Ever tried to decipher a hydraulic circuit diagram and make sense of its symbols? Our blog will help you to understand the meanings and functions of the common ISO1219 hydraulic symbols. As there are so many possible combinations of system parts and functions possible, we look at the base component circuits that make up a typical hydraulic power unit.

Making an important decision is never easy, and choosing the right hydraulic pump is no exception. As with any major decision on equipment, the functionality of the item is the most important thing to consider and base your choice on, because if you select a hydraulic pump that does not fulfil all the functional requirements it will turn out to be a bad investment. Knowing exactly what the hydraulic pump is expected to do makes it much easier to narrow down the choices.

Hydraulic hand pumps use human power as the input, outputting hydraulic energy. While many hydraulic pumps are operated by other means of power, such as electricity, compressed air or even hydrostatic flow, a hydraulic hand pump relies on human force to effect the action desired.

Hydraulic pumps, one of the more common mechanical applications of hydraulic technology, use fluid to push an arm a set distance forwards and backwards (or up and down). One example is the mechanical arms of a digger or other ground-working machinery. A hydraulic pump is perfect for this use, as the machinery works using the set distances between the components of the arms.

If you’re unsure about the condition of your hydraulic pump, then there are several tests that you can put it through to find out. When you add the results together, you’ll be far more knowledgeable about what might be going on with your pump.For example, you should already be aware and have a true measurement of what the ‘normal’ or everyday temperature of your pump case is. How about the case flow? Are you aware of what the draw of your drive motor is? Each of these sho...

Electric motors are often used by designers and engineers to power hydraulic pumps. Some situations demand the use of a direct drive configuration between motor and pump, and others an indirect. Here’s what you need to know about each one:Direct drives. A simple arrangement that is basically just a shaft connecting between pump and motor. They are low cost, easy to install and have the benefit of being able to eradicate pump bearing side loads. However, it’s not every situation that ...

If you’ve recently suffered from an unexplained hydraulic pump failure, then you’re most likely to keen to find out what caused it.A number of different factors can go into causing a hydraulic pump failure. With so many different pumps on the market, each one can have its own specific failure reason. However, in some situations there are some failure modes that are common in every type of pump. Some of these might be caused by bad design, using inferior fluids or just failing to effe...

If you’ve recently suffered from an unexplained hydraulic pump failure, then you’re most likely to keen to find out what caused it.

Do you know how long any hydraulic pump should last? In this industry, using past experience might not always deliver the answers you were hoping for, and are likely to give you answers that are actually no better than guessing.

In hydraulic systems, a cracked piston-pump or motor housing is something that is considerably more common than many engineers imagine.Usually this situation is caused by a case-drain line that is either restricted or blocked; sometimes the case drain line is not even attached. In this particular scenario, the pump or motor housing is transformed into a pressure vessel, something that it’s not designed nor intended to be. In fact it’s likely to just go bang! In addition blocked filte...