Why should you opt for a hydraulic power pack over the competition, including pneumatics?
There have been many comparisons between hydraulics and pneumatics in the past with each having their own benefits.
The key decision maker in using hydraulics over its rivals is the type of application you need powered as hydraulics and its equivalent pneumatics work in different ways as described below:
Hydraulic systems are confined pressurised systems that use and store liquids and this is an advantage over pneumatic units as the hydraulic fluid itself is not very compressible so doesn’t suffer from delays in movement, unlike a gas based pneumatic system which needs a compressor to compensate for this task.
Hydraulics operate with pistons which act like a plunger in a cylinder and pushes the hydraulic fluid where it is needed with hydraulic valves controlling this movement, reversing if necessary. Pumps also work to pump hydraulic fluid around a system.
We commonly see hydraulics in large applications such as lifts, commercial vehicles, construction equipment and mechanical processing machinery as the level of control a good hydraulic setup offers as well as the pressures it works with, are ideal for use in these types of larger application. The equivalent, pneumatics, is more likely to be found powering smaller applications, such as gas powered dentists chairs and small precision drills.
Hydraulics also has a firm base in the marine industry with larger hydraulic power units helping to power LARS (Launch Recovery Systems) systems and lifts on boats and yachts. They are built to withstand extreme weathers and temperatures and marine based units often come painted in a special corrosion resistant weatherproof paint which increases their longevity.
Hydraulics has the advantage of being able to deal with higher load ratings than pneumatics, lifting more load and doing it in a smooth manner as fluid is used which, as we touched on at the start of the article isn’t compressible. It is also safer to use as if a hydraulic tank burst at 3,000psi only a small amount of fluid would be released thus the situation would be easily containable while if the same happened with a pneumatic powered gas tank a large amount of damage and injury could occur as the tank could be hurled around the workspace by the resultant leak
As well as understanding why you should use hydraulics for your application you should also know learn about maintenance measures and how long system components and hydraulic fluid will last before they need to be replaced as this will ensure your hydraulic power pack will last long into the future and remain efficient.
Like Pneumatics, hydraulic power packs come in a range of sizes so whether you want a space saving Hydraulic Micro Pack, a larger Mini Pack or a larger HPS or Bespoke unit, there is a solution for almost every application.
Here at Hydraproducts we offer a wide range of hydraulic power packs which are fully customisable with a range of off-the shelf components that we have in stock. Please visit our Hydraulic Power Pack Knowledge Hub for further information about Hydraulic Power Packs and their functions.