FLUID POWER WORLD DECEMBER 2023 by WTWH Media LLC

A look at sodium-ion batteries p. 11

Sustainable mobile machinery trends p. 29

Pneumatics and automation in packaging p. 34

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December 2023

Hydraulics

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FLUIDLINES Mary C. Gannon • Editor-in-Chief

What’s old is new again Many moons again, when I was perhaps a sophomore in high school, a small group of us students started our school’s first ever environmental and recycling club. We were going to do big things and change the world. Oh, the lofty goals of a 15 year-old idealist! I don’t know if the club lived on after we graduated, but I do know that I definitely learned a lot about how we needed to treat our world better. However, a handful of young kids weren’t going to make that much of an impact, no matter what we wished. It takes bigger voices to truly make global changes to our world’s environment, after years of so much waste. While the world clamors for individuals to drive electric cars or ensure you’re using your recycling bin properly, it’s when corporations on a larger scale get into the game that you’ll truly see change happening. And it means so much more when it’s not just because of the bottom line but because of someone who truly cares to leave our world a better place than when we entered that. I’ve felt great joy the past few months seeing just that. I think this wake-up was triggered while I was at Pack Expo back in September, where I saw more paper, and less plastic, being used on the packaged goods. I’ve felt long-time frustration at our world’s obsession with plastic packaging for years, so it was great to see bottle holders, snack packaging and others make the switch back to paper, which feels like old-style packaging from back in the day. There are challenges to switching from blister packs to paper, but it’s worth the time and investment to retrofit machinery, noted PMMI (Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute) in a 2022 report. Manufacturers who are focusing on making what’s old new again will make the biggest impact. igus Inc., a maker of advanced

motion plastics, recognizes more than anyone that their business could be seen as NOT sustainable. But they have started more innovative programs to make what is old new again and they’re worth talking about. The company is encouraging its customers to recycle their used cable and hose carriers, with its chainge program (they’ll take other manufacturers’ e-chains as well). They then have started a program designing urban-use bicycles made of recycled plastics, to again, make something old, new again. Another company doing something similar is local to me here in Avon, Ohio. canvus is a manufacturer of products made from wind turbine blades. So instead of disposing of retired turbine blades — which are difficult to recycle due to their size and fiberglass materials — they’re being upcycled into benches, planters and picnic tables for public spaces. canvus can upcycle 100% of the blade into something new. Stay tuned for more about this small company doing great things from Rachael Pasini, who visited their facility and will write a story about their efforts in our sister publication, Design World. No longer are we environmentalists; the new word is sustainable — but it all means the same thing. It’s time to take the “reduce, reuse, recycle,” tag lines my children have been learning since toddlerhood and make it part of our everyday lives. Let’s keep making what’s old, new again. FPW

Mary C. Gannon • Editor-in -Chief mgannon@wtwhmedia.com On Twitter @FPW_marygannon

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D ECE M BER 2023

C ontents | v o l 1 1 n o 8 |

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Indispensable hydraulics: making light work in waste & recycling Waste and recycling applications are dominated by hydraulic technologies, where the power density, ruggedness, speed and precision they provide are crucial to uptime.

MARINE TRENDS

Working towards a sustainable future All trends in mobile machinery development point toward creating more compact, fuel-efficient machines that reduce emissions.

PNEUMATICS

Precise and localized pneumatics complement advanced motion controls in packaging machines Packaging machine manufacturer Coesia and its sister companies rely on system integration for efficient, precise and fast operations.

FLUID POWER WORLD

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2023

F E AT U R E S

WASTE MANAGEMENT & RECYCLING

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29 D E PA R T M E N T S

02 FluidLines 06 Perspectives 08

Design Notes

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21 Component Focus 22 Energy Efficiency 37 Products 39

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FLUID POWER WORLD (ISSN 2375-3641) is published seven times a year: in February, April, June, July, August, October, and December by WTWH Media, LLC; 1111 Superior Ave., Suite 2600, Cleveland, Ohio 44114. Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, OH & additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Fluid Power World, 1111 Superior Ave., Suite 2600, Cleveland, OH 44114

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PERSPECTIVES Rachael Pasini • Senior Editor

Three keys to intelligence, according to AI I recently asked ChatGPT what “intelligence” means. It told me that intelligence is a complex and multi-faceted trait, generally consisting of three key aspects: cognitive abilities (learning, reasoning, and problem-solving), emotional intelligence (empathy, self-awareness, and emotional regulation), and practical intelligence (street smarts or common sense). It also informed me that since its last knowledge update in January 2022, AI systems do not possess a general intelligence comparable to humans. Phew, we’re still safe for now. (Or did ChatGPT just exhibit self-awareness — or worse, street smarts?) Generative AI is a hot topic in every industry, and it’s made its way into fluid power. Alongside electrification, the digitalization of industrial and mobile machines is expected to improve efficiency, safety, and emissions. But it’s not just about converting analog controls into digital touchscreens and making manual operations autonomous — it’s about connecting digital systems effectively to form an intelligence network that solves problems in real time. At the 2023 Advantech Industrial IoT World Partner Conference, generative AI took center stage. The technology was touted for its ease of use, image and video accuracy, and ability to bring high performance and intelligence to edge devices. Willie Lin, director of iFactory Solutions and WISE-IoT at Advantech, told me that intelligence consists of two things: knowledge — which requires sensors — and problem-solving. The next step is to boost capabilities with AI. “With generative AI, you will use chatbots to get answers. Maybe not now, but in 10 years, I think that will change the way you control a device, the way you control the machines, the way you get the answers,” said Lin. “You’re not using AI to repress a human; you are using it to make smarter decisions.” Yet, for many humans, how all that works remains fuzzy at best. To start, David Jen, AVP and head of 6

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Advantech’s Intelligent System Group, encourages us to view generative AI as a collaborative coworker. He notes that humans make mistakes and are influenced by emotions and external factors, such as the weather, which can vary worker performance. That’s when our AI coworker steps in. “IoT data-driven applications with generative AI will facilitate efficiency, especially for production manager decisions,” said Jen. “Besides the data, it’s all about image and video.” For example, AI can expedite notifications when images or videos show anomalies, especially for safety purposes. Instead of capturing video and waiting for a human to notice an anomaly or problem and then notify others, the AI can “watch” the video continuously and alert workers immediately. AI can also be used for predictive maintenance, optimization, automation, precision functions, and telematics. Chatbots can help troubleshoot and provide recommendations onsite. AI-driven adaptive controls can adjust machine settings quickly based on terrain, temperature, and other dynamic parameters. Applications abound in fluid power — especially mobile machinery — so long as AI has the correct information and stays up to date. But out of curiosity, I asked ChatGPT if it thinks it’ll be more intelligent than humans in 10 years. It told me that surpassing human intelligence is speculative, and it’s important to approach AI advancements responsibly and consider societal implications. Good answer, ChatGPT. Let’s revisit this topic after your next update. FPW

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DESIGN NOTES By Mary C. Gannon • Editor-in-Chief

Plastic-steel energy chains reduce machine weight

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With the need to reduce fuel consumption, mobile machine manufacturers often look to reduce their machine footprint and weight. Often, this is limited by all the components that need to be installed throughout the machine, but igus has devised one system to reduce cable carrier weight by up to 50%. With its YE hybrid energy supply systems, the plastics manufacturer has eliminated the need for heavy steel cable carrier systems, thus reducing carrier weight by 50%. igus first launched its YE.42 system in 2019, and has since added six more models — the YE.56, YEHD.108, YEHD.112, YRHD.108, and the iSet YE. “The goal for construction machinery applications is that the weight savings gets to be added back into the payload that the machine can carry,” said Dan Thompson, product manager. “There’s also some other ancillary benefits as well. We’ve done the calculations for the Genie (scissor lift) and the JLGs of the world, on just the weight savings in terms of shipping. It comes down to hundreds of thousands of pounds that they’re not having to pay to truck from place to place to place. Say they buy something like 3,000 chains a year; if you save 100 lb for each one, that’s 300,000 lb of weight that doesn’t need to be trucked from the supplier to their production location.” The hybrid chains provide 50% more

unsupported length than plastic energy chains and have higher rigidity. The chains are easy to assemble and maintain due to their modular design, and operators can rely on work platforms or vertical lifts for a safe, lightweight, cost-effective, and quickly replaceable system. Cherry pickers, construction machinery and lifting platforms face an identical challenge: a safe and compact vertical guidance of the cables and hoses. In these situations, users usually rely on tough and rigid steel chains. However, these are very heavy and difficult to install, and often need to be completely replaced when service or repair is needed. This means immense costs for machine operators and rental companies due to equipment downtime. Machines like these typically house four to six hydraulic hoses and one or two cables in their energy chain systems, said Thompson. The hybrid energy chain will work especially well for high unsupported travels. The supporting chain links of the new energy supply solution are made of steel and ensure high rigidity, whereas the pin/bore connection, the outer links and the crossbars are made of a tribologically optimized high-performance plastic. Although not fully tested for this, the rounded crossbar design can also help reduce hose abrasion as well, said Thompson. “I could say that the separators and the plastic crossbars that we’ve designed, over many years, are used as the interior separation of that product,” Thompson said. “They’re designed

YE hybrid energy chains from igus are 50%

lighter than conventional steel chains due to the high-performance polymers and are easy to maintain thanks to their modular design.

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Retrofitting machines like cherry pickers

is simple with snap-in designs that don’t require tools for installation. to be very cable and hose friendly, prevent that type of abrasion that you would get with a sharper crossbar or a crossbar made out of a harder material.” The YE hybrid energy chain is the best mix of lightweight plastic and sturdy steel that handles high cantilevered paths with ease. The requirement was to achieve the highest possible cantilevered length with compact dimensions and the lowest possible weight. However, pure steel energy chains have the disadvantages of a high assembly effort and weight. The YE system combines the higher strength of steel elements with the low weight and flexibility of plastic components. The modularity of the hybrid chain offers another advantage. The chain links are easy to combine and can be assembled quickly. igus completely dispenses with screws, rivets or bolts that can become loose due to vibration. Also, cables can be quickly replaced via the openable crossbars, another advantage over classic steel chains, which are usually completely riveted or bolted. The YE models achieve their high stability by means of an undercut design for locking the chain links. For the interior of the energy chain, igus offers a wide range of partitioning elements that ensure an interior separation friendly to cables and hoses. They also are available as ready-to-install readychain systems with cables, hoses and hydraulic components already installed. FPW

igus Inc. igus.com

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DESIGN NOTES Edited by Anton Zhukov • Electrical Engineer—an expert in uninterrupted power solutions

Sodium-ion batteries on the horizon: Are they ready for mobile machines? To curb the limited supply and high price of battery-grade lithium, alternative sodiumion batteries are one of the most developed technologies that can potentially become a viable option in many applications. However, new battery technology requires years of engineering for successful commercialization — and with the accelerating demand, there remains a risk of battery shortages in the mid-term. Let’s compare the two technologies and contemplate the feasibility of using sodium-ion batteries in industrial machinery, such as material handling equipment and other applications.

Abundance and cost comparison

The natural abundance of sodium (Na), the Earth’s fifth most abundant element, constituting 3% of its mass, is remarkably higher than that of lithium (Li), signifying its potential significance in battery production. Sodium concentration in the Earth’s crust is approximately 1,180 times greater than lithium’s and an astonishing 60,000 times greater in the sea (see Table 1). One significant advantage lies in the cost of sodium. A simple comparison of prices on the Shanghai Metals Market reveals a striking 20-fold difference in prices of pure sodium and lithium compounds (June 2023). •

•

The current demand for sodium within the battery industry is negligible, especially in contrast to the surging demand for lithium. The year 2022 marked a notable milestone for lithium-ion batteries, as the prices of battery packs increased for the first time in 12 years since BloombergNEF (BNEF) began tracking prices. The price reached $151 per kW-h, largely due to the soaring demand for passenger electric vehicles (EVs), electrical industrial equipment, and energy storage manufacturing.

Battery cell structure and performance

Similar to lithium-ion cells, sodium-ion battery cells have positive and negative electrodes, a separator, and an electrolyte. Both battery types are based on the “rocking chair” principle: during the charging and discharging processes, positive ions travel back and forth between the two electrodes of the battery, as shown in Figure 1.

As in the early days of lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries use a cobaltcontaining active component. Specifically, sodium cobalt oxide (NaCoO2) is the primary active material for sodium-ion cells, mirroring the use of lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) in lithium-ion cells. However, as technology advanced and concerns arose about cobalt’s sustainability and cost, the industry began exploring alternatives. In lithium-ion batteries, cathode materials such as nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) and nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA) are increasingly being substituted with more abundant and cost-effective lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry. Similarly, researchers and manufacturers Figure 1. Schematic representation of sodium-ion battery cell.

Sodium carbonate costs approximately $290 per metric ton. (Source: Trading Economics) Lithium carbonate (99.5% battery grade), on the other hand, commands a significantly higher price of approximately $35,000 per metric ton, even after a sharp decline since mid-July 2022. (Source: Shanghai Metals Market)

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DESIGN NOTES

Crust (mg/kg or ppm)

Sea (mg/L or ppm)

Sodium (Na)

2.36x104

1.08x104

Lithium (Li)

2.0x101

1.8x10-1

Table 1. Na and Li in the Earth’s crust

and in the sea. Source: CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 103rd Edition (2022-2023).

are actively working toward substituting cobalt-containing compounds in sodium-ion battery cathodes with more sustainable and economical elements. Similarities in specific energy between Na-ion and LFP cells make sodium-ion batteries potentially well-suited for applications currently using LFP battery packs, such as industrial batteries. Such applications include EVs, e-buses, industrial and off-highway vehicles, stationary storage, marine and rail transport, and power tools. However, it remains to be seen whether the actual performance of batteries on a pack level differs significantly from what is reported on a cell level. We will need to see Na-ion battery packs’ performance in real life to confirm their data on the number of cycles before degradation, loss of capacity in extreme cold and hot conditions, and other specs.

Sodium-ion battery pack advantages

Sustainability. The abundance of Sodium (Na) in the world’s oceans presents a compelling opportunity for large-scale sodium extraction, leveraging existing technologies. Presently, brine extraction on the mainland, followed by water evaporation, chemical separation of sodium-containing salts, and subsequent chemical recovery of sodium, is a commonly employed method. However, future advancements could replace this approach with seawater desalination, offering the advantage of clean drinking water as a by-product of sodium extraction. This innovative technology has already 12

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been extensively discussed in Nature. Further development of this technology, such as anode-free sodium metal batteries, can help reduce the carbon footprint and energy use during battery manufacturing and recycling processes. Lower cost. The specific price for sodium-ion battery packs is lower today and is expected to decrease as production volume grows and technology advances. Unlike lithium, there is no foreseeable shortage of raw sodium. Figure 2 shows a price comparison for different types of batteries. However, as per the Global EV Outlook 2023 by the International Energy Agency (IEA), Na-ion batteries currently do not offer the same energy density as Li-ion. With energy densities ranging from 75 to 160 W-h/kg for sodium-ion batteries compared to 120–260 W-h/kg for lithium-ion batteries, there exists a disparity in energy storage capacity. This disparity may make sodiumion batteries a good fit for off-highway, industrial, and light urban commercial vehicles with lower range requirements and for stationary storage applications. These applications prioritize cost-effectiveness and sustainability over maximizing the driving range of passenger EVs.

Gigafactories can be retrofitted to produce Na-ion cells relatively quickly. “Sodium-ion Batteries 2023-2033: Technology, Players, Markets, and Forecasts” argues that Na-ion is a drop-in technology for the current production lines of Liion batteries. This means that if sodium batteries will indeed start to replace lithium in some applications, manufacturers can switch to the new chemistry very fast.

Sodium-ion batteries for material handling equipment

Material handling equipment (MHE) has specific requirements for its applications: • Industrial equipment utilization rates are high, with up to 18 work hours per day and short breaks. Automated equipment, such as AMRs and AGVs, can work even more hours per day. • Chargers are typically located within the operation facility, and there is no “range anxiety,” as batteries can charge frequently and rapidly during scheduled and random breaks. • A harsh industrial environment requires the equipment to withstand extreme temperatures, vibration, and moisture.

Figure 2. Prices for different types of batteries per energy unit. Source: Wood Mackenzie, 2022 battery pack prices per energy unit.

2022 battery pack costs by chemistry

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12/6/23 12:23 PM

Given these specific requirements, MHE requires lower specific battery energy (W-h/ kg) but higher specific power (W/kg) than passenger EVs. If sodium-ion technologies can meet the challenge of delivering higher power and durability, they may indeed have a bright future in the MHE industry. And unlike in EVs, extra battery weight is often welcome as a counterweight. A simultaneous development of demand for lithium-ion and sodium-ion forklift batteries is quite possible, as is sodium-ion battery packs becoming a direct competitor to TPPL lead-acid batteries, which are currently used in applications with lower power demands.

Active manufacturers of sodium-ion batteries

According to IEA’s Global EV Outlook 2023, there are nearly 30 sodium-ion battery manufacturing plants currently

Design Notes_FPW_12-23_Vs5.indd 13

Parameter Lifetime Cell voltage Low Temperature performance Safety Specific energy

Sodium-ion (Na-ion)

Lithium-ion (LFP)

2,000 to 6,000 cycles

3,000 cycles

2.8 to 3.5 V

3.0 to 4.5 V

At -20 °C capacity retention rate is above 90%

At -20 °C capacity retention rate is above 70%

An aluminum anode current collector allows cells to be deeply discharged.

Over-discharge can lead to the dissolution of copper current collectors.

120 to 190 W-h/kg

93 to 186 W-h/kg

Table 2. Overall comparison of sodium-ion cells against Lithium-ion cells. Sources: A non-academic perspective on the future of lithiumbased batteries (Supplementary Information) and “Sodium-ion Batteries 2023-2033: Technology, Players, Markets, and Forecasts.”

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operating, planned, or under construction for a combined capacity of over 100 GW-h, and almost all of them are in China. For comparison, the total U.S. manufacturing capacity of lithium-ion batteries in 2022 is estimated at 110 GW-h. Within the next few years, we will see if this new technology can be scaled and achieve wide commercialization or if it will remain a niche product along with many other battery chemistries. Below are a few key players that have made significant progress in the development and commercialization of sodium-ion batteries. CATL. In July 2021, CATL confirmed the launch of sodium-ion products, signaling its entry into the sodium-ion battery market. In April 2023, CATL announced that Chery passenger cars will be equipped with its EV sodium-ion batteries, indicating massive commercial adoption. BYD. In December 2022, BYD said it

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will mass-produce sodium-ion batteries and incorporate them into its Qin EV, Dolphin, and Seagull models. Other Chinese developers racing to launch sodium batteries for EVs are Farasis Energy and HiNa Battery. Tiamat. Tiamat is an American startup focused on designing, developing, and producing sodium-ion technology. The company achieved significant milestones, including the launch of the first 18650 Naion cell in November 2015. Today, Tiamat is working on the construction of a gigafactory on French soil in the coming years. Faradion. The British sodium-ion battery technology company Faradion was acquired by Reliance New Energy Solar (RNES) in India. In December 2022, Faradion completed its first sodium-ion battery energy storage installation, showcasing progress in the commercialization of its technology.

Natron Energy. Based in California, Natron Energy is a start-up specializing in sodium-ion batteries. United Airlines is among its investors. Natron is targeting data centers and telecom applications. In April 2021, Natron Energy and Lonza Specialty Ingredients (LSI) announced their agreement for LSI to supply high volumes of Prussian blue materials for Natron’s sodium-ion energy storage products. OneCharge onecharge.biz

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Call or email our sales team today to discuss your needs • info@ohfab.com • 888.354.0291 • ohfab.com/special-custom-products OFCO-FPW-022023.indd 1 Design Notes_FPW_12-23_Vs5.indd 14

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DESIGN NOTES

This directional spool valve type

PSL with a directly attached CAN bus interface connects with one plug. | Courtesy of HAWE Hydraulik

Agriculture electrifies without bailing on hydraulics Efficient farming is top of mind for the agricultural industry, but not at the environment’s expense. Though net-zero targets tend to push OEMs toward fully electric and even autonomous machines, there are ways to partially electrify without overhauling a design. HAWE Hydraulik provides examples of how to increase efficiency by electrifying functions strategically.

Electrify work processes in yard loaders and telehandlers

Electrically driven yard loaders and telehandlers have already been working successfully in agriculture and at transshipment points for some time. The drive concepts are constantly being optimized, and new components are coming onto the market. However, instead of redesigning the entire vehicle, proven work processes are electrically driven. This usually means starting with measurements on the existing vehicle and a reference cycle

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definition — a specific, standardized workflow — which is also used to monitor success. The first step is to separate the drive and hydraulics. The drive’s efficiency can be significantly increased using a direct electrical or electromechanical (with gearbox) travel drive instead of a hydrostatic one. As a result, there is less oil in circulation. In addition, a separate electric drive — which drives the hydraulic pump for work functions, such as lifting, lowering, tilting, and steering — can be reduced to minimum energy consumption or switched off in driving mode. Electrically actuating the transmission brakes and steering and installing a small electrohydraulic steering unit can also increase efficiency without significantly adjusting the working hydraulics system. The next step is to optimize the hydraulics, focusing on the power requirement when lifting and lowering loads. From an operational standpoint, since electric telehandlers and farm loaders reduce emissions and noise, they can be used indoors or in areas where exhaust fumes and noise cause problems.

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DESIGN NOTES

Decentralize hydraulics in harvesters

Highly specialized agricultural machinery uses many ancillary functions and individual modules for work processes. However, not all functions need to be supplied by the central hydraulics. Using small decentralized mini hydraulic power units to drive and control such functions minimizes tubing and simplifies installation close to the control function. For example, the discharge pipe or ejection flap in combine and forage harvesters or the conveyor belts in potato and beet harvesters can be controlled with mini hydraulic power units installed close to the consumer. The hydraulic power pack works as a self-sufficient unit and only needs to be powered, saving machine builders long hydraulic hose lines, reducing losses, and simplifying commissioning. Mini hydraulic power packs can use dc or ac motors, and some can reverse the direction of rotation to make controlling a double-acting cylinder easy, negating the need for an additional directional valve. Units should include an integrated temperature switch for motor overload

protection and enable connection to various actuators. Installation is arbitrary for decentralized hydraulic power packs, as the control is unchanged — via a joystick in the driver’s cab, for example. By looking at the machine design with decentralized power generation and low energy consumption in mind, design engineers can find additional functions in which this decentralized drive proves advantageous.

Simplify attachment controls in tractors The agriculture industry is increasingly interested in networking and automating machines and work processes. For example, modern tractors are equipped with telemetry systems and wireless communication, allowing the tractor and implements to be controlled and monitored remotely. This increases efficiency and offers the opportunity to optimize productivity and crop yield further. Each attachment control has different requirements depending on the function. In particular, the hydraulic control is flexible and has high power density, dirt resistance, and a good price-performance ratio. By

These mini hydraulic power

packs decentralize hydraulic control to reduce hosing and simplify the design. | Courtesy of HAWE Hydraulik

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This electrification concept aims to increase hydraulic efficiency for telehandlers from a single source. | Courtesy of HAWE Hydraulik

pairing the hydraulic control with electronic intelligence, such as a directional control valve block with a CAN bus, the entire valve block can be connected to the onboard electrical system with just one plug. System feedback and parameter adjustments are carried out directly in the CAN head of the valve block, relieving the main control and bus systems. These electronic control systems enable operators to control tractor attachments via electrical signals from the cab — or even run them autonomously. This makes it possible to pre-select different settings and working modes in hydraulic controls. Sensors can also be integrated to record information about soil conditions, crop yields, and other relevant parameters and pass data to the main controller or control center. In self-regulating systems, the tractor can automatically react to changing conditions and improve work efficiency. The hydraulic controls offer many solutions for this, which are also energy-efficient and weight-optimized. FPW

HAWE Hydraulik hawe.com

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FUNDAMENTALS By Martin Cuthbert, Managing Director • Webtec

Seven reasons to monitor hydraulic flow on mobile machines

Fig 1: Preventive maintenance may not always be the most suitable.

There are seven good reasons why it makes sound business sense to monitor hydraulic flow on mobile machines. Such are the advantages available to both OEMs and end users from the permanent installation of flow monitoring equipment that Webtec, a manufacturer of hydraulic measurement

were: minimizing unscheduled downtime to save costs, monitoring cycle times to stay abreast of machine health, reducing warranty costs by understanding machine usage patterns, improving energy efficiency to save on fuel, optimizing actuator control to enhance certainty, improving machine safety to protect workers, and supporting the elimination of live work (ELW). Read on to learn more specifics about each of these challenges and how to solve them.

1. Minimize unscheduled downtime Installing a flow meter is one of the best ways to monitor pump and actuator performance, allowing engineers to schedule service requirements before the onset of catastrophic failure and enormous costs. A day of downtime for a municipal vehicle could amount to $20,000 a day, while for mining in the precious metals industry, costs can sometimes top $70,000 an hour. Sure enough, hydraulic machine condition monitoring is not new, but in historical terms many considered ‘flow’ too difficult, so most machines rely on pressure measurement as it is relatively simple to perform. However, pressure is not always useful in locating a fault. For example, suppose a cylinder in normal operation takes 5 seconds to travel full stroke and the applied load creates an operating pressure of 1,000 psi. If a fault occurs, caused perhaps by a loss of pump flow or circuit leakage, the reduced flow would cause the cylinder piston to move slowly, but it would still lift the load. If the load lifts then the pressure must still be 1,000 psi, so the pressure gauge would read the same as normal. Instead, to diagnose a problem with actuator speed (too much or too little) it

and control products, today sees it as Fig 2: Remote monitoring is especially useful for autonomous vehicles

the ‘missing link’ in on- and off-highway hydraulic condition monitoring. By listening to many customers in the mobile machinery market over the past five years, Webtec was able to identify seven clear challenges that set the premise for the development of an innovative new hydraulic flow meter which meets the needs of modern hydraulic condition monitoring and delivers considerable business gains. Specifically, the challenges

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include mining, municipal, agriculture and screening/crushing, deploying many different CAN buses and controllers.

Fig 3: Predictive maintenance continuously monitors performance

is necessary to measure flow rate. Such an approach can help pinpoint situations such as: insufficient flow caused by pump wear; excessive return or drain line flow prompted by increased component leakage; or a mismatch between actuator flow rate and speed (indicating a loss of volumetric efficiency of the actuator). To this end, hydraulic flow testers and data loggers are ideal tools in preventative maintenance strategies. Here, scrutinizing pump health periodically helps to estimate remaining life and ensure replacement before catastrophic failure, while simultaneously avoiding the waste of any useful pump life. Preventive maintenance is a useful and practical procedure wherever there is robust documentation of component service life data and operating conditions are predictable. However, the reality for most on- and off-highway mobile machines is somewhat different. Factors such as vibration, temperature swings, shock and unstable power supply can lead to unexpected events and sudden failures. Practicality therefore suggests that continuously monitoring hydraulic performance via a permanently mounted flow meter will immediately detect any sudden deterioration and prompt appropriate action. Furthermore, with the right flow monitor it becomes possible to transmit data to the cloud via the vehicle’s CANbus network. Users can subsequently record and analyze performance data remotely and

predict problems before they arise, with alarms highlighting any sudden changes. Webtec’s newly developed CTA series turbine-type flow monitor with CAN bus interface fulfils this exact purpose. Developed in close collaboration with customers, the CTA series monitors both flow rate and temperature at high operating pressures, transmitting data via an SAE J1939 CAN bus found commonly on many vehicles. IP69K-rated for use in harsh operating conditions and fully EMC compliant, this compact, rugged flow monitor is an invaluable instrument that enables maintenance engineers to monitor system performance and schedule remedial service only when necessary rather than at estimated intervals. Importantly, the new CTA is easy to integrate with IoT solutions and is currently in use at over 10 customers in sectors that

3. Reduce warranty costs Combining flow and pressure data permits the calculation of hydraulic power, which in turn can indicate how ‘hard’ a machine is working – whether due to operator behavior or the ‘hardness’ of the earth or rock. These usage patterns relate directly to wear and can feed into a ‘power by the hour’ business subscription model. This type of data can also prove invaluable when deciding warranty claims.

Fig 4: Auto Flow Monitor principle of operation

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2. Track cycle time to indicate machine health With the CTA flow meter permanently installed, a number of further benefits arrive from the continuous monitoring of machine health and operational parameters. Monitoring cycle times, in particular, can highlight a gradual loss of productivity long before this becomes an issue or leads to a catastrophic failure. Assuming an overall machine cost of $500 per hour, a 5-hour job will cost $2,500 at 100% efficiency. However, a machine that is only 80% efficient means the same 5-hour jobs now needs 6.25 hours, suddenly costing $3,125. A machine operating 5-10% slower is hard to see without monitoring the pump’s power output. For OEMs, this tactic supports the provision of a ‘health monitoring’ subscription service, and provides extra detail and confidence around scheduling future maintenance.

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FUNDAMENTALS

safety function with real-time feedback. It is possible to see whether the pump is delivering flow or not by witnessing whether oil is returning to tank or the motor drive. The set-up can subsequently enable/disable other functions to keep operators safe.

Fig 5: Flow Monitor used in control loop in difficult environments

4. Monitor drive motor efficiency to save fuel For actuators that operate continuously over long periods, such as those found on conveyor or mixer drives, comparing the actuator flow rate to the actuator speed will establish its volumetric efficiency. Any deterioration in efficiency will therefore signal the need for remedial action. In addition, this approach takes into account any leakage from the inlet port to the outlet port that would not be obvious simply by monitoring the case drain flow. Such a strategy is also applicable to the overall machine. If the engine is only driving hydraulics, then measuring the hydraulic power output will reveal the power output of the entire machine, which indicates how long the fuel/battery will last. 5. Improve certainty with closed-loop speed control Using closed-loop feedback will help to optimize flow control, particularly where an actuator is operating in a hostile environment. Where actuators function in challenging conditions, possibly subject to rain or salt water, electrical discharges or lightning strikes, or extreme temperatures, monitoring and transmitting the actuator speed by electrical sensors and cabling may prove problematic. Instead, a feedback signal proportional to the actuator speed is obtainable by 20

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monitoring the actuator flow rate, which is then suitable for use in the closed-loop speed control system of the actuator. This signal can relay back to the proportional hydraulic flow control valve, with flow adjusted accordingly. 6. Enhance safety Any mobile machine with hydraulic flow presents a safety risk if someone inadvertently opens a cover, for example. Normal practice here is the use of trip switches, but these are not tamper-proof. Flow monitoring is a good back-up strategy. By monitoring pump flow, the system designer has a built-in secondary

7. Elimination of Live work (ELW) In a continuous drive to improve safety in the heavy machinery industry, OEMs, dealers and operators in the construction and mining industries are increasingly focused on how such machines can be maintained and repaired without a person having to enter the machine while its operating, hence the phrase Elimination of Live Work. Traditionally to test a hydraulic pump on a machine you would need two technicians to attend to fit the flow meter into the circuit, and then for one to run the machine while the other monitors the pump performance. By using a permanently installed flow monitor, no additional equipment needs to be installed, so only one person is required to carry out the job and flow rates can be monitored remotely thus removing the technician from a potentially dangerous environment. FPW

Webtec webtec.com

Fig 6: System performance can be monitored remotely

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COMPONENT FOCUS Josh Cosford • Contributing Editor

Hydraulic Live Swivels Inline & 90°

Where are O-rings used on hydraulic fittings? nature, mattering not where you reside or if you’re part of a colonial legacy. No matter where you travel, a wheel is a wheel because it’s so absolutely perfect for the job that it leaves any other method of moving heavy objects obsolete. Unfortunately, the hydraulic fitting and adapter market has no “wheel standard” yet. Not a single thread form and standard has so clearly fit the role that it has risen above all others. Fitting differences are more than just metric vs imperial. We use metal-to-metal sealing with JIC, NPT and BSPT technologies, while O-ring Boss, O-ring Face, BSPP and metric all (wisely) employ soft polymer seals to guarantee leak-free operation. O-rings make a fitting superior to previous technologies, as they offer repeatable, high-pressure sealing for fittings while offering easy replacement of failed seals. When plumbing hose and tube to finished components such as valves, manifolds, and actuators, rarely are we provided with anything other than a female port. Oddly, male threads on hose ends are rare and, as far as I know, impossible on tube. Therefore, an intermediate interface is required to attach the conduit to the component. These male adapters screw into the component while offering the male interface for the hose or tube. ORB, metric and BSPP adapters all look similar to the untrained eye. The ORB is a straight thread with an O-ring tucked up under the shoulder where the thread undercut provides a pocket. When tightened into the port, the captive O-ring compresses inside a chamfered OD of the female thread form of the block. The metric fitting looks much like ORB but uses a washer-bonded O-ring around the undercut. Be careful when ordering metric, as the seals are often sold separately! Seal-devoid metric fittings

are easy to spot with their prominent thread undercut. Undercuts are used on threaded objects (including piston rods) to provide a radius in the corner rather than a sharp corner. Radii-equipped fittings are more robust, allowing more side-load before the fitting breaks. The BSPP adapter also uses a straight thread, but the female port does not have a chamfer. Instead, an O-ring held in place with a retainer or simply residing inside a groove past the thread undercut seal flat against the smooth surface surrounding the port. The surface finish adjacent to the port must be smooth enough to support the O-ring interface. Also, machinists and technicians must be sure to avoid labelling the port too close to the drilling, as engravings could interfere with or damage the seal. Each of these three design’s threads is straight, unlike the taper used on NPT and BSPT. British Standard Pipe Thread is similar to NPT but with a different pitch on all sizes but ¾ in. Please avoid referring to either of the British standards by simply “BSP” because British Standard Pipe Parallel is very different. With tapered threads, sealing occurs via the threads’ deformation to seal tightly, while straight threads only provide the torque to hold the adapter in place while the O-ring does the heavy lifting. It should go without saying that straight threads require no sealant, so avoid using Teflon tape or pipe dope on BSPP, ORB or metric fittings.

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY Ron Marshall • Contributing Editor

Here’s a record you don’t want to break One important item discussed in Compressed Air Challenge’s Fundamentals of Compressed Air Systems seminars is leakage. The most common waste category is compressed air. When studies are done looking at leakage rates compared to the total amount of compressed air produced, on average somewhere between 20% and 30% is found at manufacturing facilities (Figure 1). Combined with other items like artificial demand and inappropriate uses, the true total typically adds up to 50%, making the overall efficiency of a typical compressed air system very poor, and leading to high operating costs. One day, we received an excited phone call. A compressed air auditor had found a system breaking his all-time record leakage percentage. Many years ago, he had found a plant that had a leakage rate of 80% of average, but now he had found one higher, and he said that he had the data to prove it! Leakage percentages can be found by monitoring and observing the plant flow

during various operating times. This is most easily done using a time-based data logger system; nobody enjoys attending a plant during nights and on weekends looking for leaks. The audit did just this and showed the results of his measurements (Figure 2). The average flow going into the plant was 50 cfm during all hours, yet the flow during the hours nobody was in the plant was 49.8 cfm. The production load represented a bit of fuzz on top of the flow profile. This calculates to a non-productive flow of 99.6% — a new record! The system is small, of course, so the total electrical operating cost for this 100 hp VSD compressor system is only about $18,000 per year. However, running this large compressor on such low demand causes issues with the compressor lubrication. VSDs should not be running at minimum speed for long periods of time, as the lack of heat in this condition allows the buildup of water in the lubricant. Recent costs for repair due to this problem were more than $12,000. The auditor is hoping he can help his client greatly reduce the non-productive load in this plant and is currently charging up his ultrasonic leak detector getting ready for some detailed work. Wish him luck!

Figure 1. Leakage is one area of waste in a compressed air system, typically averaging about 20% to 30% of the total compressed air consumption — but it can be a lot more in some plants. | Courtesy of Compressed Air Challenge

FPW

Figure 2: Production flow shows up as some fuzz on top of a large base leakage load (blue line). Calculated percentage leakage in this system is 99.6%, a new record for this auditor. | Courtesy of CompressedAirAudit.com

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FUNDAMENTALS WASTE MANAGEMENT & RECYCLING

INDISPENSABLE HYDRAULICS: MAKING LIGHT WORK IN WASTE & RECYCLING WASTE AND RECYCLING APPLICATIONS ARE DOMINATED BY HYDRAULIC TECHNOLOGIES, WHERE THE POWER DENSITY, RUGGEDNESS, SPEED AND PRECISION THEY PROVIDE ARE CRUCIAL TO UPTIME.

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heavily on enters rely as specialized c g n li yc c s and re ry, such Landfill site ered mobile machine rs, the latter looking w o n -p a c rial h dle hydrauli rs and mate instead of buckets. e d a lo d n e frontrapples tors with g like excava

Hydraulics have proven to be a versatile and efficient technology in various

BY JOSH COSFORD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

industries, offering precise control, reliability, and extraordinary power density. Some industries are lightly equipped with hydraulic equipment, such as automation and food and beverage. Conversely, other fields are absolutely dominated by hydraulics, not the least of which is waste management and recycling. Waste management and recycling is an umbrella term to describe the process and machinery employed by municipalities to collect and process garbage, waste and recycling. It starts at your home or place of

business, where steadfast sanitation workers throw your bags or dump your bins into their trucks to haul to transfer stations before being unloaded and processed on-site. The various materials, ranging from electronics to organic waste, are sorted before being transported to landfills or recycling facilities. It’s an understatement that we take waste management for granted, as it’s an essential aspect of urban living, and it plays a pivotal role in maintaining public health and environmental sustainability. Power and precision of hydraulic actuation

One of the most recognizable applications of hydraulics in waste management is in waste collection trucks, also known as garbage, refuse, or sanitation trucks. Garbage trucks,

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WASTE MANAGEMENT & RECYCLING Hydraulics are used in baling machines to compress papers throughout waste and recycling facilities.

whether front-loading, rear-loading, or sideloading, rely on hydraulic systems for lifting and emptying containers, compacting the waste and dumping it at the transfer station. The hydraulic system is equipped with a hydraulic pump mounted to either the PTO of the transmission or the crankshaft. There are many garbage truck styles, but the most common is the rear-loader. The rear-loader trucks provide a large hopper for workers to toss garbage or recycling into. When the hopper fills, familiar leveroperated valves (or now, more commonly, buttons) at the side of the truck are actuated, and the compactor drops down and pulls the refuse into the body where it is compacted. This truck style also empties its load much like a dump truck, using a telescopic hydraulic cylinder to tip the load to be dumped at the transfer station. Most other refuse collection vehicles operate with a single driver and collect or dump bins and totes using hydraulic actuators. Many commercial or industrial buildings eschew curbside collection altogether and instead use massive steel bins or large plastic totes. The steel bins are exchanged or dumped by front-loader, rolloff or grapple trucks, which is more typical of non-governmental commercial collection. The front loader trucks employ tusklike forks, which extend down and out using hydraulic cylinders before the operator drives forward to insert the forks into the lifting holes of the bin. Again, with cylinders, the load is lifted and inverted overhead, where it dumps the load into the body. The 26

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operator often toggles the control valves (or switchgear) to shake the bin to break stuck garbage loose from the sides and bottom, often resulting in a cacophony too familiar to apartment dwellers. Other common commercial dump trucks are the grapple and hook lift configurations. The grapple truck offers one of the largest payloads, able to pull bins capable of bulky waste or large objects onto the bed using a grapple and (you guessed it) hydraulic winch system. The hook lift truck appears similar but operates with a hydraulic hook that reaches out to grab the leading edge of the bin to pull it onto the chassis. Hydraulics are the exclusive actuators for garbage trucks because of the high power-to-weight ratio of hydraulic cylinders that make “waste” of the heaviest containers, which are easily lifted and emptied. Finally, the precise control offered by hydraulic systems enables the operators to perform these tasks with accuracy and reliability, ensuring efficient waste collection. A modern hydraulic technology seemingly perfect for waste collection is the hydraulic hybrid system. Using a hydraulic pump/motor unit and a series of hydropneumatic accumulators offers a powerful and efficient method to recover kinetic energy during frequent stops. The inertia of the slowing vehicle drives the pump to direct hydraulic energy into the accumulators. When the driver accelerates, the pump turns over center to function as a motor where it draws on the stored hydraulic energy to help accelerate the truck.

Compacting and sorting done easily

Waste compactors are crucial for reducing the volume of waste before disposal, making waste management more efficient and reducing the frequency of dump runs. Hydraulic compactors use powerful hydraulic cylinders to compress waste materials, reducing their bulk and making them easier to transport and dispose of. Without a compactor, a garbage truck would transport only a few dozen homes worth of trash. The compactor increases the payload to many thousands of pounds and sometimes up to ten tons or more. In addition to their truck compaction capabilities, hydraulic compactors are used at recycling and processing sites. Some municipalities may operate more sophisticated recycling programs than others. Still, some may identify up to thirteen different materials that must be separated from the bulk recycling material collected and unloaded from trucks. Paper, plastic, steel and aluminum, to name a few, must be sorted from one another so they can be sold to the appropriate recycling centers. Once sorted, each individual material is compacted using hydraulics and strapped into bales before being trucked off to their respective recycling center. Hydraulics are the preferred choice for baling machines because of their ability to generate the high forces required for compacting materials. The adaptability of hydraulic systems allows for adjustments in bale size and density, catering to the specific needs of recycling facilities. Moreover, hydraulic baling machines are known for their durability and reliability, ensuring a long service life in demanding recycling environments. Like landfill sites, recycling centers rely heavily on hydraulic-powered mobile machinery, such as specialized front-end loaders and material handlers, the latter looking like excavators with grapples instead of buckets. Without the power, speed and controllability provided by hydraulics, the handling and transferring of bulk recycling would be tedious, to say the least. The most critical stage in recycling is the sorting of materials. Recycling facilities

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utilize conveyor belts and sorting machines equipped with hydraulic systems to separate different materials efficiently. These hydraulic systems control the movement of conveyor belts and the orientation of sorting arms, ensuring that materials like plastics, glass, paper, and metals are correctly categorized and processed. Hydraulic systems offer a significant advantage in recycling sorting systems due to their precise control and resilience in extreme operating conditions. Many sorting and recycling centers are not climate-controlled, and hydraulics are one of the best machine choices for extreme environments. Oils can be changed to suit seasonal extremes, using high or low-viscosity fluid for summer and winter, respectively. Withstanding the worst conditions

In some recycling processes, such as plastic recycling, materials need to be further processed before they can be reused. Shredders and extruders are essential in these operations, and they rely on hydraulic power for their functioning. Shredders equipped with hydraulic systems can efficiently reduce large materials into smaller pieces, making them suitable for recycling. The high torque and force provided by hydraulic motors enable these machines to handle various materials, including plastics, rubber and metal, with ease. So powerful are hydraulic shredders that YouTube channels dedicated to shredding various interesting objects have gained a considerable following.

Hydraulic shredders offer the best solution because of their bulletproof construction and high-torque radial piston motors, which are one of the most efficient hydraulic components on the market. Hydraulic motors can be stalled with no ill effects, and control functions will automatically reverse the shredder blades to remove the jam before restarting again to make quick work of anything from plastic to full-size cars. Extruders, on the other hand, are used to melt and reshape plastic materials for reuse. Hydraulic systems in extruders control the movement of screws and molds, ensuring precise and consistent processing. The ability to adjust parameters like temperature, pressure, and speed is crucial for achieving the desired quality in recycled products. Extrusion presses are at their best employing hydraulics. The most extreme extrusion presses also use radial piston motors to turn screws through a heated tube to melt recyclable plastics. The plastics

can be drawn, chopped or molded into anything from furniture to films. Hydraulic machinery and equipment are indispensable in waste management and recycling. They provide the power and control needed to handle waste collection, transportation, and processing efficiently. Whether it’s the lifting arms of a garbage truck, the compaction of waste in a baler, or the sorting and processing of recyclable materials, hydraulics play a critical role in making these operations effective and sustainable. The advantages of high power-toweight ratios, precise control, durability, adaptability, and safety features make hydraulic systems the ideal choice for waste management and recycling applications. As these industries continue to grow and adapt to environmental concerns, hydraulics will remain a vital technology in pursuing more sustainable waste management and recycling practices. FPW

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MOBILE TRENDS

Working towards a

sustainable future All trends in mobile machinery development point toward creating more compact, fuelefficient machines that reduce emissions. By Mary C. Gannon, Editor-in-Chief

seems like every day, news is released

Fluid power working towards efficiency

from key fluid power manufacturers,

Hydraulics technologies will continue to have a long life on mobile machines, as they have the advantage of power density and cost on their side. But with inherent inefficiencies, it is crucial to improve hydraulic systems. Electronic and digital control is the king here, as manufacturers integrate electric control to reduce losses and integrate systems to make machines more compact and lighter weight. For instance, Bosch Rexroth has been touting its eOC system, which electronically controls hydraulic pumps in open circuits. This solution combines the electrohydraulic eOC pump with a swivel angle sensor and pressure sensors. Controlled via a CAN interface, the eOC software makes it possible to set various control parameters flexibly during operation. Control modes can be individually changed and combined, and the pump dynamics can

mobile OEMs themselves, and others about a transformation in off-highway machinery. These innovations are driving a wave of change that promises efficiency, sustainability, and enhanced performance. Key trends steering this evolution include improved hydraulic control, battery electrification, hydrogen power, and autonomy, among other emerging technologies.

Danfoss Power Solutions has partnered with building materials supplier Ashcourt Group to test the Danfoss Dextreme system in three Volvo excavators. It is expected to increase machine productivity while reducing fuel consumption.

www.fluidpowerworld.com

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MOBILE TRENDS

Telehandler in use testing Bosch Rexroth’s eOC technology.

be set variably. Pressure, torque, flow, and swivel angle are controlled independently in an electronically closed control circuit. According to Mauro Silva, sales manager of Mobile Electronics at Bosch Rexroth, a standard pump requires a manual adjustment to the circuit, which means that one function stays with the machine. “The electronic open center pump control removes all the complexity in the pump that the cylinder requires and does it all electronically,” Silva said. “In the standard load-sense system, you can use pressure control, flow control, or torque control — but you can only have one because it’s a direct linkage to the pump controller. Now, with electronic (control), you can have all three at different times. This is where you can explore the benefits of controllers in the same system without changing the hardware. This enables you to change the operational mode of the pump dynamically.” The pump’s rotor group has the same efficiency as always, Silva said. “It’s not more efficient, but by enabling you to change this operational mode dynamically, you can reach better performance. This could be translated to more quality, or you can do the same work in less time,” Silva said. “This is where the main fuel consumption reduction comes from, by improving the operation ability of the machine.” Although they’ve had inquiries for fully electrified whole machines, Silva noted 30

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that the costs of the electromechanical actuators push the overall machine cost too high, so this hybrid idea of battery-powered machines with electronically controlled hydraulics still offers the better payback. Digital control, combined with powerful electronics, allows Danfoss to create more efficient machines. Domenico Traverso, president of the Editron and Incubation Division at Danfoss, said its Dextreme digital hydraulic pump can reduce fuel consumption and emissions by up to 50%, which is enormous for an excavator. At the core of each Dextreme system is the Danfoss Digital Displacement pump, a digitally controlled hydraulic pump for off-highway machinery. Its dedicated digital controller activates each piston individually, providing fast and accurate response to system demand. The pump provides full and partial load efficiency by using only the pistons needed to meet the load. Software controls and optimizes each component of an electric or hybrid drivetrain, leading to more intelligent power distribution management. It helps to deliver maximum efficiencies and reduced size and weight. The system is suitable for hybrid and full electric applications within the power range of 30 to 1000 kW. “If you match that with Editron, you can reduce the battery and make the excavator longer lasting. You would capture all the value of having the digital control of hydraulics on

an excavator,” Traverso said. “I can tell you that the business is growing tremendously. We are more than doubling every year.” At Agritechnica, Editron launched the ED3 onboard charger for off-highway use. Initially designed for on-highway applications, it offers fast, easy access to 43 kW of charging power — currently the highest available. This will allow heavy-duty electric vehicles to be charged overnight using readily available ac power outlets, facilitating quick deployment and minimizing charging infrastructure costs. “Rapid ac charging is necessary to eliminate range anxiety for commercial vehicles undertaking deliveries on variable routes and for machines at construction sites without access to dc charging,” said Kimmo Rauma, vice president of Editron at Danfoss. At IFPE this year, Parker touted its next-generation Global Vehicle Inverter (GVI) with built-in functional safety. The GVI uses the same hardware with two software configurations to provide traction control or hydraulic work functions. It can control an EHP Series Configured ePump, which consists of a Global Vehicle Motor (GVM) directly coupled to a hydraulic pump. The ePump combinations include GVM electric motors with piston, vane, bent axis, and gear pumps. “The GVM is a permanent magnet ac motor with a power-dense design and an integral cooling tube built into the core diameter of the motor. In many cases, you have to put a bulky jacket around the motor. But since we have the cooling tubes inside the motor stator, we can get a lot of power out of a very small piece of equipment,” said Christopher Griffin, business development

Internal view of Danfoss’ Dextreme system.

www.fluidpowerworld.com

12/5/23 12:00 PM

manager for electrification at Parker. The booth also had an example ePTO to show how a GVI inverter and ePump could be configured for a truck chassis. The assembly had a two-stage pump and a coolant system with components designed specifically for electric vehicles. “Now, hydraulics aren’t going away,” said Griffin. “They’re too good at what they do, and we’re not suggesting they should go away. But we can do things to make them more efficient. For instance, the simplest way is to drive all the hydraulics off one motor or start to decentralize the hydraulic functions so that multiple motors only produce power when needed rather than idling.” Driverless vehicles on the horizon

Integrated autonomous features, driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, are enhancing machine and worker safety, efficiency, and productivity. Automation reduces human intervention and allows for precise and efficient execution of tasks, leading to optimized

Moog Construction’s autonomous vehicle at IFPE 2023 demonstrated precision motion control and automation for dangerous applications.

workflows and reduced operational risks. One such manufacturer highlighting this technology at IFPE this past March was Moog Construction. Moog focuses on its electromechanical technologies but can also create electrohydraulic conversions to ensure the right fit for the right application. Their demos highlighted heavy-duty,

high-precision actuators, motors, drives, thermal and battery management solutions, and electronic control modules. Those technologies showcase precision motion control and automation for dangerous applications, particularly where human and machine interactions are common. On display was a diesel retrofit kit,

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MOBILE TRENDS

but the autonomous platform is easily integrated as an option for electric machines. The technology is being used in massive work trucks in mining, solar fields, and mining demolition to reduce damage risks to machines and work products. Most importantly, it keeps personnel safe. “The tagline we love to use is anything that’s dull, dirty, or dangerous,” said Nicole Wodka-Cook, now GM of Space Actuation and Avionics with Moog Inc. “Those are ripe for disruption in the autonomous space or semi-autonomous space. It’s where you want to take the human out of it because that work is not satisfying, it’s hard to find labor, or it’s dangerous.” In other news, Teleo, a company building autonomous technology for heavy construction equipment, is providing its systems to Tomahawk Construction to deploy on an active job site. The Teleo Supervised Autonomy system lets contractors operate heavy equipment without an operator in the cab, so a single person can control multiple pieces of equipment from a remote desk. Tomahawk Construction’s articulated dump trucks will use autonomous functions to move material to build a residential community. “Teleo’s technology has the potential to completely transform our operations,” said Scott Lyons, managing member of Tomahawk Construction. “With Teleo, two of our dump trucks that have been idle will be put back into service to haul dirt across the site autonomously, allowing our remote operators to do more. This will help us to run a more efficient operation.” Alternative power through batteries and hydrogen

One of the most profound shifts in mobile machines is the rapid adoption of battery electrification. Lithium-ion batteries are currently the main staple for batterypowered mobile machines (turn to page 11 for a look at sodium ion options). While many battery companies have gone bankrupt this year, it’s not stopping mobile machinery makers from getting in the game. Just last month, Komatsu America Corp. acquired American Battery Solutions (ABS) 32

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The Teleo Supervised Autonomy system lets contractors operate existing heavy equipment without an operator in the cab, so a single person can control multiple pieces of equipment from a remote desk.

in Michigan. ABS manufactures heavy-duty and industrial battery packs, using lithiumion batteries for commercial vehicles, transit buses, and on- and off-road vehicles. Komatsu plans to develop and produce its own battery-operated construction and mining equipment, starting with power mining equipment in North and South America, where demand for electrification has been increasing. In the future, Komatsu aims to expand with construction equipment and establish a global supply system. Although it has many detractors, hydrogen as an alternative power transmission source is still being actively researched for commercial use. Last year, we wrote about Liebherr’s hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines, and now comes news that Caterpillar launched a threeyear program to demonstrate an advanced hydrogen-hybrid power solution built on its new Cat C13D engine platform. Starting in the first quarter of 2024, Caterpillar will develop a transient-capable system for off-highway applications. The project will demonstrate how state-of-theart control systems and electric-hybrid components can help hydrogen-fueled engines meet or exceed the power density and transient performance of traditional diesel engines. The Cat C13D engine is targeted to power a wide range of hydraulics-intensive off-highway equipment. Unveiled at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 in March, diesel-

powered versions of the Cat C13D engine offer eight power ratings from 456 to 690 hp (340 to 515 kW) with up to 3,200 Nm of peak torque. It provides up to a 20% increase in power and up to 25% more lowspeed torque than the previous generation of Cat diesel engines in its power class. The inline, six-cylinder Cat C13D enables the use of renewable liquid fuels such as 100% HVO, B100 Distilled Biodiesel, and up to B100 Standard Biodiesel. In addition to hydrogen, its core architecture is designed for the future development of spark-ignited natural gas capabilities. The company expects to offer OEM pilots in 2025 and scheduled production in 2026. FPW

In addition to using hydrogen, the inline, six-cylinder Cat C13D enables the use of renewable liquid fuels such as 100% HVO, B100 Distilled Biodiesel, and up to B100 Standard Biodiesel.

www.fluidpowerworld.com

12/5/23 12:07 PM

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A LOCAL VACUUM PUMP PROVIDES COMPRESSED AIR TO THIS DELTA ROBOT GRIPPER SYSTEM, REDUCING LEAKS AND INCREASING EFFICIENCY.

PRECISE AND LOCALIZED PNEUMATICS COMPLEMENT ADVANCED MOTION CONTROLS IN PACKAGING MACHINES PACKAGING MACHINE MANUFACTURER COESIA AND ITS SISTER COMPANIES RELY ON SYSTEM INTEGRATION FOR EFFICIENT, PRECISE AND FAST OPERATIONS. BY: MARY C. GANNON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 34

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WITH

a focus on streamlined systems that reduce pouch or carton

handoffs and offer the ability to move nonstandard sized materials, Coesia companies R.A. Jones and MGS turn to modern motion control systems married with precision pneumatics for intelligent designs. Efficient and smaller, localized designs

New to R.A. Jones’ lineup at Pack Expo was an intelligent Flexible Transfer System (iFTS) that incorporates personalized robotics and customized tooling, increasing production line efficiency and speed capabilities. The machine is a smart automated and customizable

12 • 2023

transfer system that provides consumer packaged goods companies with a reliable and flexible solution to solve simple or complex automation challenges. The iFTS on display at the show demonstrated the receiving of product from upstream systems, such as a Volpak SI-180 pouch machine, which are then placed upon magnetic levitating shuttles which transport, group, and orient the pouches for side-loading of cartons from 3-count to 8-count variations. The system integrates a four-axis robotic pick-and-place design, offering enhanced pouch size change flexibility, and depending on sizing, product can span across two magnetic shuttles. By rotating and collating products so more can fit in the carton, iFTS can help brands cut down

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12/7/23 4:08 PM

PNEUMATICS

on overall carton volume by 10 to 20% and create a more sustainable packaging option. Another advanced feature of the transfer system is the shuttles’ ability to detect the presence of a product; if no product is placed on the shuttle, the machine automatically responds to substitute another shuttle in its place in some scenarios. By combining appropriate digital technology, robotics, and tooling, the iFTS can provide greater production efficiency, reliability, and flexibility within packaging operations. “What we’re trying to do is make an integrated line that is user friendly and efficient for our end customer,” said Jeff Wintring, Chief Technology Officer for R.A Jones. Traditionally, there would be multiple handoffs after the pouch was made. It would be placed for check weighing, collation, or placed into traditional methods of conveying and then collated into the carton. Instead, R.A. Jones simplified those steps and made the floor plan smaller by eliminating handoff points and reducing the amount of people on the line. This allows them to easily correct any problems that might occur. Using a planar system, each of the carts or carriers has a magnet base, which is individually servo controlled. They are programmed to queue and move in a coordinated motion. “When the pouches are created, they’re fat on one end and not the other. So the circular motion of the magnetic carts allows us to create a more balanced stack,” Wintring said. A Delta robot picks and places the pouches into the bucket conveyor. Here is where the localized pneumatics come into play, Wintring noted. The gripper is designed to be quick and changeable, so users could easily swap out additional grippers. Electrical and pneumatic requirements are passed through the gripper. Here, instead of using plant compressed air to do the vacuum picking, R.A. Jones uses a localized vacuum pump. This is to avoid the leakage and maintenance requirements of compressed air systems in large plants. Instead of drawing large

amounts of air, the system uses small air lines to power the grippers. “We’re using compressed air going into a high-efficiency vacuum transducer that’s generating the backend. Then we have individual valve control. We can turn the vacuum on and off during the picking process, but it’s very efficient to run from the standpoint of the speed and efficiency of the design,” Wintring. “Compressed air being supplied there is easier to execute than trying to necessarily run multiple large lines out to the end effector.” Pneumatic cylinders work their magic

A simple pneumatic cylinder is also used on the iFTS to bypass loads, to reduce stoppages and save on material waste. Here, a device can individually control whether or not a load is pushed. If there is no load, it can’t pull a cart or if there is a load but the carton is not picked up, then the machine will bypass the load. “The way that you control that is through a cylinder underneath, that if we don’t want to engage the pusher, we activate that and we can turn off the pusher or allow only one pusher head,” Wintring said. For MGS, the big focus was on its Eclipse CT Intermittent Motion Cartoner.

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Once again featuring a small footprint, this machine offers rates up to 80 cartons per minute and a robust design allowing for 24/7 operation. A variety of custom infeeds ensure the machine’s fit for the application, while quick-change tooling reduces changeover time and ensures the quality of the first product out. Optional vision verification, barcode verification, and pharmaceutical validation assistance documents mean the Eclipse CT is wellsuited for highly regulated industries, including pharmaceutical. The tray transfer system on this machine runs predominantly on pneumatics. This elevator system raises the tray primarily with motions provided by Festo pneumatic cylinders and valves, and features pick sequences that keep the trays balanced. The machine featured a Fanuc robot arm with pneumatic gripper providing fast product transfer, while pneumatics are used for gripping, punching, pressing and other linear functions. The MGS Eclipse operates at 10 cfm of air at 80 psi. FPW

R.A. Jones | rajones.com MGS | mgsmachine.com

THE FANUC ROBOT HERE IS PAIRED WITH A VARIETY OF FESTO PNEUMATIC VALVES AND ACTUATORS TO ALLOW FOR LIFTING, GRIPPING, ROTATING, AND MORE.

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Congratulations Adaptall on Years of Manufacturing

Adaptall specializes in the conversion of hydraulic adapters & fittings, between International (Metric) and American (Imperial) thread types: British (BSPP, & BSPT), JIS, Kobelco, Komatsu, and Metric on the International side, as well as JIC, NPT, ORFS, and SAE ORB for Imperial thread types.

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PRODUCT WORLD

H1F fixed bent axis motor Danfoss Power Solutions danfoss.com The latest development in Danfoss’ high-power H1 series of pumps and motors, the H1F fixed bent-axis motor offers overall efficiency of up to 95%. The new motor builds upon the capabilities of Danfoss’ fieldproven H1B variable-displacement, bent-axis motor. The H1F motor uses the same high-quality ninepiston H1B rotating group and optimized single-piece flange, delivering long-lasting reliability. The lightweight motor features a power-dense, compact envelope for ease of installation. With its short length and 32° angle, the package size is one of the most compact on the market, enabling machine manufacturers to reduce the space claim of the hydraulic system. The motors will be available in SAE, DIN, and cartridge flange styles, with twin, side, and axial port configurations. Integrated loop flushing and speed sensing are options.. The first frame size, 80 cc, is now available. Additional sizes will follow, ranging from 60 cc to 250 cc.

Rotary screw compressor Kaishan USA kaishanusa.com Kaishan USA has introduced a new series of industrial, oil-free rotary screw air compressors, the KROF. Plant managers and operators seeking to stay ahead of the ever-changing innovation that supports the food and beverage industry will find unrivaled value in the technical depth of the KROF. The KROF is a two-stage oil-free rotary screw air compressor that provides high-quality, ISO 8573-1 Class 0 oil-free, compressed air. By utilizing two sequential compression stages, intercooling, and aftercooling, users will receive high-quality air that is suitable for sensitive applications where purity is paramount.

D927 proportional valve Moog Inc. moog.com The new D927 proportional valve is an ISO 4401 size 05, built to complement the D926 size 03 valve introduced in April 2022. Like the D926 valve, the D927 is a direct-operated valve with integrated electronics driven by two proportional solenoids. Equipped with integrated microcontrollerbased electronics, it offers closed-loop spool position control. It is capable of flow rates up to 75 lpm at 10 bar (19.8 gpm at 150 psi). Together with the D926, this series is now capable of flow ranges of 4 to 75 lpm. The D927 perfectly completes the portfolio of directly operated proportional valves. It’s suited for highly dynamic tasks such as the control of position, speed, pressure, and force in open and closed-loop industrial applications. Customers will benefit from a robust design that is particularly resistant to vibration and temperature.

Oil monitoring system Tan Delta tandeltasystems.com The new Sense-2 oil condition monitoring kit provides real-time data about machine oil quality to optimize maintenance and reduce operating costs. It is plug-and-play and accurately identifies when oil reaches the end of its life, superseding traditional time-based maintenance schedules which can result in oil being discarded prematurely — with the potential of wasting up to 50% of its useful life. This unique molecular analysis taking place every few seconds enables accurate tracking of oil degradation as well as detecting contamination and early signs of internal equipment problems.

www.fluidpowerworld.com

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TROUBLESHOOTING CHALLENGE Robert Sheaf • Founder of CFC Industrial Training

Truck assembly line hydrostatic Solution to October’s “Large ram press stutters transmission overheating during extension”

A truck assembly line has a lift system to elevate the transmission into position for bolting it to the engine. The operator complained to the maintenance department that the system was very sluggish to respond to the forward and reverse signals and the charge pressure dropped to 80 psi when it normally read 250 psi.

The stuttering ram was using a pilot-operated check valve to keep the ram from drifting when not in use but this requires some backpressure from the cap end to keep it open on extension. The flow control FC-1

Maintenance checked the case drain and compared it to one taken nine months ago and found it to be close to the same flow. They also found when the unit was put into neutral, the case drain pressure jumped to 280 psi as it did in the past. Changing the charge pump with a new one did not fix the problem. Can you identify what was the problem? We welcome responses of all kinds directly to Robert Sheaf at rjsheaf@cfc-solar.com or to mgannon@wtwhmedia.com. The solution will be provided in conjunction with our February 2024 issue.

is NOT used to control the extension speed but only to provide some back pressure on the rod side, so the check valve’s pilot line would have the minimum to keep the check open during extension. They found the flow control bypass check had a broken spring that lodged the check from closing.

FPW

FLUID POWER WORLD

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