H&P Insights: Hydraulic Hose Size; 10 Rules for System Design; IDEA! Awards a Valuable Innovation Showcase
Hydraulic Hose Size
There are not a lot of things in the world where one size fits all, and this is true for hydraulic systems. As Garrett Bell at the automotive aftermarket program at Gates notes in a new Hydraulics & Pneumatics article, the engineering behind hose system sizing is something that should be respected.
“Though it may be convenient to substitute a customer’s hydraulic hose with a different sized hose than what is intended for the hydraulic system,” Bell writes, “you can inadvertently cause hydraulic equipment to become less efficient and potentially damage the hose tube. The best practice is to replace the hose with the same size.”
10 Rules for System Design
The process of hydraulic system design is equal parts technical knowledge and longer-term planning. The most effective design system, notes Mark Beining of Eaton in a Hydraulics & Pneumatics article, is one that can be efficiently operated, but also easily maintained.
“Whenever possible, it’s best to place pumps, valves and actuators where they are easily accessible for service, maintenance and replacement,” he writes. “This is especially true for filters, because the tougher they are to access, the less likely their element will be replaced when required.”
Beining’s article cites 10 basic rules for good design that will lead to good maintenance. “These guidelines should be most beneficial during machine prototyping,” he says. “Follow normal production procedures after eliminating all bugs.”
IDEA! Awards a Valuable Innovation Showcase
The 2021 IDEA! Awards will highlight the top innovative products created in the last year. The awards program is a showcase for new engineering solutions. It also provides great value for everyone who enters.
For a $500 entry fee, IDEA! Awards entrants receive:
- A ¼-page article and image in the August issues of Machine Design and Hydraulics & Pneumatics to discuss the merits of the product.
- A spot in the online version of the IDEA! Awards, which will include a link to the reader ballot. Only qualified engineers will vote on the IDEA! Awards, meaning your product will be judged by the people who also use the products each day.
- Marking collateral, which will identify your product and company as an “IDEA! Awards Finalist.”
- A chance to be voted one of the top products in your category, which will include an invitation to receive your awards during the IDEA! Conference Nov. 9-11 in Cleveland.
Also announced at that time will be the winner of the Big IDEA! Award, presented to the product with the single highest number of votes from all product categories.
Get your entry in today. Also, please plan to join us at the 2021 IDEA! Conference in Cleveland. It will be three days of great information and an opportunity to reconnect after more than a year apart.
Click here for a link to the entry form. It’s important to act soon: Entry deadline is July 9 at 5 p.m. CST.
