Equipment Maintenance and Repair

Automation, Electrification are Trends to Watch in Hydraulics: Survey

Nov. 29, 2023

Survey of engineers reveals electronics will affect fluid power systems.

Trends in fluid power and electric motion

About half of respondents to a survey of engineers say automation and electrification are major trends that will impact fluid power and electric motion control heading into 2024. The survey, conducted by Power & Motion, was conducted over its audience of hydraulics, pneumatics, and electronics engineers involved in motion systems.

Automation was the top trend to watch, indicated by 53.7% of respondents, followed by electrification (51.9%), digitalization (40.7%), and sustainability (29.6%).

Those designing motion systems see hydraulics and electronics systems moving from an isolated focus to a focus on integration, with leaders of Helios Technologies citing a move toward “intelligent systems that offer enhanced efficiency and functionality.”

The survey also indicated that electronics integration within fluid power systems is increasing. Some 44.4% of respondents said that 21% or more of their hydraulic and pneumatic system designs now use electronics such as sensors. About one-quarter (27.8%) said electronics are used in 11-20% of their systems.

According to the report in Power & Motion, these percentages should grow. For example, sensors can aid with enabling more precise movements of hydraulic and pneumatic components, and they can gather machine data for preventive and predictive maintenance purposes.

Respondents indicated, however, that electric options would not replace hydraulic or pneumatic options in motion control. When asked how much electric motion control technologies was currently being used in system design, 15.1% said it was used in 21% or more of systems. About one-quarter (24.5%) said it is used in between 16% and 20% of systems, and 17.0% said it was used in 5% or less.

Visit Power & Motion for more insight on the state of the fluid power and motion control industry from.

The article referenced in this story originally ran as Positive Outlook for Fluid Power Despite Electronics Making Inroads on PowerMotionTech.com, an Endeavor Business Media sibling site.

About the Author

Rod Sutton

Sutton has served as the editorial lead of Construction Equipment magazine and ConstructionEquipment.com since 2001.

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