Hydraulic Pumps: 4 Emerging Trends Your Business Should Adopt to Stay Ahead in the Industry

Highlights:

• Introduction
• Development of energy efficient hydraulics technology
• Integration of digital electronics and IoT in hydraulic equipment
• Increasing use of advanced materials and its impact on the industry
• Shift towards miniaturization and light-weight hydraulic devices

Hydraulic pumps, in the most basic sense, are pumps that convert electrical or mechanical energy to hydraulic energy in the form of fluid pressure. These pumps work on the principle of positive displacement, meaning, these pumps help in passing fluid into the system. The displacement of fluids is done by regulating the pressure and moving the load to the maximum limit. Hydraulic technology is extensively used in several industrial equipment and machinery including elevators, escalators, forklifts, cranes, excavators, etc. Moreover, not just industrial equipment manufacturing, hydraulic technology is also employed in several end-use industries such as agriculture, aerospace, and automotive manufacturing sectors.

To suit the demands of various end-use applications, different types of hydraulic devices have been developed. For instance, piston pumps such as axial piston pumps are used in the aerospace industry for powering hydraulic equipment in jet aircraft. On the other hand, vane pumps are employed in automotive applications such as power steering and supercharging. Over the years, certain trends have emerged and shaped the hydraulic pump industry including energy efficiency, digitization, miniaturization, and use of advanced materials.

How can energy-efficient hydraulics reduce the carbon footprint of the manufacturing sector?

The trend to lower energy consumption to reduce environmental degradation has, like most other domains, impacted the hydraulics sector. Hybrid hydraulics are now being increasingly used, along with smart power management systems to power industrial equipment. Moreover, R&D activities in hydraulics engineering have led to development of regenerative braking technologies which significantly bring down the energy consumption of machinery. Furthermore, engineering experts have successfully tested energy recovery technology and variable displacement pumps that bring down the carbon footprint of the manufacturing sector drastically.

Moving towards digital hydraulics and integration of IoT technology

In order to adapt to the digital age, digital technologies are now being integrated in traditional hydraulics, primarily to enhance the functionalities of hydraulic-powered systems. In fact, the first digital hydraulic system was developed in 2009; since then, these pumps are widely used in automobile applications for designing of anti-lock braking technologies and stability control devices. Studies have shown that these digital devices require much less maintenance, while having much better operational efficiency.

Furthermore, IoT technology is being integrated with hydraulic equipment for predictive maintenance and condition monitoring. This has improved the decision-making of these ‘smart’ equipment and enhanced the reliability of these pumps. The real-time data collection functionality offered by this technology has even improved the remote system management capabilities.

Why are advanced materials in high demand from the hydraulic pumps industry?

In recent years, an interesting trend witnessed in hydraulics technology is the use of advanced materials for developing components that reduce friction significantly. This ultimately benefits the machinery in two ways- reduction of friction increases the efficiency of the machinery as the energy used to power the machine isn’t wasted in overcoming the friction. Secondly, less friction reduces the wear and tear of the machine, thereby increasing the lifespan of the equipment. Also, advanced materials are used to develop environmentally sustainable fluids that further decrease the environmental degradation caused by these pumps.

How can miniaturization and development of lightweight devices widen the scope of the industry?

An indirect outcome of the use of advanced materials is the development of miniature and light-weight hydraulic devices. Naturally, these miniature hydraulic systems are designed for powering small industrial equipment. As a result, hydraulics technology can now be employed to power robots, thus expanding the scope of this technology. Also, the aerospace industry has experienced a massive surge in demand for these light-weight hydraulic devices, thereby helping the growth of the industry. Owing to the rising demand for hydraulic devices from different sectors, the hydraulic pump industry garnered a huge revenue of $9.3 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.4% in the 2023-2032 timeframe.

To sum it up, the extensive applicability of hydraulic equipment in different sectors and the development of various types of hydraulic pumps have helped in the growth of the industry. Furthermore, several trends such as the use of advanced materials and development of energy-efficient hydraulics have enhanced the reach of the industry.

For a holistic study of the growth drivers and opportunities available in the industry, feel free to contact us.

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