More in Other Technologies

Dec. 11, 2012

Video

Students compete at the Fluid Power Challenge 3

Video shows students competing at The Fluid Power Challenge at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. The event was sponsored by Daman Products Co. Inc. The challenge was for students to design and build a machine that uses fluid power to lift a block, rotate it through an arc and then place it in a specific space....More
Dec. 10, 2012

Article

William W. Tulloch Jr., fluid power distributor

William (Bill) W. Tulloch Jr., past president and CEO of RHM Fluid Power, Westland, Mich., passed away last month. He was 82. Tulloch Jr. began his fluid power career with Racine Hydraulics, and in 1960 joined the newly formed organization of Racine Seco Sales, Detroit....More
Dec. 10, 2012

Commentary

The future of fluid power? 2

Don’t look at me; your guess is as good as mine. But I think we all would agree that fluid power is a mature industry that goes through incremental advancements. Digital microprocessors have made huge contributions to automated control, and new component designs and manufacturing techniques have advanced the physical capabilities of both hydraulic and pneumatic systems....More
Dec. 10, 2012

blog

Engaging students in fluid power 1

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to travel with my family to South Bend, Ind., to see middle school students from the South Bend Community School Corp. compete in The Fluid Power Challenge, which was arranged and sponsored by Daman Products Co....More
Dec. 10, 2012

gallery

Fluid Power Challenge Sponsored by Daman Products

Here is a collection of images from the Fluid Power Challenge, sponsored by Daman Products Co. Inc., Mishawaka, on December 7, 2012. The event was held at The University of Notre Dame, and featured 13 teams of seventh and eighth grade students competing to design, build and use a fluid power-driven machine.
Dec. 7, 2012

blog

The Old Timer of Royal Oak, Mich., Part 1 1

When I began my career with H&P more than 25 years ago, a regular contributor to the magazine was The Old Timer from Royal Oak. This gentleman submitted regular contributions for about five years. The Old Timer always wanted to be kept anonymous because he wrote about situations his employer might've had problems with. I still don't know who the Old Timer was because his contributions were edited by then-editor Dick Schneider, who doesn't remember....More
Nov. 20, 2012

Sponsored

Hydraulic Calculator from Zanthic Innovations 2

The Hydraulic Calculator from Zanthic Innovations is an awesome tool for anyone who designs or works with hydraulic circuits. This application provides quick and easy calculations for hydraulic components. Detailed calculations can be done for cylinders, pumps, motors, line velocities, line pressure losses and orifice pressure drops....More
Oct. 29, 2012

News

Fluid Power Training Institute files lawsuit

Fluid Power Training Institute, Inc. of Utah has filed a lawsuit for alleged copyright infringement in the United States District Court for the District of Utah against Intellischematic, LLC, Telemedia, Inc. and TPC Training Systems of Illinois, Brad E. Jensen, and Atlas Copco Construction Mining Technique USA LLC....More
Oct. 8, 2012

Commentary

Candidates debate fluid power

Alan Hitchcox editor...More
Aug. 16, 2012

Article

Technology: an accessory to murder

Alan Hitchcox editor...More
Jul. 26, 2012

Article

Aschcroft Type 1279 pressure gauge

The new Ashcroft Type1279 Duragauge pressure gauge is now available with a 4.5" full size Bourden tube, round cap tip construction that redu...More
Jul. 10, 2012

Article

Are you ready for functional safety?

As machines become more productive and technologies advance, the international community has come together to provide structured guidance and tools to aid system developers in the design and assessment of machinery. The results will not only meet the performance needs of the final user, but also deliver an acceptable level of safety. This topic has been termed functional safety, and its importance has been highlighted by a recent revision and strengthening of a key European regulation — the Machinery Directive....More
Jul. 10, 2012

Article

Traction and efficiency rule

You can find special-purpose vehicles for almost every task of landscape gardening – from riding lawn mowers to equipment trailers. These vehicles are normally designed for relatively flat and level fields, so an operator confronting a steep slope can pose a real challenge. A solution to this problem is a system similar to auto-leveling systems found in combine harvesters. For mowers, the chassis and mower unit remain parallel to the ground’s surface while the operator pod stays level. The result is safer and more comfortable mowing on slopes....More
Apr. 6, 2012

Article

Bosch Rexroth’s GoTo program goes mobile

Bosch Rexroth has made its GoTo Focused Delivery Program available on mobile platforms, with a GoTo e-Book and GoTo Products iPad App. The GoTo Program provides delivery for most of Rexroth’s hydraulics, pneumatics, linear motion, electric drives and controls, and aluminum structural framing products....More
Mar. 5, 2012

Article

FluidTrans Compomac takes a look at real-world applications 1

As has been reported previously, The 2012 Fluidtrans Compomac—the Biennial International Fluid Power and Mechatronics Show—will take place at the Rho fairground in Milan from May 8 to 11....More
Feb. 2, 2012

Article

Fluid Power Tips: Issue 11: It's really just a bunch of lines and shapes 2

Out of any topic under the patio-sized umbrella of fluid power, hydraulic symbology garners the most requests from those wishing to learn more about fluid power. Reading any schematic with more than three symbols can be daunting if your experience is limited. But it's not impossible to learn. In fact, it only takes a basic level understanding of how symbols work and how they're arranged in a diagram....More
Dec. 13, 2011

article

Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Metal-free motors put a new spin on medical imaging

Open-MRI machines, like the one pictured, can use customized, metal-free air motors to allow them to be used in operating rooms without disrupting critical surgical equipment. Using an MRI ......More
Nov. 15, 2011

article

Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Building a math model of a 4-way valve

Figure 1. Modeling of a 4-way valve begins with a single land and two describing equations, one each for the overlap and underlap condition, and intersecting with equal slopes. A proposed spool valve model is based on the ......More
Nov. 15, 2011

article

Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Pining away for a lead

Alan Hitchcox editoralan.hitchcox@penton.com Looking for sources of products, services, and information on the internet has been second nature for most of us. And most of us bookmark or otherwise save web pages that are ......More
Nov. 7, 2011

article

Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Web guest column: Fluid Power Tips, Issue 8: Water is bad, mmm'kay?

Web guest column: Fluid Power Tips, Issue 8: Water is bad, mmm'kay? By Josh Cosford, CFPHS The Fluid Power House (Cambridge) Inc. Josh Cosford, CFPHS, The Fluid Power House (Cambridge) Inc. When you started up your mobile equipment earlier ......More
Oct. 13, 2011

article

Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Drive cuts fuel consumption 20%, emissions even more

The new Kalmar hybrid drive terminal tractor operates with a parallel hybrid hydraulic drive system to simultaneously transmit power from two distinct sources: the primary diesel engine, the secondary hydraulic motor, ......More
Oct. 13, 2011

article

Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Quick turns with servo pneumatics

Combining pneumatics and electronic control provides quick and precise speeds and load capacities....More
Oct. 13, 2011

article

Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Servopneumatics gives robots a sense of touch

The Active Contact Flange helps automate surface finishing and sensitive assembly operations....More
Oct. 13, 2011

article

Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Just in time for higher profits

Sequential photos show Rolflor Cargo Handling System moving a full load of freight from a 53-ft trailer onto a warehouse floor. The hydraulically operated system drastically reduces the amount of time to load and unload cargo, and also ......More
Oct. 13, 2011

article

Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Air actuators provide lift

ContiTech Air Spring Systems’ tripleconvolution actuators are well-suited for applications involving high lifts. ContiTech Air Spring Systems, Hanover, Germany, manufactures several models of air actuators for industrial ......More