only a closed port directional control valve, cylinder drift may still occur in applications, as discussed previously. Select high-quality spool valves which are machined with tighter clearances that are less likely to leak across any of its ports.

If you’re ever curious about the quality of your directional valve, plumb a 5-gallon accumulator to a work port charged to system pressure and then see how long it takes the pressure to decay. The faster the pressure decays, the more leakage it allows.

If you rely on counterbalance valves to hold a load, you may want to select only poppet-based valves. Spool valves are inherently leaky, and any sustained pressure at their work ports will result in some leakage.

Most reputable valve manufacturers publish the leakage rate of their valves, so compare valves to ensure you’re getting the lowest leakage valve possible. However, due to their cone and seat design, poppet valves offer the lowest leakage rate for directional or pressure valves. Always keep in mind that leakage in any form could result in drift.

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SAFETY

By Josh Cosford • Contributing Editor

How are ball valves used to ensure hydraulic safety?

In fluid power, safety is always a concern. Everyone understands the force capacity of hydraulic actuators (which explains why some YouTube hydraulic press channels have millions of subscribers). Indeed, a high-powered hydraulic press can make nearly any material appear no stronger than modelling clay. It’s wise to respect the power of hydraulics, so most machine operators know to stay out of the way for their safety. Some tricks to improve hydraulic machine safety are less common than counterbalance valves and rod locks.

Ball valves are on the same level as poppet valves in their ability to prevent the passage of hydraulic fluid. Their ball and socket design leaves little room for fluid passage, which makes them a great safety item. Any time you wish to absolutely block flow, the ball valve provides a solid option.

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For example, there may be circumstances when you want your hydraulic power unit active while preventing downstream functions from operating, such as when making adjustments on a pump’s pressure compensator while other parts of the machine remain safely inert. An electrical panel lockout prevents all hydraulic functions from operating. By adding a locking ball valve to the pressure line of the variable displacement piston pump, the maintenance team can lock out the pump only while allowing it to run on standby. Anyone working on the downstream portion of the machine will be safe.

Ball valves are underutilized for their capacity to prevent leaks and, therefore, oil spills. That same ball valve mounted directly to the port of your hydraulic motor may be closed during pump replacement to prevent the pump pressure line from draining. This tactic saves precious hydraulic fluid and prevents it from making a dangerous slip hazard all over the floor.

Did you know ball valves may be optioned with not only locks but also limit switches to monitor the valve position? Limit switches send their signal to the PLC to offer safety control logic. In most cases, a signal (or lack thereof) will prevent the machine from starting. When servicing a hydraulic power unit with flooded suction, the locking monitored ball valve offers a few safety benefits. The ball valve allows the technician to close the suction port to avoid draining the reservoir before servicing the pump.

The lock applied by the technician prevents anyone from accidentally closing or opening the ball valve with the pump disconnected. Draining forty gallons of fluid all over the floor also drains the wallet, never mind the massive slip hazard within a twenty-foot radius. Additionally, the limit switch attached to such a ball valve lets the PLC know the valve may still be locked open even after the pump is reinstalled. Finally, starting a pump with a blocked suction line is another method to quickly burn through your financial resources.

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MAINTENANCE

By Steve Skinner • on behalf of Webtec LLC

Troubleshooting - one step at a time It’s probably fair to say that modern machinery is less prone to unexpected breakdowns than its counterparts of 30 or 40 years ago. This is due mainly to an increased emphasis on reliability engineering together with the availability of low-cost sensors, monitoring devices and digital communications. But despite these improvements in processes and equipment, it’s still not possible to guarantee that breakdowns will be eliminated altogether. Maintenance engineers therefore still need to have both the skills and diagnostic equipment necessary to avoid costly and potentially dangerous machine breakdowns. But if breakdowns are now a more infrequent occurrence, then maintenance engineers will have had less experience at handling them compared to their colleagues of 30 or 40 years ago. Effective training in problem solving skills is therefore now more important than ever.

Whenever machinery does malfunction or break down completely, there is often a strong expectation to ‘get out there and do something’ since it’s likely that any breakdown is going to cost money.

Production may be lost, crops could spoil in the field, penalty clauses may be invoked due to a job not being finished on time and so on. So there is always a strong temptation just to jump in and be seen to be doing something and hope that it may solve the problem. If the same fault has occurred before, it’s very easy to assume that it must be caused by the same problem again. If the fault was rectified by changing the pump last time, then maybe it will again – or maybe not!

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It is important to follow a step-by-step process and list the possible causes of the fault; here are possible issues with a counterbalance valve.

The process of troubleshooting on any machine should follow a logical, stepby-step process which starts with finding out as much about the nature of the fault as possible. When conducting a medical diagnosis, a doctor will first of all question a patient about the symptoms of their illness or injury before carrying out any

tests. Maintenance engineers should adopt a similar approach by gathering as much information as possible from the machine operatives about the nature of the machine breakdown. Apart from faults which are immediately obvious, such as a burst hose for example, the next step is to understand how the machine and its associated controls

Maintenance engineers have many tools at their disposal to determine the cause of faults, such as pressure gauges.

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operates. Until it’s known how something works it’s difficult to think about what could go wrong with it. As well as questioning the machine operator, this will inevitably involve a paperwork exercise of reading machine manuals, studying circuit diagrams, etc. This is a vital step in the process, but again the temptation (or request) to ‘get out there and do something’ is often very compelling.

Having understood the machine operation, the next step is to draw up a list of possible causes of the problem. Some of the possible causes will be more likely than others and some will be easier to check than others, so the list should also be prioritized based on the most likely or easily checked causes. A preliminary examination can then be carried out on each of the possibilities. This stage will involve looking for any obvious signs of malfunction such as abnormal noise or heat, components incorrectly adjusted or leaking, loose wires or connectors, etc. The preliminary check need not involve any additional equipment or instrumentation other than that already installed. Rigorous safety procedures should be followed at this stage so as not to touch anything that may be excessively hot or allow pin-hole fluid leaks to penetrate the skin for example. Provided the list of possible causes is comprehensive and the preliminary check is carried out diligently, many machine faults can often be diagnosed at this stage.

If the cause of the fault is less obvious and can’t be located during the preliminary check, then additional instrumentation may be required.

Maintenance engineers now have available a wide selection of diagnostic equipment ranging, for example, from simple plug-in pressure gauges to thermal imaging cameras which can detect sources of excess heat generation. Portable and on-line equipment, such as fluid condition

monitoring instruments, also exist to help diagnose the root cause of component failures.

So although it may no longer be realistic to expect maintenance engineers to be fully familiar with the operation of all the machines under their care, if they have been trained in a logical troubleshooting process then no matter what problem arises, they should be able to locate and rectify the fault in a speedy and efficient manner.

This step-by-step approach is explained in Webtec’s Troubleshooting video which has been designed to contribute towards such training and is the fifth in a series of educational titles produced by Webtec. It explains a logical troubleshooting process with the aid of a worked example and highlights how even a quite difficult fault can be diagnosed by following the correct procedure and using the appropriate instrumentation.

To view this and the full series of training videos please visit Webtec’s Education page at en.webtec.com/education/training-videos/.

It’s not a web page, it’s an industry information site So much happens between issues of R&D World that even another issue would not be enough to keep up. That’s why it makes sense to visit rdworldonline.com and stay on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin. It’s updated regularly with relevant technical information and other significant news for the design engineering community.

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RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

By Mary C. Gannon • Editor

Purdue researchers raise tractor efficiency Purdue University researchers have undertaken a $3.2 million Dept. of Energy project to optimize the hydraulic systems that connect tractors and implements. “Fluid power is everywhere,” said Andrea Vacca, professor of mechanical engineering and agricultural and biological engineering, and director of the Maha Fluid Power Research Center, the largest academic hydraulics lab in the country.

“It’s used in airplanes, in cars, and in all kinds of heavy equipment. A tractor is an example of a vehicle that uses fluid power to actuate everything from the steering and propulsion, to powering the implements it pulls behind it.”

But powering the implements has proven to be a problem. The hydraulic control system of the tractor has shown only 20% efficiency when connected to the hydraulic systems of certain implements like planters, seeders and bailers.

“There’s a conflict in the controls, where the two systems are almost fighting each other,” said Patrick Stump, a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering. “As a result, when it’s connected to a planter, the tractor always has to run at extremely high power, which wastes fuel and increases emissions.”

In this study, funded through the DoE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Vacca’s team focused its attention on a specific combo of tractor and planter, both provided by Case New Holland Industrial, with hydraulic systems provided by Bosch Rexroth.

The planter is 40 feet wide, with 16 planting rows. Each row has multiple mechanisms working together to plant the seed. There is a cleaning wheel in front to remove existing vegetation. A cutting disc cuts a tiny ditch in the ground, a motor actually drives the seeds into the

A team of Purdue researchers led by Andrea Vacca (left) are working to optimize hydraulic control systems and make agricultural tractors and implements more efficient. | Courtesy of Purdue University/Jared Pike)

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Hydraulic Live Swivels Inline & 90° ground, a sprayer feeds water and fertilizer into the hole and then a final disc covers the hole.

Each of the 16 planting rows needs specific amounts of pressure to successfully plant the seeds. And all of them are powered by a single hydraulic system.

To optimize the tractor-planter combo, the researchers first needed to characterize the hydraulic system and build a simulation model. “These tractors are expensive and complex machines,” said Xin Tian, a Ph.D. student who developed the models over a four-year span.

“So we started by modeling individual components and testing them in a stationary condition in the lab. When those are accurate, we combine the component models into a system, and test and verify that the entire model is valid. The model is so big and complex, my team calls it The Monster.”

Once the model was thoroughly validated, the team developed systems they could test. “Different planting conditions require different amounts of pressure and flow rate. If the model shows promising improvements in power and efficiency, then we can begin to implement these changes under real-world conditions,” said Tian.

Finally came real-world tests, where the team outfitted the tractor-planter combo with a myriad of sensors. “We need to know how much power the tractor is consuming, what the hydraulic pumps are doing, and what the pressure and flow rates are throughout the planter,” said Jake Lengacher, a first-year Ph.D. student. “All of that wiring leads into a new data acquisition box we installed in the cab, so we have a full picture of what’s going on during a planting cycle.”

“We are very fortunate at Purdue,” Vacca said. The Maha Lab has ample space to test large machines under controlled conditions; and the College of Agriculture has lots of farm plots for field research. And because none of the team members had ever operated such a large tractor in the field, Case New Holland provided training to teach them how to drive.

“The sheer power of a 35,000-pound tractor with 435 horsepower, towing a 10,000-pound planter – it’s amazing,” Stump said. A lot going on in the cab demands a twoperson job, one to operate the planter and the other to monitor the data on a laptop.

The team conducted several runs in the spring of 2021, where they planted corn seeds at different pre-determined engine speeds and planting rates. Combing through the data, they found that their new hydraulic control systems translated into an overall 25% efficiency increase.

“Given the amount of fuel that a typical tractor consumes, that’s a massive improvement,” Vacca said. “And this is only the beginning. Our project goal is to double the efficiency of the overall hydraulic control system. In the future, we plan on instituting a pressure control approach for the control logic, which has never been attempted in agricultural vehicles.”

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DISTRIBUTOR UPDATE A staff report

FPDA rebrands as Motion Control Solutions Network at Industry Summit The Fluid Power Distributors Association was founded in 1974 by hydraulic and pneumatic distributors. Several years ago, FPDA widened its horizons and embraced other motion control technologies, becoming The FPDA Motion & Control Network. Now, the group is changing the look of the group with a new logo and tagline.

To better reflect technological advancements and recent trends in the motion control industry, the 46-year-old Fluid Power Distributors Association recently introduced new branding and a revised mission statement. The branding includes a new tagline that emphasizes the work FPDA members provide to their clients: “Motion Control Solutions Network.”

“Today hydraulics and pneumatics are almost always augmented with electromechanical motion control elements,” said FPDA President Jeff Behling. “Our members increasingly incorporate automation tools and robotics in the services they provide to their clients. Not only does the logo reflect modernity, but the tagline speaks directly to what our members do: solve problems with the latest innovative technologies.”

FPDA’s Board of Directors also refreshed the association’s mission statement to better reflect transformation in the industry. The new mission statement speaks to the value FPDA provides to its 140 distributor and manufacturer members: “To equip motion control solution providers with tools that drive growth, profitability, and innovation.”

“Our Board of Directors were extremely engaged as we rethought how our mission and branding should align with what we see in the motion control industry,” said FPDA 24

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Executive Director Amy Luckado. “Everyone was very ‘forward looking’ and eager to craft this new look and feel for the association.”

The branding and mission were introduced to members on October 4, during FPDA’s annual meeting of members.

More than 100 FPDA members joined colleagues from the Equipment Service Association and the International Sealing Distribution Association in Sandestin, Florida for the annual Industry Summit.

“When it comes to networking in the distribution business, nothing compares with being across a table or side-by-side at a reception,” said 2019-2021 FPDA President Kevin Kampe of Dallas-based Womack Machine Supply Company. “The Industry Summit is purposefully designed to maximize connections between distributors and manufacturers, both to create new relationships and strengthen existing ties.”

The event mixed social networking and industry presentations from the likes of marketing guru Gerry O’Brion, whose resume boasts marketing positions with Proctor & Gamble, Quiznos, and Coors Brewing. O’Brion shared his framework of influence designed to help companies stand out in a crowded marketplace.

During its annual meeting of members, FPDA Conference Chair Bill Haley welcomed attendees with a special recognition of new member companies and first-time summit participants. Kampe outlined successes over the past year, including new educational programming (the Joint Sales Workshop and economic forecast webinars by ITR Economics). Kampe also introduced the new branding for the association that better aligns with changes in the motion control industry and FPDA’s new mission statement. www.fluidpowerworld.com

Haley also shared FPDA’s newest initiative: Future Leaders in Motion. The mentorship program is designed for rising stars in the motion control industry and provides easy-to-implement tools to improve management, leadership, and business results.

“We have worked very hard over the past few months to develop a program offering educational resources with an FPDA focus to develop your younger leaders,” Haley said.

“This program offers world-class growth opportunities developed specifically for a fastpaced, challenging work environment.”

The business meeting concluded with the election of new officers. The slate, approved unanimously, will guide FPDA for the next year: • • • • • • •

President: Jeff Behling, Stauff President Elect: Bob Decker, Livingston & Haven Vice President and Treasurer: Tom Nicholson, GS Global Resources Convention Chair: Pat Nichols, The Monnier Company Young Executives Chair: Zach Reddick, Womack Machine Company Past President: Kevin Kampe, Womack Machine Company Director: Greg Wissman, Triad Technologies

The 2022 Industry Summit is scheduled to take place at the Westin Snowmass Resort in Colorado on October 2-5.

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January 25

MOTION CONTROL

OFF-HIGHWAY

27. 2022

ELECTRONIC DESIGN

Tuesday, January 25 @ 11:30 AM EST

Wednesday, January 26 @ 11:30 AM EST

Thursday, January 27 @ 11:30 AM EST

Tuesday, January 25 @ 12:15 PM EST

Wednesday, January 26 @ 12:15 PM EST

Thursday, January 27 @ 12:15 PM EST

Opening Keynote Presentation: Teresa Shea, Raytheon Intelligence and Space Working with stepper motors in your design

Latest technology and advancements in hydraulic hose assemblies

Tuesday, January 25 @ 1:15 PM EST

Wednesday, January 26 @ 1:15 PM EST

Basics of linear positioning sensors

Tuesday, January 25 @ 2:15 PM EST

The importance of hydraulic fluid/cleanliness

What you need to know about gears and gearing

Tuesday, January 25 @ 3:15 PM EST Trends in linear motion technology

Opening Keynote Presentation: Gary Dostal, Komatsu Mining Group

Wednesday, January 26 @ 2:15 PM EST Fluid power system troubleshooting

Wednesday, January 26 @ 3:15 PM EST Trends in the electrification of hydraulics

Featuring speakers from:

Opening Keynote Presentation: Danny Tseng, Qualcomm Technologies Focus on 5G technology

Thursday, January 27 @ 1:15 PM EST How to design for energy efficiency

Thursday, January 27 @ 2:15 PM EST

A look at today’s Industrial Internet of Things

Thursday, January 27 @ 3:15 PM EST Trends on electronic design automation

Sponsored by:

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY Ron Marshall • Contributing Editor

Compressed air fail: Wet flow A large mine had a compressed air assessment done to gauge the efficiency of its system. The complex had 14 large air compressors feeding underground operations. The assessment results showed their many compressors were running at superior efficiency; in fact, the numbers were so good they could not possibly be true.

In previous years, another study was done — and a number of well-placed flow meters were installed to measure the system air flow, including the main output of each set of

This thermal mass flow meter is attempting to measure a stream of wet compressed air. The water contamination causes the meter to read off scale.

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compressors. These meters were used in the calculation of the system specific power.

Specific power is a number not unlike a gas mileage indicator. If the total power consumed by the system is divided by the number of hundred cubic feet measured by the flow meters, the result can be used to determine how efficiently any compressed air system is producing compressed air. A good reading for large compressors is under 18 kW per 100 cfm, while a bad reading would be anything higher than 20 kW per 100.

This particular mine had big problems with compressor cooling in the summertime. Most of the large screw compressors were air cooled units, and the few liquid-cooled compressors had been converted to glycol-to-air coolers. Many of the coolers had become fouled with road dust kicked up by large mine trucks that passed by the air compressors every day.

Anytime the ambient temperatures got hotter than about 60° F, the output of the compressors reached about 80° F or hotter.

Further to this, the mine had no air dryers — the discharge of the air compressors was totally saturated with water, so large amounts of water condensed out in the piping system. And this caused trouble with the system flow meters, because the meter type installed was thermal mass style.

Thermal mass flow meters measure www.fluidpowerworld.com

the flow of air though a cooling effect. A heated probe is inserted in the stream of compressed air, which cools the tip. The power required to keep the tip at constant temperature is measured and is directly proportional to the flow of air past the measuring probes. This works very well if the compressed air is dry, however, with wet and saturated air the flow meter will read high or even off scale.

The selected flow meters were the wrong style to be used in this situation. The assessment that deemed the air compressors very efficient was relying on faulty data.

When careful measurements were done by a seasoned auditor, the results were not good. The system was extremely inefficient, with some compressor consuming 80% power, yet only producing 20% flow. Of the 14 compressors, only two were producing full flow. The capacity output was so bad, the mine had resorted to renting a fleet of six diesel portable compressors just to keep up!

Measurement of compressed air power and flow is important, but careful attention needs to be given to the measurement methods. Faulty data leads to faulty conclusions as it did in this case.

Correct measurement (and some timely training) would have told system operators their compressors were at low capacity and would have saved more than $1,000,000 per year in rental and fuel costs!

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H Y D R A U L I C S

DIRECT DRIVES TACKLE RUGGED

MARINE APPLICATIONS HYDRAULIC DRIVES AND EFFECTIVE MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES ARE KEY TO SUCCESS IN DEMANDING OFFSHORE ENVIRONMENTS.

COLLINS BIOSEH, MARKET SEGMENT MANAGER — HÄGGLUNDS MARINE & OFFSHORE AND TOM SHICKEL, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER — MARINE & OFFSHORE, BOSCH REXROTH CORP.

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WORKBOAT

and offshore environments often involve lifting, moving or operating heavy equipment, especially within tight

space constraints. And, with harsh maritime conditions, machinery needs to be properly maintained to ensure thousands of hours of reliable and safe operation. Downtime is expensive, and equipment-related accidents can be catastrophic.

A new generation of compact, hydraulic radial piston direct-drive motors delivers the performance required for a wide range of marine equipment, including winch drives, cranes, jack-up systems, subsea trenchers, top drives and rotating tables on drilling operations. These LSHT (low-speed/ high-torque) hydraulic motors produce extremely high amounts of torque from a relatively compact package, making them well-suited to handle the kinds of loads encountered in these applications.

Understanding the advantages of direct-drive motors, as well as following key service and maintenance strategies to minimize downtime and keep equipment running efficiently, can help maximize the value of this technology.

Leading hydraulic suppliers have developed hardened products that stand up to salt spray, seawater and high vibration typical in marine applications. | courtesy of Adobe Stock

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Direct-drive advantages

Combined with housings engineered to withstand the effects of harsh environments, hydraulic direct-drive systems offer multiple performance advantages.

Straightforward and efficient: Hydraulic direct-drive motors mount right to the driven shaft of a machine, providing up to 98% efficiency in their operation. Marine equipment is often powered by variablefrequency electric drives coupled to gearboxes; conversely, the hydraulic drive eliminates the need for gearboxes and coupling equipment.

In addition, hydraulic devices are natural shock absorbers, so the impact on mechanical components is mitigated or, in some cases, completely eliminated, leading to fewer failure points and reduced maintenance and downtime.

Compact and powerful: Due to the compact design, the latest generation of hydraulic direct drives offers exceptional torque-to-weight ratio, providing higher levels of lifting and moving power for the drive’s size — for example, typical power capacities range from 113 kW up to 3.3 MW. This power density helps reduce the space needed on a crowded workboat or offshore platform deck, as well as helps lessen the machine’s overall weight and power consumption. They can also operate in all four quadrants — forward and reverse in both the driving and braking modes — to give system engineers greater flexibility when designing machines.

Superior torque control: Maritime applications such as capstan and winch drives must move punishing loads through hundreds of meters of ocean current.

Hydraulic direct drives feature high starting torque directly from zero degrees of rotation, and they maintain high torque levels throughout the speed range to meet the demands of these systems.

Low-speed/high-torque hydraulic radial piston direct-drive motors produce extremely high torque from a relatively small package, making them well-suited to handle demanding maritime applications. | courtesy of Bosch Rexroth

This makes it possible to supply operators with exactly the torque they need even down to zero rotation speed, which electromechanical systems have difficulty handling. This can be exceptionally valuable in applications such as winch control when lifting heavy equipment from the ocean floor. The operator may need fine control paying out the hook at a fast rate of speed on the way down, but once the load is ready to be raised, the operator may need a lot of torque at very low speeds to lift the load.

| courtsey of Bosch Rexroth

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Key tips to maximize uptime

No matter how well hydraulic components are designed or engineered, the punishing conditions in offshore and marine environments make it essential for operators to implement effective maintenance strategies. Temperature extremes, harsh weather, seawater and salt spray can erode performance in even hardened equipment and lead to costly and hazardous failures.

Implementing key PM (preventative maintenance) best practices for hydraulic equipment — pumps, cylinders, power

Compact hydraulic drives are ideal for winches, cranes and other offshore equipment that face tight weight and space constraints.

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Engineered for tough environments: Leading suppliers of hydraulic direct-drive systems, such as Bosch Rexroth, have developed models that are hardened against salt spray, seawater and high vibration often encountered in maritime applications. These include special epoxy coatings to prevent corrosion, as well as tightly enclosed housings and specially designed sealing kits and sealing arrangements where the motor joins the driven shaft to prevent corrosion or leakage.

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units and hydraulic direct drives — can avoid major breakdowns, saving time and money versus shutting down operations and shipping off a damaged component to a repair center.

An effective maintenance strategy involves several items: Periodic inspection and maintenance checks: Equipment inspection intervals should be monthly at a minimum, whereas some operations conduct weekly inspections.

Document danger signs, such as main pump pressure changes, fluctuations in motor speed, increased oil temperatures, increased case drain flows, hydraulic oil leaks and low oil reservoir levels. These inspections not only prevent breakdowns but can also capture machine performance data to improve both the maintenance and production processes.

Hydraulic fluid selection and condition: First, follow the equipment manufacturer’s fluid viscosity rating; then, stay on top of fluid condition. The number one root cause of hydraulic-system failure is fluid contamination, so routine fluid sampling and analysis is critical, especially in complex marine systems with higher operating temperatures that can lead to reduced viscosities, altered lubricating characteristics and increased risk to hydraulic components.

These motors are also rated for use with biodegradable hydraulic fluid, so they can safely operate in water without risking environmental contamination. We allow types HEES, HETG, and HEPR within ISO 15380. Today, the prevailing environmentally acceptable lubricant (EAL) type is HEES — saturated or unsaturated polyol esters. For these fluid types there is no down rating. But we do specify demands and limits for certain characteristics beyond those in the ISO standard in our fluid specification data sheet RE15414.

There is no specific service interval for motors with EAL. The fluid itself, on the other hand, may demand inspection more often where unsaturated esters, specifically, may have shorter service life at elevated system temperatures.

Service filters and seals: Change hydraulic filters at specific intervals to reduce contamination buildup that can

cause premature wear in hydraulic system components. For complex systems such as hydraulic direct drives, manufacturers may specify the type of filter to use, as well as more-detailed recommendations — filter medium and micron level, for example — depending on the operating environment.

In addition, most hydraulic systems have fittings that use O-ring seals to prevent leakage. Due to the shock loading and vibration inherent in many applications, these seals may wear out more frequently. Periodic inspections will identify leaks so you can replace worn O-rings, tighten loose connections and replace any damaged fittings.

Choose OEM-certified service suppliers: Many marine hydraulics systems have specialized design and operating characteristics.

This can require a higher level of expertise and resources, which is usually best supplied

by OEM-certified facilities. Third-party repair facilities will not have the original manufacturer specifications to properly repair, calibrate and test a hydraulic motor to new condition, for example, and will usually not be able to perform a fully warrantied remanufacture.

OEM-certified facilities should be staffed with technicians who are factory-trained to inspect, service and maintain the OEM’s equipment. Certain specialty components may only be available from such certified facilities; also, there may be specific

equipment tolerances that only the factory or OEM service shop is equipped to work with.

Use OEM parts: To achieve a “like new” condition, it’s critical to ensure the right parts are installed. When hydraulic motors are repaired with used parts taken from scrapped components or with aftermarket parts that aren’t designed for extreme environments, users risk lower performance and early failure.

It makes sense to specify that any repairs use original OEM parts supplied from the manufacturer. In fact, some hydraulic directdrive manufacturers do more than repair their equipment. Bosch Rexroth, for example, offers fully remanufactured drives and equipment with “like new” warranties.

Preventative maintenance programs: These best practices can be built into a comprehensive PM program that identifies risks and corrects issues before they lead to downtimes. Effective PM programs include annual major inspections and quarterly minor inspections, carried out in the field by factory-certified technicians who understand the technology and use established processes for inspecting equipment. With each inspection, a detailed report of findings, recommended maintenance, required spare parts and follow-up actions is supplied.

Hägglunds direct-drive hydraulic motors can mount directly to the driven shaft, providing up to 98% efficiency in their operation while eliminating the need for gearboxes and coupling equipment. | courtsey of Bosch Rexroth

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Predictive maintenance

Other, more-sophisticated options to manage and protect drive health include the Hägglunds CM and Hägglunds CMp condition monitoring, analytics and service tools. In industrial applications, a hydraulic motor fitted with appropriate sensors (which can include a range of pressure, temperature, speed and oil-contamination sensors) lets CMp track and record data regarding drive conditions and performance and send the information on a secure and encrypted line to Bosch’s Cloud Service, where our analytics tool ODiN processes the data. The data and results are presented on a web portal or via mobile web pages, both accessible by the customer as well as by Bosch Rexroth experts.

Through our Machine Health Index and monthly analysis of data, users can uncover potential problems at an early stage and predictive maintenance or troubleshooting can be planned and performed.

In addition to CMp, we are also developing a new entry-level of condition monitoring called Hägglunds CM. This is a monitoring service without the data analytics.

The idea is to offer this as a standard solution on all drive units leaving the factory with the possibility for introducing customers to condition monitoring, but also to make it easier to upgrade to a complete CMp package as needed in the future.

Both Hägglunds CM and the CMp are available for marine applications. One of the challenges with condition monitoring in these

OEM-certified repair facilities have specialized equipment and factory-trained technicians who inspect, service and maintain hydraulic equipment. | courtsey of Bosch Rexroth

settings, however, is internet connectivity.

If the systems are located on a ship out to sea there could be problems with the 4G connection, which is our standard way to transfer data. But, we could also use the ships own Wi-Fi/Ethernet for an internet connection, which should be more stable than the 4G network. The condition monitoring package is usually offered with a Hägglunds control system (Spider 2) as standard, but other possibilities are available.

Maximizing value in offshore applications

Today’s hydraulic direct-drives are valuable and proven systems for successfully operating equipment in many demanding maritime applications. They provide excellent power density, high torque-to-weight ratios and compact designs with housings engineered to resist extreme weather and corrosion conditions.

However, although hydraulic systems in marine applications can take a lot of punishment, it’s equally important to understand how the right maintenance practices protect this critical machinery. By following these practices and implementing comprehensive preventative maintenance programs, equipment managers can help ensure their high-value hydraulics systems deliver the life cycle performance that maritime operations require.

FPW

Bosch Rexroth Corp. boschrexroth-us.com

HOW LONG WILL A MOTOR LAST?

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basic question many users ask is how long should a motor last before a major rebuild or replacement? Making precise predictions can be difficult because even in similar applications operating the same types of equipment, no two cases are exactly the same.

Normally, Bosch Rexroth engineers dimension and select the hydraulic motor in a way to fulfil — among other requirements — the service life the customer demands. It varies a lot and has to be calculated case by case. A cargo crane winch, for example, is used just a few hundreds of hours a year; but a cutter-head drive of a dredger can run for thousands of hours a year. Based on a given load cycle from the customer including the torque, speed and relative time of the load cycle, engineers calculate a theoretical service life in number of hours for the selected motor. The accompanying table shows some rough estimates for marine applications.

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MARINE & OFFSHORE REQUIREMENTS BASED ON TECHNICAL DATA

Speed range, rpm

TYPES OF EQUIPMENT Winches

Slewing drives of thrusters and pods

Drives of Cutter head thrusters drives of dredgers

0 to 100

0 to 50

0 to 300

0 to 40

<2,500

<600

40 to 80

40 to 80

Power range, kW Service life, thousands of hours

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<20

40 to 80

Fluid Power World Design Guides

A collection of key fluid power topics available for download Check Out Fluid Power World’s Online Design Guide Digital Library!

These design guides consist of relevant content broken out by specific categories produced by the editors of Fluid Power World.

Also check out our Motion Control Design Guide Library: www.designworldonline.com/design-guide-library

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H Y D R A U L I C

F I T T I N G S

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT

FITTINGS FOR YOUR HYDRAULIC SYSTEM With a myriad of choices available, it is critical you fully understand your system needs before choosing your hydraulic fittings.

John Joyce, Marketing Director, Brennan Industries, Inc.

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access to modify the system, clean or inspect it. Certain flanges may also be permanently welded together or to the port section of the component like a motor housing or a valve port. More commonly, a flanged joint is made by bolting two flanges together with a gasket in-between to ensure a secure seal.

The reason for their use is to connect ports directly without having to use threaded connectors or adapters.

They are good for hard-to-reach areas, quick maintenance and rigorous hydraulic applications. Flange fittings are also the best option for hose end connections that have bends and are subject to high lateral forces.

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| All images courtesy of Brennan Industries

Why use a flange fitting Hydraulic connections are used to prevent leaks and other possible failures within high-pressure applications, especially in larger sizes. Flanges are used when designing for easy connection between the hose, tube and pipe. It’s where flexibility is needed the most within the system.

Flange connections are typically used in applications featuring exceptionally high pressures when using pipe or tubing with an OD over 7/8 in. They may be bolted together to mate two sections of pipe (tube or hose), or bolted or screwed into the component to secure a flange fitting or section of pipe. Flanges can also be disassembled for easy

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But before any hose, tube and pipe are assembled, it’s important to identify the ends of the ports and connectors. It helps to ensure the connection will be safe. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) help you to identify any specific problems when making these connections.

Flange fittings with O-rings produce minimal leakage when they are matched correctly. The elastomeric seal is located within the groove to close the fluid. These fittings include the SAE straight thread, face seal, ISO 6149, SAE J518 (Code 61 and Code 62) flanges, etc.

Common types of flange fittings and components: • SAE J518 flange fittings — SAE J518 is used throughout the world to connect larger diameter tubing and pipe within the fluid power industry. Minus the bolt sizes, SAE J518 flanges are interchangeable with ISO 6141, DIN 20066 and JIS B 8363. These flanges come in two pressure classes. The standard is ISO6162, and it includes SAE Code 61 and Code 62. This is important because if the wrong flange is installed, you could have serious problems in your system because a SAE Code 62 handles up to 6,000 psi and a SAE Code 61 handles up to 3,000 to 5,000 psi.

• Captive flange clamps — Captive flange clamps are often used when connecting tubes, pipes or hoses. They slip over the flared tube and are easily connected to the mating flange or component. These types of clamps are commonly used with MJ-flange straight fittings because there is a smooth clearance to slide over the fitting and sit on the flange head.

• Split flange clamps — Split flange clamps are made from two interlocking pieces, fitting securely together with nuts and bolts. Since they have two pieces, these types of clamps are used to reinforce weak areas within the tubing and pipe. They can add an attachment where traditional flanges could not. You can buy these flange fitting clamps in kits (either for Code 61 or Code 62). A kit could include the two pieces, O-ring face seal (ORFS) and four bolts and washers.

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These common types of flange fittings and components are much less likely to loosen when there is proper load distribution of clamping around the flange head.

ORFS fittings are reliable Fittings and component assemblies are required to work in harsh environments, such as corrosive offshore applications to extreme temperature and pressure fluctuations. ORFS fittings are reliable because they include elastomeric seal O-rings. It’s one of the best choices for a leak-free connection.

As the name implies, ORFS, or (O-ring Face Seal) fittings incorporate an O-ring at the face of the fitting. Made to SAE J1453 standard, ORFS connections are commonly manufactured in carbon, nickel plated carbon and stainless steel and typically use elasteromeric seals, such as Buna-N or Viton, 90 Durometer O-rings that seat into a groove in the face of the fitting.

When the o-ring compresses between the o-ring face of the fitting and flat face of the mating ORFS fitting or the formed tube, a leaktight seal is created. When the connection is tightened, the O-ring compresses against a flat face of mating fitting or tube.

While custom-made stainless is available, standard ORFS fittings and flat face sleeves are made from plated steel or stainless steel.

First designed for off-road construction, ORFS fittings are now used in other transportation applications. ORFS fittings are good for high pressures that are subject to flexing or pressure surges, such as construction, agricultural, oil and gas, mining and the high-performance industrial markets. They are also the preferred connection for high vibration systems because the O-ring is soft and absorbs shock better than metal-tometal sealed fittings.

Causes of hydraulic system leakage If you’re having hydraulic system leakage, know that it is rarely caused by the fitting itself. The primary contributors to system leaks include improper installation, poor system design, component quality and system abuse.

It’s important that you understand this because the result can be costly. Not only is it costly from an equipment and operation standpoint, but it’s also costly from a loss of fluid standpoint. If an operation is running www.fluidpowerworld.com

24 hours a day and hydraulic oil costs $25 a gallon, the cost of leaking fluid can be significant. System design is the first place to start when preventing a leak. The right components must be selected to reduce the incidences of leaks and connection failures. When preventing hydraulic system leakage, review the following areas: • Application — Your environment determines the fitting design and selection. For example, stainless steel or other protective coatings can extend the service life in corrosive environments. Even the choice of O-ring material must meet the system conditions.

A fluorocarbon or other material may need to be specified over Buna-N in some applications • Pressure — The dynamic pressure rating of the flange fitting assembly must be equal to or higher than the system’s pressure.

Fittings are rated at a 4:1 design ratio, which applies to normal operating conditions for withstanding moderate hydraulic and mechanical shock. For severe vibration and shock, a “de-rating factor” should be applied directly to the dynamic pressure of the fitting.

• Temperature — The operating temperature for fittings and O-ring seals is dependent on the plating and the metal and seal materials.

Finding what’s right for your application If you’re ordering quality flange fittings and ORFS components from a reputable manufacturer, then you should be in a better place than most. It’s important to collaborate with your supplier to make sure that you choose what is good for your application.

The right products are available for your system. Just make sure you are looking for best-in-class products from certified manufacturers who can respond quickly to your growing needs while still meeting and exceeding industry standards. The design and durability of each flange fitting and component will assure long-lasting service, even in corrosive and abusive environments.

FPW

quality matters. every time.

DURABLE. RELIABLE.

HOSE, CORD, & CABLE

PRO GRADE REELS SOLUTIONS FOR:

Brennan Inc brennaninc.com/brennan-university 12 • 2021

AIR / WATER | HYDRAULIC | PNEUMATIC | VACUUM | WELDING | POWER AND MORE

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A I R

WHY MANUFACTURERS

ARE WALKING ON AIR

WITH IIOT Graham Coats, Sales Director at CMC

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies are placing compressed air systems front and center, despite usually being in the shadows.

Until

very recently, the air compressor has been nothing but a workhorse; a key tool in the manufacturer’s toolbox, certainly, but one that’s kept away in the back room and rarely given much attention.

A bit like the waste collection service, air compressors — or at least the service they provide — are often taken for granted. Until they fail, of course, and then their absence is deeply felt in the form of high repair costs, downtime and possibly lost revenue.

Given how air compressor failure can lead to a series of unproductive and expensive scenarios, it’s in the manufacturer’s interest to monitor their assets’ performance and health.

This is where scheduled maintenance has traditionally played a role, whereby air compressors are periodically serviced and dusted off until the next engineer’s visit. Although even at the point of servicing, engineers rarely pay much attention to the immediate environment in which the assets are operating to ensure that it’s cool, clean and dust free, all of which can significantly impede performance. Yet, a lot can happen between service intervals. And how do you know how effective your assets are performing in-between?

This is where IIoT is elevating the role of the air compressor and enabling its users to maximize their effectiveness.

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AIRMATICS, the latest offering from CMC, can cut air compressor energy consumption by up to 30%.

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The traditional model vs. the 21st century way

TIC e AIRMA AERO, th it. e h t f o Image ntrol un d and co comman

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Prior to the real-time opportunities that IIoT facilitates, air compressors were managed and monitored manually.

This typically meant that there was an overreliance on only a handful of engineers who were able to make sense of reams of data. Performance could be monitored, but only when the engineer gave the asset attention — and even then, the engineer could only make a decision based on information taken at that moment in time.

The result was ad-hoc analysis, laborious number crunching and an absence of the bigger picture.

Add the fact that engineers tend to focus on the actual asset and neglect the environment in which it’s located means that dust levels and ambient temperature, for example, are rarely acknowledged and assessed as contributory factors towards poor performance.

Now, via cloud-based air compressor monitoring, performance and control solutions, the health of each and every air compressor can be monitored during every second the asset is in use — either independently or as an entire interrelated compressed air system.

Sensors — or tags — that monitor every aspect of a compressor’s performance including operating temperatures, pressures, power levels and output flow, so that true asset-specific efficiency can be assessed, are now being installed within compressed air assets to feed live data back to the cloud.

This is then interpreted into a visual interface that quickly and effectively communicates important data to those responsible for getting the most from their assets.

Those happy to lean harder into the technology can even let the command and control system use the data to automatically adjust the compressor, whilst it’s operational, in order to optimize its performance.

In adopting technologies such as these manufacturers

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are not only able to guarantee accountability of their assets, but also the accountability of the service providers employed to keep them running effectively.

Compressors no longer need to cost the earth

Air compressors are critically important for industry. However, they’re also very expensive to run. Approximately 10% of industrial electricity is used to generate compressed air, making it one of the most expensive forms of energy.

When you consider the perennial problem of compressors running unloaded, or take into account compressed air systems that aren’t running optimally, be that through faults with individual compressors, poor synchronicity between a group of compressors, or simply inefficiencies that haven’t been spotted, it’s easy to see how there quickly becomes an environmental cost, too.

Against the backdrop of increasing carbon emissions and global pressure to reduce them, volatile energy costs and carbon taxes beginning to take shape, it’s now in a manufacturer’s interests to reduce their compressed air consumption for both financial and environmental reasons.

IIoT technology in practice

According to IOT Analytics*, which provides markets insights on the Internet of Things (IoT), global spending on IoT by enterprises is expected to have grown 24% in 2021.

Furthermore, it anticipates IoT spending to grow at 26.7% annually, highlighting how important asset tracking is becoming in the modern world.

In the context of air compressors AIRMATICS, CMC’s IoT portfolio of products that provide real time data, analytics and insights at the push of a button, is positively impacting manufacturers around the globe.

Take one Fortune 100 company responsible for producing military and passenger aerospace parts from its South Carolina site, for example, which was trying to manage compressor-related inefficiencies, mechanical breakdowns and constant repair work across its compressed air system.

To manage the repeated breakdown

of four of the plant’s fixed speed water-cooled compressors, which range from 125 to 250 hp, the manufacturer was regularly arranging on-site repair work and paying large air compressor rental fees in order to avoid downtime and keep the plant operational. However, this was not always achievable; at one stage, downtime was so high that some machines were only able to deliver three days of production in a month. Following a compressed air audit by I&M Industrials, the decision to install AIRMATICS was taken.

To assess their investment and explore the savings afforded by installing AIRMATICS, the manufacturer agreed to run a trial in which the newly installed remote monitoring platform was turned off for one week to provide a comparative analysis.

During February 12 – 19 2021, the AIRMATICS Aero control system was switched off to allow the 125 and 250 hp compressors to run as they had been prior to the installation of AIRMATICS. During this period, non-productive and productive energy stood at 37% and 63% respectively.

AIRMATICS was then switched back on again on for the period February 19 – 26, during which time nonproductive energy decreased to 23% whilst productive energy increased to 77%.

The average efficiency level reached when AIRMATICS was switched off amounted to 25.8 kW/100 cfm compared to the 20.1 kW achieved with AIRMATICS switched on. With a continuous saving of 5.7 kW/100 cfm, it is now expected to save the business $500,721 kWh a year and reduce the annual compressed air energy bill at the plant by $35,050, delivering a return on investment in only one year.

The future’s bright with IIoT

The fact that IIoT can transform traditional assets into smart assets means that manufacturers are likely to increasingly rely on its capability.

As for the humble air compressor, it no longer needs to remain hiding in the shadows. In fact, with IIoT there is no longer anywhere for it to hide, as every aspect of its performance can now be analyzed and optimized in a way that could never have been achieved prior to advancements in IIoT. In tandem with IIoT, the air compressor has earned its right to shine and the future now looks very bright, more sustainable and less expensive for manufacturers worldwide.

Visual readouts of compressor performance as provided by AIRMATICS.

FPW

CMC airmatics.eu

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T E C H N O L O G I E S

A PRIMER ON

SENSING TECHNOLOGIES SENSORS AND SWITCHES IN FLUID POWER USE ELECTRONICS TO GAUGE CRITICAL SYSTEM PARAMETERS, SUCH AS PRESSURE, TEMPERATURE, POSITION, LEVEL AND MORE. JOSH COSFORD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

A

sensor is any mechanical or electronic device designed to recognize a physical input property and then relay or transform that input in a form of an electric or electronic output. The fluid power realm enjoys the benefits of electronic sensing technology for the various benefits they offer machines

and operators. For example, properties such as pressure and temperature are commonly measured with sensors, but even more obscure sensors may measure humidity or acidity.

Sensing and switching technology operates using either electro-mechanical or electronic form. An electro-mechanical sensor manifests most often as a switch, while electronic sensors use solid-state processors to interpret and send signals. Electronic sensors often go by the term transducers, which are any device that converts one energy form into another; the “other” in this case is an analog output usable by a PLC or controller.

One of the earliest sensing technologies wasn’t necessarily specific to fluid power. The liquid column manometer was just a U-shaped tube open at both ends. Differential pressure at either end of the tube would move a column of mercury or other fluid proportionately to the differential. In theory, this early pressure gauge was indeed a sensor, albeit with merely visual output.

The Bourdon tube pressure gauge, dating back to the mid-1800s, offered early readings of the pressure it sensed. The Bourdon tube is a bent tube that tries to straighten when the interior is exposed to pressure. A lever then rotates the needle proportionate to the bending caused by the pressure increase.

Just as with the liquid column manometer, this sensing technology was none that could be interpreted by a PLC or machine (which, of course, did not exist nearly two centuries ago).

Modern sensing technology offers more than a visual indication of machine parameters, primarily because we use those outputs for automated functions or advanced machine control. We need physical properties to trigger sequential machine functions or provide feedback on important system health matters.

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Pressure transmitters are used throughout mobile machinery, such as this design from Danfoss.

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Simple and useful pressure switches

The bourdon tube pressure gauge is a bent tube that tries to straighten when the interior is exposed to pressure. A lever then rotates the needle proportionate to the bending caused by the pressure increase. | Courtesy of LunchBox Sessions

The switch offers the most basic feedback and opens or closes the electric contact when the sensor achieves its factory or user-designated set point. In hydraulics, the most popular switches are for pressure and temperature.

Mechanical pressure switches use a piston or diaphragm opposed to a spring.

When pressure rises enough to push the piston or diaphragm up high enough, the assembly, in turn, pushes a lever or pin to close the electrical contact. The spring assembly most often has an adjustable perch that allows the user to vary the spring tension, adjusting the switching pressure.

Rising and falling switching values are an essential consideration for mechanical pressures switches. If your switch is designed to switch as pressure rises to its set point, it’s known as rising. However, once the rising pressure set point is achieved, the switch does not reset at the same setting when pressure decays. For example, if you set your switch point to 2,000 psi, the electric switch closes at that pressure and will remain closed until pressure again falls. However, the pressure at which the switch opens again will rarely occur at that same 2,000 psi. It’s more likely to reset at 1,950 psi or less, for example.

The difference between the rising and falling pressure is also known as hysteresis.

In some cases, hysteresis is undesirable due to a poorly manufactured switch with much friction. When that is the case, the hysteresis may be extreme and unpredictable, unswitching at very low pressure compared to its switch pressure. Be sure to study the

Pressure transducers often use a strain gauge to convert the force of the pressure into a usable electrical signal.

The strain gauge is used in a wheatstone bridge circuit, which is both complicated and simple at the same time.

It uses two fixed and two variable resistors to balance voltage and net-zero compared to the incoming voltage.

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literature to prevent any unsafe operating conditions. With high hysteresis, there is a chance your operator or machine controller will believe a safe condition, such as clamping, is being met when it is not.

Understanding your switch’s hysteresis may offer benefits, even if the difference between rising and falling pressure is high.

Being sure pressure has fallen to a safe, low pressure may be preferred in some circumstances. An accumulator circuit, for example, is not one where trapped pressure unknown to the machine or operator is desirable. Having the pressure switch shut off below the rising pressure rather than at it offers an extra level of safety, especially if the switch has poor repeatability.

Keeping an eye on temperature

Hydraulic systems employ more than pressure switches. Temperature switches installed into heating and cooling systems are the traffic lights directing temperature control of your sensitive hydraulic fluid.

Hydraulic oil has a narrow thermal operating window. Depending on the quality and viscosity of the fluid, 100-140°F supplies the best mix of efficiency, lubricity and longevity for your hydraulic components.

In cold weather, hydraulic oil needs heating. With high ambient temperature, your machine requires cooling. Some machinery may require both on the same day. Temperature switches supply the signal to relays or controllers to turn on either an electric heating element or an electric liquid-to-air heat exchanger.

Simple temperature switches work by traditional hydraulic principles. A liquid-filled bulb placed into the hydraulic fluid increases volume as pressure rises due to the increased thermal energy. The pressure exerts a force on the diaphragm or piston like the mechanical pressure switch, and when a particular heat-induced pressure is achieved, the plunger closes the electrical contact.

Most switches used in hydraulic applications come optioned with both normally open and normally closed contacts. Normally open or closed expressed in fluid power terms differs from the electrical term. In hydraulics, a normally closed valve is non-flowing in its neutral state. In electrics, a normally closed switch is flowing in its neutral state.

A normally open switch prevents the electrical function from working until the pressure or temperature signal is met, at which point the switch closes, and electrons can flow. For example, the switching function, in terms of an electric cooling fan, will then turn on the fan to suck/blow air past the heat exchanger, thereby cooling the hydraulic fluid.

Many switches used in fluid power are bi-wireable so that they may be used as either normally open or normally closed contacts. The same switch, for example, may be used to simultaneously turn on and off two different electrical devices, such as turning on the cooling fan while turning a fluid condition monitoring lamp.

Just a step up in the switching technology, you’ll find we do without the mechanical switch in place of solid-state electronics. Solid-state electronics use various components that change properties when exposed to pressure or heat. A digital temperature sensor may use one of many electronic principles to measure temperature. For example, some use a measurement of voltage across diodes. That voltage changes proportionate to the temperature change, and the onboard electronics turn that voltage change into a digital signal. The processor may use the digital signal for its switching output or convert it into an analog output preferred by machine controllers.

Digital temperature switches combine the transducer with switching outputs and offer myriad benefits thanks to their onboard processors. The processor provides a powerful resource to add features above the switching function alone. Because their onboard transducers feed their signals to the onboard processor, another analog signal may also output to an external device or controller. For example, a manufacturer may offer a switch in one of the three more common analog outputs of 0-5 V, 0-10 V or 4-20 mA.

Advanced pressure measurement

More advanced pressure switches offer features to increase their practicality, such as a digital display with programmable functions. For example, instead of a mechanical spring to adjust the temperature switch range (or worse, factory set), buttons on the switch offer programmability not just in the switch point but also the hysteresis, display units, and desired analog output. This last feature reduces the stock numbers by manufacturers and distributors alike since they will output any of the 0-5 V, 0-10 V or 4-20 mA signals most often used in the fluid power industry.

The pressure switch realizes many of the same benefits when upgraded to a digital offering. A similar onboard processor with a display may give the user multiple programmable switching outputs, configurable display, switch time delays, etc. Once the processer receives its signal, much of the technology offered to the user is like the temperature switch. Where the pressure switch differs is the nature of its transducer.

Most often, the pressure transducer uses a strain gauge to convert the force of the pressure into a usable electrical signal. The “interlocked combs” construction of the strain gauge results in a change in its electrical resistance as it’s stretched or deformed. The processor observes the difference and outputs its digital signal proportional to the rise in pressure.

The strain gauge alone cannot offer a usable output for any controller, especially in such thermally variable environments where hydraulics make home. The strain gauge is used in a wheatstone bridge circuit, which is both complicated and simple at the same time. It uses two fixed and two variable resistors to balance voltage and net-zero compared to the incoming voltage.

One of the variable resistors is the strain gauge, while the other is a variable resistor used to set the baseline voltage to zero. Any change in the resistance of the strain gauge results in a change in the voltage across the wheatstone bridge, providing the controller with an accurate pressure reading. I should mention that temperature sensors may use a wheatstone bridge, but just with a temperature-sensitive resistor rather than a strain gauge.

With so little technological progression in hydraulics revolving around the hydraulic system itself, the way we control them offers a peek into the future of fluid power.

Sensors, including transducers and switches, will play an integral role in that future, and more of our industry becomes digitized, automated and data-driven.

Paying attention to your switches’ hysteresis is necessary to ensure safe, reliable operation. Pictured here is the 300 series mechanical compact SPTD pressure switch with adjustable hysteresis from Noshok.

FPW

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PRODUCT WORLD

Kidney loop fluid conditioning system

Mobile machine controllers for electrohydraulics

Using the Kidney Loop System ChangeOver (KLCO), plant owners and operators no longer need to compromise system/fluid condition during filter replacements. The cleaner the fluid, the better the operating condition. According to sources like Noria Corp., contamination is the leading cause of hydraulic repairs and replacements. Schroeder has completely shifted its focus from “reactionary” to “preventative” maintenance, making for less unexpected repairs and replacements.

The Kidney Loop Change-Over (KLCO) system is a stationary, off-line fluid conditioning system for removing solid particle and free water contamination. The KLCO features a Schroeder mediumpressure RLD series duplex-type filter.

With this type of filter, the KLCO allows users to change the direction of flow through one of two filters and replace filter elements without having to first shut the system down. This is particularly beneficial in fluid applications where continuous operation and contamination control are necessary.

The KLCO offers exceptional fluid conditioning with high capacity, high-efficiency filtration. With flexible, application-specific fluid processing with 3, 7, 10, and 14 gpm processing rates, important fluid condition parameters are carefully monitored while being conditioned.

uControl mobile machine controllers from Helios’ Technologies’ Enovation Controls brand delivers precise proportional control for heavy-duty equipment in ultra-rugged environments.

Engineered for heavy-duty equipment of all shapes and sizes, uControl mobile machine controllers are equipped with multiple CAN channels, have extreme durability and achieve total machine control with precision fluid-power and equipment performance. The uControl MC4-26-20 controller features extensive and software selectable I/O, with 26 total inputs and 20 total outputs. It is joined by the uControl MC4-21-14-H8 high-current controller, featuring 21 software selectable inputs with 8 configurable high-current outputs and 14 configurable standard outputs. The mid-ranged uControl MC3-21-10 controller has 21 inputs and 10 software selectable outputs, and the compact uControl MC2-18-6 controller has 18 inputs and 6 software selectable outputs.

Fully sealed to meet IP69K, they can handle high heat and vibration. They were designed for quick implementation and offer the flexibility to use CODESYS or ACE, a software platform that accelerates development time and efficiency by creating robust control and display software without writing code.

Additional features and benefits include: • –40° to 105°C operating temperature range • Soft-gel potted for shock and vibration resistance • Universal inputs and software-selectable, current-regulated PWM outputs

LC8 load cell module

The RMC200 offers motion control for up to 50 axes of synchronized position, velocity, and pressure/force control of hydraulic, electric, or pneumatic actuators. The new LC8 Load Cell module connects directly to eight load cells without external signal conditioners.

The LC8 is expected to be useful in testing applications where precise, high-speed force measurements are required, whether for force feedback to a motion axis or for monitoring multiple load cells. The new module provides eight load cell inputs, divided between two detachable terminal blocks. The maximum sensitivity is 5 mV/V in full Wheatstone bridge configurations, and quarter and half bridge configurations are supported with a user-supplied bridge completion circuit. Both four and six wire load cells are supported, and each of the eight inputs includes a sense input for wire voltage drop compensation.

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Modular insert and metal contacts for pneumatic connections

5,000-psi pressure class hydraulic hose

The MegaSysTM MXGTM 5K hydraulic hose is lighter, more flexible, and more durable than a typical 5,000 psi (350 bar) hydraulic hose.

A product of Gates’ work in materials science and process engineering, MXG 5K offers wire spiral performance in a flexible, lightweight, innovative, high-pressure, hydraulic hose using Gates patented Xpiral woven spiral technology — a construction that exceeds all industry standards and most published competitive hose performance in terms of both pressure and impulse life. MXG 5K was tested extensively in the laboratory and real-world applications throughout its development, including rigorous field testing in tunnel boring, top drives, excavator, and wheel loader applications.

This improved version of the MIXO modular pneumatic connection system uses a new self-extinguishing thermoplastic insert and metal contacts. The MIXO system allows more frequent mating cycles for compressed air distribution systems and guarantees better mechanical resistance and increased airflow for transmitting dry and compressed air in pneumatic systems.

These metal pneumatic contacts can permanently withstand the constant pressure of 10 bar. The contacts can be mated up to 10,000 cycles when installed with HNM (High Number of Matings) series enclosures and frames for modular units and up to 500 cycles when installed with MIXO frames and standard enclosures. The contacts are available in straight and angled versions for different sizes of plastic tubing, 3, 4, and 6 mm for both inner and outer diameter.

FLUID CONDUCTING SWIVEL JOINTS

In a single MIXO module, two different pneumatic fitting methods can be installed.

• Quick push-in fitting for OD tubing (straight and angled versions) • Hose barbs fitting for ID tubing (straight version only)

Full 4:1 Safety Factor — Field Repairable — RoHS Compliant Hydraulics, Inc., swivels provide system developers the opportunity to select swivels having geometric relations of fluid ports that compliment the movement between a systems fluid ports. These products offer designers an opportunity to improve existing concepts and take a different approach to new equipment design.

Swivels provide more design versatility, longer flex hose life, simplified plumbing, and ease of maintenance.

Multiple Geometric Port Configurations

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“S” Series — Standard Duty Inline “9S” Series — 90º Pressure Balanced “18S”Series — Paralell Plane Swivel

“HS” Series — Heavy Duty Inline “9SS” Series — Dual Plane “93S & 96S” Series 90º Flanged

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PRODUCT WORLD

Digital pressure gauge Webtec webtec.com

Keep your machines from going down the tubes!

Versatile!

Polyurethane tube PUN-H The kink-resistant plastic tubing PUN-H is suitable for highly flexible use in standard applications and in the food industry and in wet areas.

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Sizes 2mm OD up to 16mm OD Highly flexible tubing Resistant to hydrolysis and microbes UV-resistant Food-safe FDA-listed materials Kink-resistant Available in red, green and yellow tube also DUO tube available in blue and black

The HPM110 digital pressure gauge from Webtec is now available with a USB interface to facilitate data logging. This optional version with real-time clock records both current measured pressures, and the minimum and maximum values. Users can transfer the stored data to a PC or laptop in CSV file format, where they will see a time and date stamp against recorded pressures. Such data sets are particularly useful for trend analysis or if there is a specific system event that requires investigation.

The HPM110 digital pressure gauge offers the continuous monitoring of oil, gas, water, and other pressure media in mobile equipment, industrial hydraulics, compressors, and process control systems. This hand-held device, which weighs just 500 g, provides an economical solution to monitoring pressure and peak pressure.

Featuring a back-lit visual display for simple operation, the screen simultaneously displays information that includes actual pressure, peak pressure, battery level, and the measurement units selected. Buttons on the front panel are used to make, adjust, and clear settings accordingly. The HPM110 has a maximum system pressure of 600 bar (8,700 psi) for fluids in the temperature range of –20 to 80°C, while accuracy is ±0.5% at full scale.

Visit our website to learn more! www.festo.us

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fpw-full-page-2020.indd 1

2020-08-12 2:07 PM

Some of the best companies in the USA use GRH Products in their machines.

Why shouldn’t you?

The best American manufacturers buy only from the best.

ALA INDUSTRIES LIMITED 3410 Delta Drive • Portage, IN 46368 Tel. 877-419-8536 Fax. 219-762-2066

GRH 2020_FPW_PEOPLE AD1_APPROVED.indd 1

Web. www.alaindustrieslimited.com

7/24/20 7:45 AM

COMPONENT FOCUS Edited by Mary C. Gannon • Editor

Design considerations for mobile hydraulic power units Hydraulic power units are not always designed and built into a machine or system. Mobile machinery, rail operations and other outdoor applications require various unique design considerations. Often mounted to the bed of a heavy vehicle (or trailer), mobile HPUs are exposed to the worst of the outdoor environment. A power unit design must encompass corrosion resistance first and foremost, using a combination of stainless steel, composites and rust-resistant paints.

A corollary to rust resistance is the waterresistant nature of the electrical components, such as valve coils, sensors and engine control components. Electrical connections and interfaces must resist water-related damage, so, typically, advanced connection technology is used, such as Deutsch or MetriPak connections. These connection styles are available in a wide range of sizes and pin-

counts while allowing for up to IP69K water protection, which can resist high-pressure hot water spray.

Just as the outdoors can be wet, the subjection to temperature extremes requires thought as well. A diesel engine has its own heat dissipation requirements, so care must be taken to prevent exhaust heat from contaminating hydraulic oil (yes, heat is a form of contamination). Mounting a hydraulic reservoir near the diesel exhaust is a recipe for disaster, especially when the summer heat is already straining the hydraulic power unit.

Most mobile machines require a hydraulic cooler. Hydraulic liquid-toair coolers for mobile hydraulic power units are some of the largest available.

Having to deal with ambient heat on top of everyday inefficiencies and pressure drop necessitates high-power cooling.

Occasionally hydraulic motors are used to power fans to help dissipate heat.

Motor and cylinder specification is critical in any HPU design. Before you select a pump, you must calculate your pressure and flow requirements. To calculate flow required by your hydraulic pump, you must know the size and velocity of the actuators it will power. It is important to calculate the maximum flow required during simultaneous actuator operation, such as a motor and cylinder working in tandem. You must always factor efficiency in your calculations.

Hydraulic motor flow requirement is generally easier to arrive at than cylinders, which cycle o C a rt o esy of P | Court with differential volumes.

Simplified motor flow calculations are as follows:

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gpm required = cid x eff x rpm /231 cid = cubic displacement of the motor eff = the motor’s efficiency rating rpm = revolutions per minute 231 = constant representing 231 cubic in. in one gal Example: 2.5 in2 x 0.8 x 1,200 / 231 = 10.4 gpm *note: some motors efficiency rating changes with speed and pressure … do your homework.

Cylinder flow requirement is more difficult because of multi-step math. We must calculate both the volume of the cap side and of the rod side of our cylinder:

Cap side volume = (πr2) x stroke Rod side volume = cap side volume – rod volume (the space the rod takes up) Example: 4 in. bore x 12 in. stroke and 1 in. rod Cap side volume = π22 x stroke = 150.8 in.3 Rod side volume = 150.8 – (π0.52) x 12 = 94.2 in.3 Now we must calculate the volume required to get the cylinder to stroke in the time we desire, let’s say 3 seconds in this example.

First, we must convert seconds into minutes, which reflects our pump’s gpm description = 3/60 = 0.05 minutes to stroke.

gpm required = (V / T) / 231 V = volume T = time Example cap side = (150.8/0.05)/231 = 13 gpm Example rod side = (94.2/0.05)/231 = 8 gpm It takes less flow to retract the cylinder in 3 sec rather than to extend. If you must meet a maximum stroke time, you will need at least 13 gpm (more to accelerate quickly).

Now add all the combined volumes together of every simultaneously operating actuator to arrive at your ideal pump flow.

You may find you have to compromise.

FPW

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AD INDEX

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