Is the future of fluid power digital?

Abstract

This article presents digital fluid power as a new branch of fluid power which offers high potential for innovative solutions. The variety of digital concepts is quite large and digital concepts have long been successfully applied in low-power applications. Research and development is now becoming more intensive, being undertaken by several research groups and also more and more in industry. First applications will be brought to industry soon. A successful application requires new components, a sound understanding of system and new control principles.

Control of a fast switching valve for digital hydraulics

“…There is one departure from this [42] which used a single actuator for multiple switching elements. This removes one of the advantages given from digital fluid power in [8]. With a common actuation stage a failure here will now cause the entire system to fail whereas the failure of a single paralleled valve results only in a lower flow rate or higher pressure drop.…”

“…As the power electronics revolution began with one component, the mercury arc rectifier, the hoped for digital fluid power revolution is also contingent upon a single component, the fast switching valve. Whilst many possible applications of these fast switching valves have been proposed, modelled, optimised and published, as can be seen from the above paragraphs, there does not currently exist the standardised unit that Scheidl, Linjama and Schmidt [8] argue will lead to a drop in component cost and allow the many efficient system designs laid out above to be proved. It is the lack of these valves which proves to be the biggest problem for most digital hydraulic systems.…”

“…', was written [8]. Whilst acknowledging the accusations levelled at the fluid power industry, the authors suggest that the field of digital hydraulics holds the key to correcting the current failings of fluid power.…”

Engineering research in fluid power: a review

“…(Scheidl et al, 2011) which is a response to Achten's Forward Look article 'Convicted to innovation in fluid power' in 2010 (Achten, 2010). Scheidl et al (2011) believed that digital fluid power is a new branch of fluid power, which offers high potential for innovative solutions. And successful digital fluid power applications need new components, a comprehensive understanding of the system and novel control strategies or principles.…”

“…Today, digital fluid power applications have gradually entered into our industries and market. It is certain that they will become much more digital and provide new opportunities for fluid power engineering in the future (Scheidl et al, 2011).…”