Hydraulics & Pneumatics articles from April 2006

Hydraulics & Pneumatics archives from April 2006

Integrate control solutions using cartridge valves: valve cartridges provide only the guts or internal moving elements of the valves. A cavity in a manifold or some other machine element serves as the body.(COMPONENT BASICS)
April 1, 2006... Cartridge valves can be described as control elements that require a housing, or manifold, to unlock their full potential. They can take many forms and offer a wide range of functions from the simple fixed orifice to the most advanced...

Precision bearing system enhances pneumatic slides.(Design Close-up)
April 1, 2006... Series SFP linear pneumatic slides from PHD Inc. integrate a profile rail-type bearing system with dual carriage precision bearings to support the load carried by the slide saddle. This system is designed specifically to handle high moments,...

Software captures knowledge of experts: easy-to-use tools and accurate modeling of fluid power systems are essential for producing meaningful simulations.(SYSTEM DESIGN)
April 1, 2006... If you're like most designers and engineers, you have a healthy backlog of projects in the works at any given time, and computers are indispensible in helping you push much of this work through the pipeline. Simulation is one such tool that...

Passion lives here.(Editor's Page)
April 1, 2006... You may recognize the headline to this page as the theme of the 2006 Winter Olympics. I think a similar theme could've been used for the 5th International Fluid Power Conference, held last month in Aachen, Germany. I have known of the IFK...

Seals get into hot water.(Ideas & Applications)
April 1, 2006... One of the most versatile characteristics of hydraulics is the ability to place a compact actuator in a remote location--with only a hose or two leading to it. That's exactly the case often found at aluminum foundries. In these applications, a...

Hybrid hydraulics project aims at commercial vehicles.(Ideas & Applications)
April 1, 2006... Hybrid electric passenger cars may be hot, but a team of researchers at the University of Toledo is working to fine-tune a hydraulic-based hybrid system for refuse trucks, delivery trucks, and other heavy vehicles that make stop and go...

A primer on cylinder tubing.(Ideas & Applications)
April 1, 2006... The pressure-containing envelope (barrel) of hydraulic cylinders and other metal fluid power components are made from a variety of ferrous and non-ferrous materials. In ferrous, the use of low-carbon 1026 steel (UNS G 10260) has been supplanted...

Cylinders, accessories.(Free Literature)
April 1, 2006... Catalog features cylinders, components, and kits (Oring, splice, and retainer ring kits, installation and measuring tools, etc.). Key specifications include weight, bore sizes and rod diameter, tube OD, port sizes, and strokes. It also lists...

Hydraulic design online.(Free Literature)
April 1, 2006... DesignConnect is an easy-to-use online tool that combines product data in a catalog format with CAD functionality. It lets hydraulic system designers and engineers select parts with a high-speed search engine, examine parts online, and download...

Digital hydraulic multimeter.(Free Literature)
April 1, 2006... DVD describes benefits of DHM series digital hydraulic multimeters, which provide digital readout of pressure, peak pressure to 9000 psi, volumetric efficiency, hydraulic horsepower, flow rates to 200 gpm, and flow temperature to 250[degrees]...

Seawater as hydraulic fluid? Researchers in China are using the ultimate environmentally friendly fluid.(MARINE AND OFFSHORE)
April 1, 2006... Diving may conjure up images of pleasure-seeking tourists gliding past schools of colorful fish and investigating sunken ships. But diving can be hard work, too. Professional divers are asked to use a variety of tools when repairing underwater...

Speed control of hydraulic motors.(Motion Control)
April 1, 2006... Either of two basic methods are used for controlling the speed of a hydraulic motor. First, a variable-displacement pump controls flow to the motor. This configuartion is commonly known as a hydrostatic transmission. Second, a proportional or...

Book focuses on electrohydraulic pressure control.(Motion Control)
April 1, 2006... Author Jack Johnson says his newest book is the first dedicated to the electrohydraulic control of pressure. It opens with basic physical theorems that govern hydraulic fluid power circuit analysis, namely, the circuit laws that apply to...

ICUEE dates set.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... The 19th annual International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE) will be held October 16 to 18, 2007 at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky. ICUEE 2007 will feature more than one million sq-ft...

Racine Federated acquires new product line.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Racine Federated, Racine, Wis., acquired the industrial vortex flow meter product line from J-TEC Associates, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The acquisition will allow Racine, which manufactures flow meters and internal concrete vibrators, to expand...

Sensor maker acquires control company.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Gems Sensors, Plainville, Conn., acquired Precision Dynamics Inc., (PreDyne) a manufacturer of custom miniature solenoid valves, manifolds assemblies, and fluidic systems. The company will be renamed Gems Sensors & Controls. PreDyne's products...

Italian and French manufacturers merge.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Hydraulic hose and fittings maker Manuli Rubber Industries S.P.A., Milan, acquired French hydraulic hose assembly machinery manufacturer Techmaflex. The maker of swaging and hydraulic hose and fitting machinery employs 40 people in its...

Dennis Brennan was VP of Brennan Industries.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Dennis Brennan, executive vice president of Brennan Industries Inc., died at home on February 24. He was 68. For more than 45 years, Brennan served as the company's executive vice president. His leadership and vision as president of...

Online education introduces hydraulics.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... NFPA is developing an online educational program designed to introduce the basics of hydraulics technology to students, industry novices, and others. This program, "The Fundamentals of Hydraulics," is being developed for NFPA's website. It will...

New technical documents published.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Eight new technical documents have been published and are now available from NFPA. The following documents discuss mounting dimensions and accessories for various series of single-rod hydraulic cylinders: * ISO 8133:2006 (16 MPa...

Built-in mechanically actuated valves add simplicity and speed to air circuit.(50 years ago ...)
April 1, 2006... From the April 1956 issue of Applied Hydraulics (the original title of H&P). An air circuit uses end cap pilot valves to simplify the valving arrangement and ensure proper sequencing of operations. The circuit, developed by Republic...

Avoiding the bounce.(AUTOMATE WITH AIR)
April 1, 2006... Most cylinder manufacturers have developed a variety of methods to enhance the operation of their cylinder. Primary targets for improvement have been in the areas of deceleration, reduction of vibration (caused by metal-to-metal bounce), and...

Pneumatics provides repeatability for rotary indexer.(AUTOMATE WITH AIR)
April 1, 2006... The Toggle-Aire Multi-Station Indexer, manufactured by AIM Joraco, Smithfield, R.I. (www.joraco.com), is a multi-station parts indexer that can perform pre- and post-assembly parts inspection automatically to eliminate manual quality control...

Need reading material?(WEB CONTENTS)
April 1, 2006... The popular Bookstore section of our website contains some of our most popular products, all available for purchase--our annual Designer's Guide (January issue), the Fluid Power Handbook & Directory (both softbound and CD-ROM versions),...

You can do it your way.(WEB CONTENTS)
April 1, 2006... Join 20,000+ users each month who've discovered the easy-to-use format at www.hydraulicspneumatics.com. You can search our wealth of editorial content in most any way that you want. Looking for a valve or a cylinder? Check out our Technology...

Axial-piston pumps.(Useful Products)
April 1, 2006... PVM open loop, axial-piston pumps are available with multiple controls. Three frame sizes offer maximum displacements from 0.66 to 7.94 [in..sup.3]/rev, maximum pressure of 4250 psi, and speeds to 3600 rpm. Hardened steel shoes run on hardened...

Flow meters.(Useful Products)
April 1, 2006... JVHS series of positive-displacement flow meters is designed for high-pressure systems that require flow meters rated to 15,000 psi. They are rated for bidirectional flows of 0.003 to 7 gpm with an accuracy of [+ or -] 0.5% of reading. AW...

Push-to-connect air fittings.(Useful Products)
April 1, 2006... Minimatic push-quick fittings feature easy tube insertion for quick assembly of pneumatic circuits. They provide simple connection of pneumatic components while accepting flexible hose or stiff tubing. They are available in 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, and...

Desiccant breathers.(Useful Products)
April 1, 2006... SVDB series of disposable desiccant breathers for mobile and in-plant hydraulic systems provide maintenance-free, economical moisture control. Two sizes--SVDB-093 and SCDB-096--absorb water for a dry reservoir with 10 um particle filtration....

Compact power units.(Useful Products)
April 1, 2006... New version of HKL and new KA compact hydraulic controls feature directly mounted valve banks. HKL has usable filling volume of 9 l and maximum flow of 22 lpm (gear pump) and operating pressure of 700 bar (radial-piston pump). Dual or...

Moisture, humidity alarms.(Useful Products)
April 1, 2006... Monitors ensure dry conditions are present downstream of compressed air dryers. They show a blue to pink color change from 20% RH through 80% RH. Wall-mounted electronic humidity alarms come in 1/8 to 1/2 in. NPT connections for operating...

Current-to-pressure converters.(Useful Products)
April 1, 2006... Watson Smith 422 current-to-pressure converters are available in 3 to 15 psig and 3 to 120 psig variants for use with oil-free dry air supplies and accomodate flows to 100 scfm. They operate in temperatures of 68[degrees] to 158[degrees] F....

Tube bending machines.(Useful Products)
April 1, 2006... Manual and electric bending machines are available for tubes from 6 to 42 mm in diameter, with a maximum of 4 mm thickness. They conform to CE standard and are certified to UNI EN ISO 9001:2000. Multi-functional units--the Mini Center and...

Short-stroke linear actuators.(Useful Products)
April 1, 2006... Short-stroke, hydraulic linear actuators are lug-mounted to accommodate short coupling between rod end guides and piston heads for reaction to side loads and moments. They are rated for 1500 psi in strokes of 0.1 in. increments. Enlarged piston...

Differential pressure sensors.(Useful Products)
April 1, 2006... One series of differential pressure sensors includes new lower-range version that is a stainless-steel wet/wet DP sensor for ranges of 0-5, 0-50, 0-100, and 0-200 psid. Sensor profiling and temperature compensation provide 0.5% accuracy, 0.1%...

Flexible air fittings.(Useful Products)
April 1, 2006... Flex-Air fittings provide a free 360[degrees] rotation and the ability to bend at a 75[degrees] angle without constraining airflow for pressures to 145 psi. Design gives flexibility in tooling position and lessens harmful forces. Fittings...

Flow meter.(Useful Products)
April 1, 2006... Compact DVZ flow meter measures and monitors flow of low-viscosity liquids. The use of the vortex principle makes it maintenance-free. It is available in NPT sizes of 1/4 to 1 in. and is rated for flows of 0.13-1.2 to 1.1-8.5 gpm with a 1-sec...

February musings readers'.(Forum)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... The February 2006 issue of Hydraulics & Pneumatics just arrived. The hydraulic portion of the magazine was primarily dedicated to heat exchangers, system sizing, and pump case drain monitoring. No wonder the hydraulic industry is in the shape...

Drying revisited.(Forum)
April 1, 2006... You did an excellent job in explaining the different types of dryers to remove moisture in compressed air systems (Watching out for H2O, January 2006 issue). Your article captured the benefits, performance, and limitations of each type of dryer...

Software aids drive design: hardware-in-the-Loop bridges the gap between prototype and simulation testing.(SYSTEM DESIGN)
April 1, 2006... It's more important than ever to bring new designs to market that work reliably from the start. One way of ensuring a successful design is through rigorous testing of components, assemblies, and complete machines. However, extensive testing not...

Vacuum hose.(Product Spotlight on Pneumatic Hose and Tubing)
April 1, 2006... Kuri Tec Polywire Plus hose features wire helix reinforcement that prevents it from kinking and collapsing from vacuum. Hose diameter does not expand under normal rated working pressures to 250 psi at 70[degrees] F or 125 psi at 122[degrees] F....

Polyurethane tubing.(Product Spotlight on Pneumatic Hose and Tubing)
April 1, 2006... Polyurethane tubing is elastic and resistant to chemicals. It is rated for working pressures to 150 psi for operating temperatures of 5[degrees] to 140[degrees] F in various inch and metric sizes. Made of high-quality polymer, it is durable,...

Aluminum piping.(Product Spotlight on Pneumatic Hose and Tubing)
April 1, 2006... ALR piping system transfers compressed air safely and efficiently. The system includes epoxy-coated aluminum tubing, composite or aluminum fittings, wall manifolds with venting-action safety couplings, and drain valves: available in 20, 25, 32,...

Reinforced polyurethane hose.(Product Spotlight on Pneumatic Hose and Tubing)
April 1, 2006... Flexeel braid-reinforced polyurethane hose serves as an alternative to rubber or vinyl air hoses by offering kink and abrasion-resistance. It operates in temperatures from -40[degrees] to 165[degrees] F and has a pressure rating of 200 psi....

Braided air hose.(Product Spotlight on Pneumatic Hose and Tubing)
April 1, 2006... Superbraid, a self-storing braided polyurethane air hose, resists kinking and abrasion. Flexible and lightweight hose minimizes user fatigue and withstands harsh environments. It is available in 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, and 3/8 in. ID, with pressure...

Hose assemblies.(Product Spotlight on Pneumatic Hose and Tubing)
April 1, 2006... Push-Lok hoses are easy to assemble. They come in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, and 1 in. sizes for pressures to 350 psi at temperatures to 302[degrees] F. Fittings are available in steel, brass, and stainless steel. Parker Hannifin Corp., Hose...

Miniature pneumatic tubing.(Product Spotlight on Pneumatic Hose and Tubing)
April 1, 2006... Straight and coiled polyurethane and high-pressure tubing is flexible, reliable, and kink and abrasion-resistant. Polyurethane tubing fits tube 1/16 to 1/4 in. IDs for working pressure of 47 to 176 psi. Coiled tubing is available for 1/16 to...