With modern sealing technology, the volumetric efficiency (leakage losses) of a hydraulic cylinder in good condition approaches 100%. But the mechanical-hydraulic efficiency of a hydraulic cylinder varies with seal type and the tolerances between the piston-rod and its wear bands.

Recall that mechanical-hydraulic efficiency refers to the amount of force lost due to mechanical and fluid friction. In a cylinder, … Read more

Rupert Murdoch, the boss of global media giant News Corporation was a neighbor of ours where I grew up. Not that my family was particularly well off. It’s just that my father’s farm happened to be situated close to a group of “sheep stations” the media mogul owned. And compared to the 300,000 acres Mr Murdoch controlled, Dad’s land holding … Read more

If you’ve read The Hydraulic Troubleshooting Handbook, you’ll recall that I define hydraulic troubleshooting as a logical process of elimination which begins with checking the easy things first.

The emphasis I put on investigating the easy things first may seem so elementary your inclination may be to disregard this advice. Certainly, if you DO follow a logical process of … Read more