I am regularly involved in troubleshooting problems with hydraulic equipment. In these situations, there are two things I always do before reaching for my test gear. The first is to conduct a visual inspection of the hydraulic system, checking all the easy things that could cause the problem in question (never overlook the obvious). The second is to ask for … Read more

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 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, these … 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. But compared to the 300,000 acres Mr Murdoch controlled, Dad’s land holding … Read more