A directional control valve consists of a valve body with internal passages and a movable part called the spool. The spool can connect or block the internal passages. For most standard industrial hydraulic valves, the spool is cylindrical — th...
Jun. 16. 2026
The Orifice An orifice is a relatively small opening in a fluid flow path. The flow through an orifice is influenced by several factors, the three main ones being: Orifice size Pressure differential across the orifice Fluid temperature Effect of o...
Jun. 13. 2026
Check Valve Check valve construction A check valve consists mainly of a valve body with inlet and outlet ports, and a spring-biased movable part. The movable part can be a disc, plate, or poppet — in hydraulic systems it is most often a ball o...
Jun. 11. 2026
When transmitting energy through fluid, the direction must be determined, and continuous full control must be maintained. Without complete control, the energy is useless or, worse, the machine could be damaged. One of the main advantages of hydrauli...
Jun. 10. 2026
Hydraulic actuators (also called hydraulic output devices) convert hydraulic energy back into mechanical energy. They are where all the visible motion and work happen — the first thing any design engineer must think about.Hydraulic actuators f...
Jun. 09. 2026
Pump Installation Position In industrial hydraulic systems, the pump is usually mounted on top of the reservoir that holds the system fluid. The suction line (also called the inlet line) connects the pump inlet to the oil in the reservoir. The flow ...
Jun. 08. 2026
Petroleum-based oil is an excellent lubricant, so systems using it as the energy-transmission medium can expect a long and reliable service life. However, in many systems and applications, petroleum-based oil has one significant drawback: under pres...
Jun. 07. 2026
In addition to transmitting energy, petroleum-based oil has one other critical function: lubrication. Both functions — energy transmission and lubrication — are strongly influenced by viscosity. This makes viscosity the single most impor...
Jun. 05. 2026
Before we talk about transmitting energy through liquids, we need to understand a few properties of liquids and how force is transmitted through them. This will help us understand why hydraulics works the way it does. Fluid A fluid is any substance...
Jun. 04. 2026
Machines are built to replace human labor. Yet many people feel uneasy around them because they do not understand how machines work. This chapter defines the basic physical concepts — force, energy, work, power, and pressure — that come ...
Jun. 03. 2026
In Chinese-made hydraulic rock drills, the rotation unit is usually fed water from the side. The choice of seal material and design has a big effect on how well the seal works and how long it lasts — which in turn affects the overall per...
Apr. 23. 2026
The core of seal design is to make sure that, through the combined effects of structure, tolerances, materials, and other factors, the product blocks all leak paths throughout its entire service life. If you only check the seal when it is brand new a...
Apr. 14. 2026