FUNDAMENTALS OF ACTUATORS
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FLUIDLINES Mary C. Gannon • Editor-in-Chief
The robots aren’t ready to take over yet AT THE NFPA’S IEOC BACK IN AUGUST, the association brought together leaders from OEMs and market intelligence for a panel discussion on what the future holds for mobile machinery and the part hydraulics will play. Integrated systems were a huge part of the discussion, but where this discussion led revealed that OEMs are not really looking to build a completely autonomous machine. It’s more about where they can automate functions and use sensors to ensure more reliable, efficient operations. On stage were Ethan Roth, senior project engineer from Vermeer Corp.; Ryan Jenkins, hydraulics systems innovation engineer at CNH; and Alastair Hayfield, vice president, commercial vehicles with Interact Analysis. They discussed everything from labor dynamics to smart tech and automation to economic pressures impacting the market. But they kicked things off by discussing the driving forces behind many of the changes coming to machinery and how those changes — sometimes simple system designs — can ensure fluid power’s continued future in mobile machinery. For example, practical automation is taking precedence over completely autonomous machines. Jenkins highlighted an application in agriculture where using sensors in a new way improved output and performance on a CNH combine. “Adding sensors to the header tells us what’s happening with the grain. At first glance, that might not necessarily be related to the hydraulic systems on the machine, but it is used to livetune what we are doing in terms of the feeder’s real speeds, and how much you need to
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FLUID POWER WORLD • OCTOBER 2026
adjust your plates and all of the processes in the combine, the majority of which are controlled with fluid power,” Jenkins said. Using these sensors, users can adjust processes, which in turn maximizes the quality of the grain that’s going through the machine. Using these sensors in conjunction with pressure and speed sensors helps operators to understand every aspect of the product coming through the machine. Jenkins added that you can find similar examples in construction machinery as well. Integrating similar sensor systems into pumps, valves and cylinders gives users a better idea of how much load they may have in their bucket, for example. “It’s not just the hydraulic sensors, it’s other things working with the fluid power product,” he said. Roth noted how important it is to know how your hydraulic system is performing. Guaranteeing accuracy, precision and repeatability in your hydraulic systems ensures all systems work together. “Automation, precision and accuracy is going to have to continue to rise with the speed and efficiency of whatever system you’re developing,” Roth said. “That systems engineering approach and understanding it through the entire system, that’s where hydraulics are still important. You can take the best control system you want, but if you don’t know what your hydraulics are doing — if you don’t know what your accuracy and precision are — you might as well throw the control system away.” He described an application where sensors helped to automate just one operation on a four-directional horizontal drill from
Vermeer. Here, they automated the process of drilling a hole and inserting a rod into the ground. The sensors and controls mean it’s much easier to train the operator on this function. As Roth noted, it’s easier to learn how to push one button than to understand how the entire process works. Hayfield noted that there’s much hype about fully autonomous machines and replacing operators, but found both Roth’s and Jenkins’ machine examples eye-opening. “The reality is we’re a very long way from all that. It’s pleasing to hear that OEMs are focusing on actual customer-led solutions. It’s part of a machine process, a part of a task that can be automated. It’s a great win for the customer,” Hayfield said. “There needs to be more focus on that — the product development process is talking with customers, talking with end users, to determine what can be solved in an easy and step-bystep process, as opposed to trying to jump to a fully autonomous machine.” I believe more than ever that we need to stop taking the human out of the equation, so this was a delightful reminder that we still matter. What about you? Where do you see a need in your systems or machines for automation, and where are you happy to go without it? FPW
Mary C. Gannon • Editor-in-Chief mgannon@arrowfly.com linkedin.com/in/marygannonramsak
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OCTOBER 2026 • FLUID POWER WORLD
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PERSPECTIVES Josh Cosford • Contributing Editor
Learning a thing or two from the auto industry
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FLUID POWER WORLD • OCTOBER 2026
en·shit·ti·fi·ca·tion noun [uncountable] (informal, tech slang, vulgar) The gradual, profit-driven degradation of a digital platform or service over time. It occurs when a platform initially offers high value to attract users, shifts focus to monetize those users for corporate clients, and ultimately squeezes both to maximize shareholder profit, leaving a broken product behind. Etymology: Coined by author Cory Doctorow in 2022 to describe the systematic lifecycle of platform decay. • Related forms: enshittify (v.), enshittified (adj.) I've written a lot lately about AI, robots, and the connected world of fluid power, so the enshittification of cars had me thinking about fluid power. Are we pushing ourselves too hard and far to take usability and satisfaction out of fluid power machinery? Sure, much of the hydraulics is hidden away and ignored, like the hydraulics that power machine tool or stamping presses. We’ve been using HMIs for years now, so it’s no big deal. But what about mobile machinery? I'm not going to call out any single manufacturer, but you can bet your weight in manure that farm tractors, excavators, and every modern machine are pushing to have as many functions buried in screens as possible. I get it, a tractor cab can have a dizzying number of buttons and switches, and to a point, it’s worth cleaning that up. But farmers are a fussy bunch, and they’re also good at what they do. They can operate all their older tractor’s functions using muscle memory, can still press the correct button over rough terrain, they often work with dirty gloves, and want to wear those same gloves on a cold morning. The AG bunch were quick to push
back on enshittification, and the manufacturers are starting to listen. It doesn't matter if you use a function only once per year; there are zero people mad that a physical interface exists for it. Well, maybe the iPhone designers who prioritize "aesthetics" over function by adding secret functions that are unlocked when you three-finger-swipe a figure-eight pattern while standing on one leg. I can guarantee that machine manufacturers are playing the long game, where they remove physical switchgear and replace it with digital technology, haptic feedback, and touchscreens, only to bring back physical controls a decade later and brand them as a "luxury feature" so they can charge even more for machines. Even Mercedes Chief Design Officer, Gorden Wagener, has admitted, "screens are not luxury." Yet here they are, putting screens spanning the entire dash while removing the HVAC and stereo switchgear. Guess what, Mercedes? If you cover the logos and I sit down in a Hyundai and a Mercedes and I can't tell the difference, you're going down the wrong path. I believe the path will correct itself, and not because manufacturers will give up on chasing profits. In fact, they’ll chase profits by bringing it all back again. Will tractor manufacturers switch back to physical gauges and joysticks using hydraulic pilots? No, because there is real functionality buried in these machines' electronics that provides benefits well past the method of activation. But they will eventually listen to customers and provide us with a better balance of what works and what is cheap. Let’s hope that happens before your 2003 John Deere 7810 finally kicks the bucket. FPW
Josh Cosford • Contributing Editor jcosford@higginson.ca linkedin.com/in/joshcosford
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IF YOU’RE A LONGTIME READER, you know I’m a car guy. I love the look and smell of a hot rod, but I grew up on Japanese hot hatches and eventually developed a taste for the power and refinement of German luxury brands. I love discovering great new music while still keeping the soundtrack of my childhood dear to my heart, and that’s generally how I’ve felt about cars. I’d love to own a ’93 Mazda RX-7, but I can recognize just how spectacular new cars are today … or, are they? I guess in the same way that a “new” song feels like 2020 to me, and how my kids will point out how "Circles" by Post Malone is now "old school music," the cars from 2020 still feel new to me. They have digital dashes, active safety functions, direct injection, and in many cases, more than what's being released for 2027. In fact, I look at the new offerings from Mercedes-Benz and see how the interior is just a discotheque full of lights and visual effects in such a drab, otherwise minimal interior. They've removed the physical knobs, dials, and switchgear for operating HVAC and the stereo. The new Lincoln Navigator, believe it or not, has the air vent directional control buried in the touchscreen menus. So, if you don’t like where the air is blowing, you need to sort through menus while trying to drive. “Just use the active cruise control,” you say? Well, we have an older Nav’ with “Blue Cruise,” and the car will freak out on you for taking your eyes off the road long enough to change the radio station! The fact that these manufacturers are posturing this ridiculous transition away from physical switchgear as a “luxury feature” is a sign that they a) are clearly only in it for profits, and b) don’t know their customer base. Vehicle functions within the touchscreen are simply lines of code, compared to the cost of producing millions of little dials for the AC temperature control. Peak car was 2018-2023, and if you’re lucky enough to own a premium vehicle from this era, hang onto it to avoid the wave of enshittification.
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FUNDAMENTALS By Josh Cosford • Contributing Editor
Fundamentals of actuators AN ACTUATOR IS ANY DEVICE that converts
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FLUID POWER WORLD • OCTOBER 2026
HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS HAVE THE BENEFIT OF POWER DENSITY ON THEIR SIDE, WHILE BALLSCREW ACTUATORS, PICTURED, ARE THE STRONGEST OFFERING ON THE MECHANICAL SIDE, OFFERING WELL OVER 90% MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY.
achieve 50% in the best circumstances. Most of the energy is wasted as friction, but that high friction also makes them self-locking. They will hold a load in place with zero power draw and are the only real choice when standby power drops to zero. Each type of electrical actuator spans a wide range of performance, from the low-powered devices that open your tailgate to the asynchronous drives used in motion control simulators. When selecting a linear actuator, remember that it essentially operates like a gearbox, so you can choose a gear ratio that suits your application. A high-speed, 5:1 “gearbox” will provide a snappy actuator that sacrifices force, while choosing a ratio upwards of 60:1 gets you massive thrust at a snail’s-pace speed. Fluid power actuators operate quite differently, accepting a pressurized, flowing fluid to convert into linear mechanical force. Pneumatic cylinders use pressurized air, of course, which requires a continuous supply from an air compressor. They are the king of acceleration and high velocity, providing explosive force from a standstill while still achieving over 85% efficiency (not including the compressor). However, their high-pressure force potential is limited by
the danger posed by compressed air and the difficulty of compressing it efficiently. That leads us to the grandfather of linear actuators: the hydraulic cylinder. Are they messy? Sometimes. Do they require expensive accouterments? Certainly. Are they unmatched in power density? Now and always. Although if you compared the electrons used at the power unit to the actual power output of a hydraulic cylinder, a 50% overall efficiency is a fair ratio to expect. But hydraulic cylinders enjoy nearly 100% volumetric efficiency and have unexplored limits in power density. While an electric actuator may be "plug and play" compared to the operational requirements of a hydraulic cylinder, there is no way to achieve more linear force in a smaller space than with a hydraulic cylinder. They're responsive, reliable, and easily customized, to boot. There's never been a better time to build machinery, and with so many choices of actuators, there's not much you can't achieve within the boundaries of your available energy source. Should you be so creative, nothing is stopping you from using all three on the same machine, taking advantage of the benefits of each. FPW
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one form of energy into physical linear force. From a fundamental definition of the word, one could assert that motors are also actuators, but from a practical perspective, the machine world generally agrees on the linear definition. The primary source of energy can be pressurized air or liquid, electricity, or another mechanical force. The execution of force may be pushing, pulling, rotating, or clamping, but how that looks varies widely depending on the technology. For this discussion, we'll ignore mechanical actuators, a method of force transmission that our field is dedicated to replacing. Electrical actuators are the most interesting and, oddly enough, seem to have hijacked the term. If you Google "actuators" and then click the Shopping tab, the results are entirely electric. They’re interesting in the way that most of their kind require a rotary motor and some sort of ballscrew, lead screw, or belt drive. There are "linear motors" that use a bed of permanent magnets and a floating platform capable of insane power and acceleration. However, they are expensive, finicky, and energy-hungry, so we'll discuss the common ballscrewstyle actuators. Electric motors are clean, efficient, and versatile, making them popular for actuators when combined with a method to convert rotational force into linear force. Using a helical device, such as a ballscrew, the rotational input is converted into an axial output. Ballscrew actuators are highly efficient, offering well over 90% mechanical efficiency. They employ recirculating steel balls (like those in old American car steering racks) that roll continuously with low friction and are capable of carrying inertial loads with little power. Planetary roller screws are also highly efficient, turning at least 85% of their mechanical input into linear force. The reduced efficiency comes from the greater amount of contact surface, but these actuators take the win when it comes down to extreme thrust potential. The lead screw is by far the least efficient option for linear actuators, which are lucky to
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ENERGY EFFICIENCY Ron Marshall • Contributing Editor
Your compressor may not be the problem, but your data might be
Guessing is expensive
Compressed air systems are constantly changing. Production equipment cycles on and off. Leaks grow. Filters become restricted. Operators adjust regulators. New end uses are added. Compressor controls respond to changing demand. Without measurements, the system becomes difficult to understand. A plant may know the compressor’s nameplate capacity but not how much air the facility is actually using. Staff may know the discharge pressure in the compressor room but not the pressure reaching critical equipment. They may know the motor is running but not whether the compressor is producing air or sitting unloaded while still consuming power. That is how expensive assumptions begin. A pressure problem is interpreted as a capacity problem. A control problem is mistaken for a mechanical problem. A short demand spike leads to the purchase of equipment that may operate inefficiently for years.
Four measurements that change the conversation
A basic compressed air investigation should begin with four key measurements:
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FLUID POWER WORLD • OCTOBER 2026
Pressure — Measure pressure in the compressor room, downstream of dryers and filters, along the main piping system, and near critical end uses. A single pressure reading at the compressor discharge does not show what is happening throughout the plant. A pressure profile can reveal restrictions, undersized piping, poorly adjusted regulators, and peak-demand events. Flow — Flow measurements show how much compressed air the plant is truly using — and when that use occurs. A flow profile can separate normal production demand from short peaks, non-production consumption, and leakage. It can also reveal whether multiple compressors are truly required or simply operating together because of poor control. Power — Compressed air is an energy system, so power must be measured along with air output. A compressor may appear lightly loaded while still drawing significant electricity. This is especially important with load/unload and modulating compressors, which can consume substantial power even when they are not producing full output. Run and loaded hours — Many modern compressor controllers separately track running hours and loaded hours. The difference can be revealing. If a compressor has accumulated 18,000 running hours but only 9,000 loaded hours, it has spent roughly half its operating time running without producing full-load air.
That does not necessarily mean the compressor is faulty. It may point to poor sequencing, excess capacity, inadequate storage, incorrect pressure settings, or a control strategy that does not match plant demand.
Better data leads to better decisions
Collecting data does not need to begin with an expensive plant-wide monitoring system. Start with a simple system sketch. Record compressor settings and operating hours. Install temporary pressure loggers at key locations. Measure flow over a representative production period. Compare compressor power with delivered air. The goal is not to collect numbers for their own sake. The goal is to understand how the system behaves. Once that information is available, better questions can be asked, such as: • Is the plant truly short of compressor capacity, or is pressure being lost through restrictions? • Is another compressor needed, or would storage and control improvements solve the problem? • How much air is being used when production is stopped? • Are high pressure settings compensating for problems elsewhere? Before adding another compressor, increasing system pressure, or replacing major equipment, collect enough data to prove what the system actually needs. Your compressor may be doing exactly what it has been told to do. The problem may be that nobody has been measuring the system, so they don't know what they should do next. FPW
FIGURE 1. MEASURE YOUR SYSTEM BEFORE YOU CONSIDER BUYING LARGER COMPRESSED AIR EQUIPMENT. GUESSING CAN BE INACCURATE AND VERY EXPENSIVE AND RESULT IN AN INEFFICIENT SYSTEM. COMPRESSOR SUPPLIERS AND CONSULTANTS CAN HELP YOU WITH THE MEASUREMENTS.
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WHEN A COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
struggles, the compressor usually gets blamed first. Pressure is dropping at the far end of the plant. Production tools are slowing down. Another compressor is running more often than expected. The energy bill is climbing. The first reaction of management is often predictable: “We need a bigger compressor.” Sometimes that may be true. But in many plants, nobody has collected enough information to know for sure. The compressor may not be the problem at all. The real problem may be a lack of useful data.
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COMPONENT FOCUS Josh Cosford • Contributing Editor
SENSORS ARE NOT AS TALKED ABOUT as some other Internet of Things technologies, despite their critical role within the Industry 4.0 community at large. Sensors are technologies in fluid power that read, interpret, and transmit data based on one or more criteria important to observe: pressure, temperature, flow, contamination, water saturation, and vibration, to name a few. The Internet of Things describes technologies that are connected through wires, Bluetooth, or wireless routers to the same internet we use to scroll through social media or perform our daily banking. Of course, your particle counter rarely logs on to your local internet service provider directly. Rather, it transmits data to a hub or router in your facility, which then directs the data to cloud servers using typical internet protocols. Smart sensors may begin their digital information transmission journeys at the “edge,” while running on batteries or low power, which requires a gateway to transmit further than Bluetooth range. A hub or router must be located near these types of compact sensors, which send their signals using interestingly named technologies like Zigbee and Thread — two low-power technologies similar to Bluetooth. Long-range technologies exist but still require a hub at some point to broadcast to the internet. LoRaWAN can operate across miles of open space but still requires a router to make the connection. It's easy to imagine your smart home technologies making a connection between industrial IoT-ready sensors. Just as your smartwatch, thermostat, or outdoor lighting control system are equipped with short-range wireless technologies, sensor connections work through technologies similar to those used by Apple HomePod or Amazon Echo (or even your smart phone, which makes a great hub). There are no limits to the IoT sensors available to offer expansive data in real time, which
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FLUID POWER WORLD • OCTOBER 2026
allows you to move away from reactive production and maintenance practices into the world of predictive operational telemetry. To best elucidate the benefits of IoT-ready sensors, I'll use a couple of examples you should all generally be familiar with. Because it's generally accepted that contamination is the number one cause of hydraulic failure, it follows that advanced knowledge of a rapid rise in contamination provides maintenance personnel with failure-prevention superpowers. When your power unit is equipped with real-time contamination sensors programmed to send push notifications when your target ISO 4406 cleanliness code is exceeded, you can act quickly to investigate the source of contamination before catastrophic component failure and further damage occur. Pneumatic systems benefit from IoT-ready sensors that can help high-paced automation
plants run at higher speeds with fewer periods of unexpected downtime. A smart air-efficiency module can be installed alongside your FRL to measure air consumption, pressure drop, moisture, and downstream pressure. The sensor can trigger a warning when unexpected air usage rises, for example, sending a notification that leakage is occurring somewhere within that subcircuit. If you can sense it, you can transmit it over the airwaves. What used to be six figures' worth of hard-wired technology running miles of physical wires throughout your plant is now available at commodity-level pricing and online availability, with everyone able to access the data through a PC, laptop, or smart device. Like it or not, humans no longer exclusively enjoy access to the internet, as we now share that access with “things.” FPW
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Fluid Power World’s Design Guide library features a variety of downloadable resources to help educate you on fundamental hydraulic and pneumatic technologies and components.
Design Guide: Preventing Failure in Your Fluid Power Systems Failure is a term that no engineer or technician wants to hear. Reliable uptime is crucial for every system and machine. In this design guide, we highlight key system prime movers as well as accessories that fail. Here, you will learn to recognize some of the signs of systems that are at risk of failing, how to diagnose them, and how to prevent them from failing in advance. Design Guide on Symbology Building Blocks Hydraulic symbology is a standardized system of symbols used to represent the components and functions of hydraulic systems. These symbols provide a clear and universal way to communicate the design, operation, and flow of hydraulic circuits. Here, we build upon basic elements and shapes to discuss the most common components in a hydraulic system.
Design Guide on Pneumatic Cylinders Pneumatic cylinders use compressed air to produce linear motion. They consist of a cylindrical chamber, a piston, and a rod, and convert energy from compressed air into mechanical force. Learn about the many types, including single-acting, double-acting, and rotary cylinders, that are used in industrial automation and motion control applications.
Design Guide on Metric Fittings Many different standards of fittings exist throughout the world — JIC, O-ring face seal, BSP, JIS, and more. Metric hydraulic fittings hydraulic hoses, tubes, and pipes to pumps, valves, and other hydraulic components. Learn where they’re used and how to specify them.
Design Guide on Hydraulic Filtration Filtration quality is the single most important measure of hydraulic machine health. More hydraulic failures are a result of particle contamination than any other cause. To effectively apply filtration, it is important to know to size, location and quality. Learn more on this critical system technology.
Visit www.fluidpowerworld.com/category/design-guides/ to learn more and download these helpful resources now!
SMART PNEUMATICS
SMART TECHNOLOGIES, FROM SOFTWARE-DEFINED MACHINES TO DIGITAL INTEGRATION, ALLOW MANUFACTURERS TO EASILY MAINTAIN MACHINES AND PREDICT CRITICAL FAILURES AND FAULTS BEFORE THEY CAUSE DOWNTIME.
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SMART PNEUMATICS
PACKAGING GETS SMART How smart tech is helping the Cosford, packaging industry By Josh Contributing Editor
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HE PACKAGING INDUSTRY OPERATES in a world where ultra-high-speed machinery reigns, manufacturers accept razor-thin margins, and versatility is required as products change frequently. From highspeed form-fill-seal machines to complex end-of-line palletizing robotics, the machinery driving this sector has traditionally relied on conventional pneumatics. Valued for their high power density, quick actuation, costeffectiveness, and inherent safety in washdown environments, pneumatic systems have long been the technology of choice for packaging automation. However, traditional pneumatics operated as an open-loop technology blind to the digital age. When the PLC directs a valve to open, thereby routing air to the desired actuator, no data is provided to the factory regarding energy waste, seal wear, or whether excessive pressure is damaging blister packs or cardboard cartons. Because the fast-paced packaging environment needs to be even faster, you can bet your bottom dollar that our industry would throw every buzzword at factories to improve throughput, reduce downtime, and provide insights to one-up every aspect of making boxes, bags, and packages. Advanced sensors, microprocessors, fieldbus, network connectivity, and edge computing have all been integrated to
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SMART PNEUMATICS
create sophisticated pneumatic systems that are many times more powerful and versatile than in the past. The marrying of pneumatics and Industry 4.0 has transformed traditional pneumatic actuators into intelligent, data-gathering platforms that can offer advanced control, predictive maintenance, and energy efficiency. To understand the impact on packaging, let’s examine how a smart pneumatic system works when you lift the proverbial hood. DIGITAL ELECTRONICS MAKE PNEUMATICS SMART In traditional systems, a pneumatic valve is a simple on-off digital source of air. By contrast, a smart pneumatic system integrates digital electronics right at the component, manifold, and PLC levels. Smart directional control valves and cylinders, for example, are now equipped with embedded sensors that measure a variety of internal and external parameters in real time, including upstream supply pressure, differential pressure across cylinder chambers, and the volume of compressed air consumed per cycle. “Smart” pneumatics means, in plain words, that the valves, manifolds, cylinders, motors, and air preparation devices are integrated with digital electronics (minicomputers and microprocessors) that can
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calculate cycle times, leakage rates, maintenance insights, and relay diagnostic data to other components, networks, or the cloud. Perhaps the most radical shift is the introduction of software-defined pneumatics. Historically, changing a machine function required physically swapping out flow controls, regulators, or the cylinders themselves. With smart motion terminals, the same physical valve can alter its characteristics on the fly via software applications to suit changes in the operation or setup. By employing independently controlled proportional piezo valves unique to the rod and piston sides of a cylinder, software can dynamically vary pressure and flow to alter speed, force, and stroke length infinitely. The same hardware can function as a standard directional valve, a proportional pressure regulator, or a soft-stop cushioning device, entirely governed by computer software. This capability directly targets overall equipment effectiveness, which is the gold standard metric in packaging operations. Unplanned downtime on a primary packaging line can cost thousands of dollars per minute in lost output and nonconforming product, and smart pneumatics helps minimize these impacts while improving firstpass yield through predictive maintenance.
KEEPING AN EYE ON FAILURE POINTS Compressed air leaks are inherent to pneumatics, and packaging facilities are no different. They often occur at worn fittings, failed cylinder seals, or cracked airline plumbing, but legacy systems cannot detect a leak until it leads to a catastrophic failure. Smart pneumatic manifolds continuously perform diagnostics during natural machine pauses by sealing off specific valve zones and measuring pressure decay over time to detect minute leaks long before they impact production. Furthermore, because the intelligence is localized at the manifold, the system can pinpoint the exact subplate valve and cylinder experiencing the leak, giving maintenance teams time to address the issue and plan scheduled maintenance rather than respond to an emergency breakdown. The microprocessors in these components can also track wear rates because cylinders in packaging experience millions of cycles per month, causing internal seals to wear at a generally predictable rate. Smart pneumatics monitor cycle times and stroke lengths of individual actuators, so if the system detects that a cylinder is taking slightly longer to extend than it did a week earlier, despite identical pressure settings, it indicates an increase in mechanical friction or
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FESTO
FESTO’S VTEM MOTION TERMINAL PROVIDES VALVE FUNCTIONALITY THAT IS CONTROLLED BY DOWNLOADABLE APPS, SO THAT ONE VALVE CAN POTENTIALLY REPLACE UP TO 50 DIFFERENT COMPONENTS, DEPENDING ON THE APP OR COMBINATIONS OF APPS RESIDENT IN THE INTEGRATED PROCESSOR.
SMART PNEUMATICS
internal blow-by leakage. By alerting the maintenance team to the reduced cycle time, the component can be scheduled for service during planned maintenance windows, avoiding costly downtime.
INGERSOLL RAND
INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY OVERALL This intelligence also unlocks flexibility for lines that must handle high product variety and frequent machine changeovers, enabling the production of various sizes, shapes, and materials on the same machinery. Traditional pneumatic changeovers are very time-consuming because maintenance technicians must install new fixtures and actuators, then manually adjust mechanical flow controls, and finally dial in pressure regulators to suit the subsequent setup. Smart pneumatics eliminates INGERSOLL RAND’S HELIX CONNECTED PLATFORM USES SENSOR the downtime between setups by TECHNOLOGY INSIDE THE COMPRESSOR TO SEND DATA REGULARLY using advanced preset manageTO A CLOUD-BASED PLATFORM ACCESSIBLE FROM A PC, TABLET, OR SMARTPHONE. THIS REAL-TIME MONITORING PROVIDES DATA ON THE ment. When an operator selects COMPRESSOR’S FUNCTIONALITY, AND USERS CAN ACCESS INSIGHTS a new “recipe” on the machine AND DIAGNOSTIC REPORTING ANYTIME. interface, the control system instantly updates the parameter profiles for every valve and actuator. Selfpression. Smart pneumatics optimizes this A CONNECTED SYSTEM adjusting electronic control valves automatusage by regulating pressure based on The superpower of smart pneumatics is ically adapt to changes in load, speed, and demand, so in many packaging operations, evident when the entire system connects pressure, ensuring smooth deceleration a cylinder only requires maximum force to broader factory management architecregardless of the product running through in one direction, while the return stroke tures and cloud-based analytics platforms the machine. merely moves the empty actuator back to for data-driven quality control. In applicaFor precise tasks, such as arranging lightits starting position. tions such as heat-sealing flexible pouches weight corrugated cardboard boxes or gripPrevious systems supplied the same — or capping bottles, the quality of the seal ping thin-walled plastic bottles, smart pneuoften high — pressure for both stroke direcdepends heavily on consistent pressure and matics allows the machine to apply an exact, tions, but smart pneumatic systems can dwell time. Smart pneumatics tracks these predetermined force that prevents product drop the pressure on the return stroke to variables for every single cycle, and if a deformation while maintaining maximum the bare minimum required, yielding subpressure drop occurs during the exact millispeed. Previously, technicians would have stantial energy savings. Additionally, when second a sealing jaw closes, the smart valve to fiddle with adjustments during test runs packaging lines experience downstream flags that specific package as defective. to determine the appropriate settings. bottlenecks that cause upstream machines The machine can automatically trigger a These efficiency gains directly translate to idle, smart pneumatic systems recognize reject gate downstream without stopping into sustainability and energy-reduction these situations and automatically switch to the entire line, ensuring that compromised initiatives, which are as important as ever. standby mode, dropping system pressure to products never leave the facility. Should Compressed air is one of the most energya "hold level" or shutting off the air supply subsequent failures occur in sequence, that intensive utilities in a manufacturing plant to those sections entirely. When the botportion of the machine will shut down autobecause most of the electrical energy suptleneck is lifted, controllers then automatimatically and send text messages to mainteplied to the plant and used by an air comcally repressurize and restart the system the nance personnel, notifying them that their pressor is lost as pure heat during commoment downstream production resumes. attention is required in the sealing area.
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SMART PNEUMATICS
defined motion, and substantial energy store or shipment arriving at your doorstep savings that align with modern sustainabil"same-day" means you can bet that smart ity mandates. As artificial intelligence and technology was used in the preparation machine learning continue to penetrate the and delivery of that item. At no point in hisfactory floor, the data harvested by smart tory has the packaging industry been more pneumatics will become even more valufront and center, and smart technology is to able, ultimately leading to fully autonomous thank for that fame. fluid power systems that continuously optimize their own performance parameters to achieve the lowest possible carbon footprint and the highest possible yield. For packaging operators looking to maintain a competitive edge, smart pneumatics is DATA-CONNECTED VALVE TERMINALS, LIKE EMERSON’S CLASS A, IO-LINK MASTER, HELP TO PROVIDE USERS WITH A COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR no longer an optional SMART AND ANALOG SENSOR CONNECTIVITY. THE AVENTICS SERIES G3 IO-LINK upgrade but rather the MASTER IS SUITABLE FOR MACHINE ARCHITECTURES WITH MANY SENSORS AND PNEUMATIC VALVES, AND WHERE IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE RELIABLE DIGITAL path forward. Every DATA COMMUNICATION BETWEEN FIELD DEVICES, SUCH AS SENSORS AND THE visit to the big-box MACHINE CONTROLLER. FPW
EMERSON
The widespread adoption of digital communication protocols such as IO-Link has been a major driver of this integration, enabling sensors and actuators to transmit rich diagnostic data to a master module over simplified wiring, thereby reducing machine build times, shrinking footprints, and lowering the cost of entry for implementing such smart technology. The integration of smart technology into pneumatics has elevated pneumatic fluid power from a simple mechanical workaround to a core pillar of advanced digital manufacturing. Automation started many decades ago with the clever use of pneumatic valves, and we've come full circle, rewarding air power with ultra-modern technologies that carry the torch. For the packaging industry, the benefits are clear: reduced unplanned downtime through predictive diagnostics, unprecedented machine flexibility via software-
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INDUSTRIAL HYDRAULICS
SECURING A MILLION FASTENERS IN
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INDUSTRIAL HYDRAULICS
SOLAR PANEL FIELD INSTALLATION REQUIRES MILLIONS OF FASTENERS. BATTERY-POWERED TOOLS USED BY TECHNICIANS COULD NOT KEEP PACE WITH THE REPETITION, SPEED, OR SIZE OF THE JOB. NOW, HYDRAULIC POWER PACKS USE SCANWILL INTENSIFIERS TO PROVIDE THE NEEDED HIGH PRESSURE AND RELIABILITY REQUIRED TO REPEAT THE SAME FASTENING MOTION THOUSANDS OF TIMES PER DAY.
Pressure intensifiers ensure high-volume, reliable fastening in solar field installations. Contributed by Victoria Lower, Marketing Manager, IC-Fluid Power, Inc.
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N ONE UTILITY-SCALE SOLAR FIELD, there are hundreds of rows of panel frames stretching across miles of open land, each frame held together by dozens of fasteners. On a single project, one machine may need to secure more than a million fasteners. For years, the only solutions were either inadequate battery-powered tools or manual labor, neither of which could keep pace with the repetition, speed, or size of the job. Crews repeat the same fastening motion thousands of times per day. Standard battery-powered tooling wasn’t designed for this kind of work. On larger solar projects, tools must keep up without slowing crews down, losing power, or requiring constant replacement. That’s the problem that Mark Spilker set out to solve.
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Battery-powered tools can be useful for smaller jobs, but on larger solar fields, they can be slower, bulkier, more expensive and have limited battery life. The hydraulic power packs, by contrast, are portable and powered by diesel or gas, so they run all day long and are capable of up to 10,000 psi. They can be mounted on the backs of buggies for better mobility and deliver quick bursts of high pressure wherever the job demands. Inside each power pack are two ScanWill MP-F pressure intensifiers. These units are an important part of the power pack’s functionality, allowing the main system to operate at a lower pressure while the intensifiers generate the higher pressure needed during the swaging cycle. This means the power pack can deliver the force required for permanent fastening without building the entire machine around a more expensive, higher-pressure pump.
From solar fields to power packs Before becoming Hydraulic Power Plus, Spilker’s company operated as Solar Foundations, installing pile-driven foundations for expansive solar projects. While working in those fields, Spilker saw firsthand where existing hydraulic tooling and power systems were underperforming. In 2017, he launched Hydraulic Power Plus’ first hydraulic power pack, a device capable of running two high-pressure tools simultaneously, all day long. With that launch, Hydraulic Power Plus was born, developing and selling tools and power equipment for an industry in which the company had spent years working. In 2018, Mark began prototyping the hydraulic guns that fasten lock bolts and structural blind rivets. After multiple design revisions and field tests, both the guns and the power packs reached a point where they were ready for production. Mark has continued to build on that foundation ever since, with product improvement motivated by the desire to provide the best possible experience for his customers.
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High pressure power packs for high volume jobs Hydraulic Power Plus has built its product line around the demands of high-volume fastening work. The hydraulic power packs are the company's flagship product. These units are built to provide portable, high-output hydraulic power in applications where battery-powered tools struggle.
Applications beyond solar Solar remains the primary application for Hydraulic Power Plus’ equipment due to the scale of utility-scale solar construction. Crews need to install large volumes of fasteners quickly, and the tools must provide enough force for the fastener to last a lifetime. However, the same needs exist in a number of different industries. Semi-truck frame assembly, rail components and similar industrial applications all demand consistent pull force, fast cycle times, and continuous operation. In indoor environments, electric hydraulic power packs can provide the required hydraulic force without exhaust emissions or loud operational noise. The iterative engineering cycle Mark Spilker’s approach to product development centers on continuous improvement. Each product is refined based on field performance, customer feedback and the real conditions crews face on the job. Where some manufacturers accept tool failure as a normal part of the sales cycle, Hydraulic Power Plus takes the opposite approach, constantly finding ways to extend service life and improve performance.
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IC FLUID POWER (2) / SCANWILL
TOP: HYDRAULIC POWER PLUS HAS DESIGNED AND BUILT CUSTOM HYDRAULIC POWER PACKS TO HELP WITH THE SWAGING OF MILLIONS OF FASTENERS INSTALLED IN SOLAR PANEL FIELDS. SCANWILL PRESSURE INTENSIFIERS ENABLE THE HIGH-PRESSURE REQUIRED OF THIS OPERATION. BOTTOM: THE POWER PACKS USE MODEL MP-F PRESSURE INTENSIFIERS FROM SCANWILL.
INDUSTRIAL HYDRAULICS
“I care a lot about the reliability and longevity of the products,” Spilker says. That mindset shows up in the small details. Inside the hydraulic guns, the puller and anvil are high-wear components. Rather than just accepting this wear, Mark has focused on improving the materials and the design to extend their service life. He also engineered a mechanical stop inside the tool to prevent the puller from breaking if a fastener is driven beyond specification, addressing one of the most common failure points in this field application. The same mindset applies to the power packs and the pressure intensification method. Early versions of the equipment presented a difficult engineering problem. During the swaging cycle, when the fastener is permanently deformed and set, the system experienced a sudden hydraulic shock that traveled back through the system, stressing seals and internal components. For Hydraulic Power Plus, solving that issue was not just about making the machine work through one cycle. It was about making the tools and power packs reliable enough to withstand thousands of fastening cycles per day in exposed outdoor environments. This led Mark to evaluate the pressure intensification method inside the power pack and, ultimately, work with IC-Fluid Power and ScanWill on a more reliable solution. IC-Fluid Power distributes ScanWill products and other specialized international hydraulic components to the North American market. Its established relationship with ScanWill was key to making a solution possible. Rather than simply supplying the components, IC-Fluid Power treated Mark’s problem as an engineering project from the start. Mark worked with IC-Fluid Power’s local team and ScanWill’s engineers in Denmark to review the system requirements, troubleshoot the pressure shock challenge, and determine the right configuration for Hydraulic Power Plus’ power packs. The collaboration included a trip to ScanWill’s facility in Denmark to work through the details of potential solutions in person,
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CLOSE UP OF MP-F PRESSURE INTENSIFIER ON A HYDRAULIC POWER PACK
coordinated by the president of IC-Fluid Power. After working through the application parameters with IC-Fluid Power and ScanWill’s engineers, Mark’s assessment was simple. “It mathematically works,” Mark said. “It’s just a good fit.” Why pressure intensifiers and why ScanWill Every Hydraulic Power Plus power pack runs two custom-built ScanWill MP-F pressure intensifiers, each with a 2:1 intensification ratio. These models feature a flange mount, designed to simplify installation, service and removal. The main reason, however, for using ScanWill intensifiers comes down to system function. The hydraulic circuit typically operates at 2,400 psi, which is enough to power the system and support most of its functions. The swaging operation, however, requires 4,800 psi. A pressure intensifier bridges that gap. Instead of requiring the entire hydraulic system to run at a higher pressure, the
intensifier boosts pressure locally, only when and where it is needed. Running the full system at 4,800 psi would require a significantly more expensive high-pressure pump and heavy-duty plumbing throughout. The reciprocating piston design is what makes the ScanWill pressure intensifier fit so well in the power packs. This internal mechanism allows for uninterrupted flow during pressure buildup, keeping the system stable through the high-pressure demand of each cycle. The result is an intensifier that has performed across thousands of swaging cycles per day in exposed outdoor environments and continues to support Hydraulic Power Plus’ growing fleet of power packs in the field. FPW
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