Cooling System Design: Hydraulic & Industrial Packs
A lot of readers land on this topic when the machine is already hot, the oil temperature is climbing, and production is starting to wobble. On mobile plant, you see it first as sluggish response, fan noise, or repeated high-temperature alarms. In a factory, it often...
Pressure Testing Procedures for Hydraulic Systems: A Guide
You're often at the same point when pressure testing becomes urgent. The pipework is built, the manifold is mounted, the hoses are made up, and somebody wants to energise the machine because production is waiting. That's exactly when shortcuts creep in. In...
Boss White Jointing Compound Guide for Hydraulic Systems
A threaded fitting that's only weeping a little can still ruin a shift. On a hydraulic return line or an auxiliary low-pressure circuit, that small leak spreads oil, attracts dirt, creates a slip hazard, and tells you the joint wasn't right in the first...
Jet Wash Lance: A Complete Technical Guide for Engineers
A lot of readers land on this problem the same way. The washer still runs, the gun still opens, but cleaning performance has fallen off, the spray pattern looks wrong, or a new lance has just failed after what should have been routine service. In most cases, the lance...
Solenoid 3 Way Valve
A machine is down, the operator wants it back in service, and the fault seems to sit around one small valve block that should be doing a very simple job. It isn't simple in practice. A solenoid 3 way valve often sits at the point where a system has to do more...
What Is Duty Cycle: Hydraulic System Prevention
Duty cycle is the percentage of time a component is active within a full operating cycle, calculated as D = (Operating Time / Total Cycle Time) × 100%. If a device runs for 10 seconds on and 10 seconds off, its duty cycle is 50%. If you're checking a spec sheet,...
How to Size a Motor: Ultimate Guide 2026
You're probably here because a motor choice that looked simple on paper has started to unravel. The load isn't as steady as the machine builder first said. The available space is tighter than the drawing suggested. Someone has asked whether an electric drive...
What Is a Check Valve? a UK Engineer’s Guide to Hydraulics
A check valve is a one-way valve that allows hydraulic fluid to flow in one direction while automatically preventing backflow, protecting pumps and other components from damage. In hydraulic service, that action is governed by cracking pressure, which can range from 3...
Inline Valve Installation: A Practical UK Guide for 2026
A machine is down, the operator is waiting, and someone has already asked how long the repair will take. That's usually when inline valve installation stops being a tidy workshop exercise and becomes a real test of judgement. The valve itself might be small, but...
What Is Pump Cavitation: The 2026 Engineer’s Guide
Pump cavitation is a damaging process where low pressure at the pump inlet causes vapour bubbles to form in the hydraulic fluid and then violently collapse, eroding internal components. In practical terms, cavitation starts when NPSHa falls below NPSHr, and accepted...