A review of hydraulic fluids and contamination control
By Mary Gannon It’s critical for equipment manufacturers and the engineers they employ to possess a sound understanding of the composition of oils, the properties of lubricants, and how hydraulic fluids can impact machine performance. With that fact in mind, IFPE 2020 will offer attendees an education...
ARE YOUR PURCHASES REALLY EFFECTIVE
How does the purchasing process work in your business? In general, purchases occur very similarly in most small, medium or large businesses. This is because the procedure is quite similar, and what changes is mainly the size and volume of orders, depending on the performance of each...
HOW TO BETTER MANAGE YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN
Efficient management of the supply chain is necessary for all companies that deal with product movement, whether purchasing or selling. Any business that produces or sells goods must be very aware of the entire process, from purchase to delivery, especially because the internal organization can ensure higher...
Condition monitoring for compressed air piping
The Transair business unit of Parker Hannifin has announced the next evolution in compressed air piping with its new Condition Monitoring Technology, which lets end-users track the status of their compressed air piping systems. The setup uses sophisticated wireless sensors to monitor a compressed air piping network,...
Hydraulic symbology 204 – flow control valves
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor The words flow control valves broadly describe any hydraulic component capable of diminishing fluid volume downstream of itself relative to upstream. It goes without saying a flow control valve only reduces flow since the laws of nature remain unbroken. The method of...
What type of of air prep is required for plant compressed air?
Here are some best practices to supply safe, clean and dry air to a machine or piece of equipment. Plant-supplied compressed air often travels a long and varying path from the air compressor to where it is connected to a machine or piece of equipment. Along this...
Electrically Actuated Pneumatic Cylinders Cut Worktable Setup Times
Electrically actuated pneumatic cylinders have reduced setup times and made small-batch production more efficient and profitable by automating a pin table that supports complex parts during machining. Producing complex parts from wood, composite, and aluminum blanks is a challenge, especially in small batches. During machining or cutting,...
What does pressure really mean?
Pressure is simply the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. However, there are many ways to reference and identify pressure, which is largely dependent upon the application. In many applications, there is a common misconception...
What is the “toast” test?
An important characteristic of many hydraulic fluids is the ability to maintain performance at high temperatures. Higher temperatures can cause oxidation—the reaction of the fluid and its constituents with oxygen. The rate of reaction accelerates as temperature increases, as does the presence of catalyst metals like copper...
Storage and cleaning of elastomer seals
Elastomer seals are built to handle a wide range of demanding hydraulic and pneumatic applications. A seal’s design and its material properties are two keys to lasting performance. The engineers at Parker Hannifin’s Engineered Materials Group in Germany also offer some important recommendations on how to store,...
12