As we embark on an era where technology has seemingly evolved every aspect of our lives, the agriculture industry as well is undergoing an evolution. 
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To learn more about the trend of precision agriculture and how Parker plays a key role, read our Off-Road Trends White Paper. 
As industry supply chains become more global and more complex, it behooves stakeholders to seek out ways to work with greater efficiency, reduce errors, increase equipment lifetime, and simply do more with fewer resources. Thus, a revolution is happening in many industries — including materials handling — as they align supply chain management and material handling practices with Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. 
Difficulty and danger have always been inherent in the mining profession. Miners typically face risks ranging from flying debris to mine collapse, to vehicular incidents.
A cramped, crowded, urban construction zone hardly seems the place for a 100-ton excavator or dozer. That’s why, in the 1980s, compact versions of these and other standard construction machines started appearing on jobsites. 
Small and mid-scale LNG plants are dramatically changing the application sphere for natural gas as an alternative fuel for transportation, both onland and for marine shipping use. They are helping drive adoption in various high horsepower applications and making gas capture and distribution from remote areas and wells without pipelines a reality.
The double ferrule compression fitting is a well-known component to most fitters in the industry. A single ferrule fitting allows the use of the same skill set as a double ferrule fitting but reduces the risk of making a wrong connection since one ferrule is eliminated. Both types provide good field make-and-break capability.
The construction boom in Western Washington spawned many new entrants to the construction business. The leaders of the pack availed themselves of the right tools needed to provide quality workmanship on time, every time. Thomas Construction Company, located in Maple Valley, WA, fully understands the importance of having the right tools for the job. That's why they switched from a cylinder-style tilting bucket to a
Increasing the speed at which projects were completed was only half the battle for Thomas Construction Company. Using their cylinder-style tilting bucket while working on rough uneven roads proved difficult and required significant care, time and attention to detail to achieve the quality finished product that they are known for. A cylinder-style tilting bucket forced the equipment operator to put extra dirt on the uneven road under the tracks of his excavator to level the machine in order to build a smooth, consistent 1:1,2:1 or 3:1 slope that the customer demanded. A switch to PowerTilt allowed them to deliver consistent quality without all the hassle and time inefficiency of a tilting bucket.
PowerTilt uses Parker’s innovative sliding-spline operating technology to convert linear piston motion into powerful shaft rotation. Each actuator is composed of a housing and two moving parts — the central shaft and piston. As hydraulic pressure is applied, the piston is displaced axially, while the helical gearing on the piston outer diameter and housing's ring gear cause the simultaneous rotation of the piston. PowerTiIt’s end caps, seals and bearings all work in tandem to keep debris and other contaminants out of the inner workings of the actuator, prolonging product life and reducing required maintenance.
This article was contributed by Jessica Howisey, marketing communications manager and Daniel Morgado, applications engineer, Helac Business Unit, Cylinder Division 
Increasing customer demand requires new process applications with needs for reliable lubrication and resistance to galling under stringent conditions of temperature, pressure, vacuum, corrosive environments, process sensitivity to contamination, product life, and maintenance requirements. The various applications within power generation and industrial and chemical processing have advanced lubrication needs. Specifically, this blog is related to the science of molybdenum disulfide coatings in compression fittings. In demanding environments, such as power generation plants, where tubing connections are exposed to stringent requirements and extremes, consistent leak-tight performance is critical and molybdenum disulfide coated fittings provide a solid solution. 
Molybdenum disulfide is a naturally occurring black colored solid compound that feels slippery to the touch. It readily transfers and adheres to other solid surfaces with which it comes into contact. Its mineral form – called molybdenite – was commonly confused with graphite until late in the 1700s. Both were used for lubrication and as writing material for centuries. Wider use of molybdenite as a lubricant was impeded by naturally occurring impurities that significantly reduced its lubricating properties. Methods of purifying molybdenum disulfide and extracting molybdenum were developed late in the 19th century, and the value of molybdenum as an alloying addition to steel was quickly recognized. The demand for a domestic source of molybdenum during World War I resulted in the development of the Climax mine in Colorado, which started production in 1918 and continued into the 1990s.
Molybdenum disulfide’s exceptional lubricity is a consequence of its unique crystal structure, which is made up of very weakly bonded lamellae. The lamellae tend to align and adhere to contact surfaces, particularly under conditions of sliding and pressure, as shown here. This “burnishing in” of the molybdenum disulfide gives it its exceptional performance life.
The surfaces of objects are generally rough on a microscopic scale. When two objects are in contact with each other, they actually “touch” at very small regions of contact (i.e., asperities).
These contact regions have considerably less area than the bulk surface area, typically in the range of 0.5 to 0.001 percent of the bulk area for a machined metal surface, and consequently, the stresses at these contact points are considerably higher than the stresses calculated for the bulk surface area. When these objects slide relative to each other the frictional forces add to the stresses at the contact points, and the resultant stresses may be sufficient to cause deformation of the contact points.
Article contributed by Kevin Burke, marketing manager, Instrumentation Products Division, Parker Hannifin.
Thermal interface materials are used to eliminate air gaps or voids from adjoining rough or un-even mating surfaces. Because the thermal interface material has a greater thermal conductivity than the air it replaces, the resistance across the joint decreases, and the component junction temperature will be reduced.
In 1933, Kenworth Motor Truck Co. became the first American truck manufacturer to introduce the Cummins 4 cylinder, 100 hp, HA4 model diesel engine as standard equipment. By 1938 the first two-stroke diesel powered bus was introduced. In 1940, Cummins was the first diesel engine manufacturer to offer a 100,000-mile warranty. By the 1950s, diesel engines had virtually replaced gasoline engines in commercial trucks. Since 1997, engineers of diesel engine manufacturers have risen to the challenges of meeting new and more stringent limits for particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) and increasing the fuel efficiency of the engine. 
Electromagnetic interference is a concern because electric vehicles have multiple battery cells, converters and powered electronics (ADAS, LiDAR and infotainment screens). The signals from one could interfere with those of another. The good news is that special 
Thermal management tops the list of priority concerns. Parker offers several material innovations in this area that can stand up to excessively high temperatures and are flame-retardant to prevent a catastrophic thermal event, including thermally conductive gap filler pads and 
To learn more about how Parker is helping heavy truck and bus manufacturers respond to sustainability trends, read our Transportation Trends White Paper
This article was contributed by Christopher Overmyer, Senior Field Application Engineer, Parker Engineered Materials Group 
Clean energy consultancy Gladstein, Neandross and Associates, in its recent report on sustainable fleets¹, predicts another decade of diesel-powered heavy trucks leading long-haul. Diesel efficiency and emissions reductions are important areas of research as broader trends toward sustainable fleet adoption accelerate. 
While 2020 is notable for many events, for most of us, it was an unprecedented period of change. Change in how (and where) we work, conduct our daily activities, interact with colleagues, family, friends, and others. For companies, it involved pivoting to change how we do business while adapting to virtual and digital resources. For Parker, 2020 brought out our passion, commitment, and purpose established in growth, change, and positive impact--engineering breakthroughs that lead to a better tomorrow.
As we close the door on 2020, let us look back on the year and review how our teams shared thought leadership, knowledge, diversity, and innovation by delivering technology advancements rooted in reliability, efficiency, safety, and customer satisfaction. Read on for our top 10 most-read blogs of 2020.
The America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in international sports and the highest prize in sailing. Although it has a colorful history dating to 1851, America’s Cup wind-powered racing yachts certainly aren’t old school: the boats use advanced light-weight materials, the latest in nautical design, and aerospace control technology to skim across the ocean’s surface at speeds approaching 50 knots. That’s 55-plus miles-per-hour for landlubbers and the ultimate challenge for the 11-sailor crews...
Are you looking for an obsolete or current Parker or competitor part? By using our recently launched web-based Cross Reference and Interchange application, we deliver! The tool is built on direct feedback from customers and distributors to provide a quicker, easier way to access competitive cross-reference information and parts. The resulting tool aggregates all of Parker’s cross reference and interchange tools into one user-friendly interface. This post will detail how to use the tool step by...
Choosing a port and a matching metric stud fitting can be confusing. While there are two popular types of metric parallel threaded ports, there are many different sealing methods for the mating male threaded connections. This post should clear up the confusion by explaining the differences in these connections, as well as some of the common misconceptions.
The two popular metric ports are ISO 6149-1 and DIN 3852-1. DIN-3852-1 is the same as ISO...
In a basic vapor-compression refrigeration cycle there are 4 primary components that we need to consider.
- Compressor: Compresses low pressure temperature vapor to a high pressure temperature vapor.
- Condenser: Vapor rejects heat to ambient (air, water, etc.). Vapor condenses to liquid. Pressure constant if no glide.
- Metering Device: Device has a small orifice, high pressure drop. Liquid changes from 100% liquid to saturated liquid vapor mix with an associated drop in pressure at relatively...
Parker's Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS) offers improved mobility when operating vehicles in severe off-road or soft soil conditions. Ideally suited for the agriculture and military markets, this automatic tire pressure adjustment system allows the driver to optimize tire inflation pressure from the cab while operating on varying terrains with the simple push of a button. Reducing tire pressure results in a bigger tire footprint, providing increased flotation and traction when operating in...
Today, the demand for life-saving ventilators is challenging medical equipment manufacturers’ production capacity and supply chains around the world to perform at levels well beyond anyone’s forecasting and planning.
OEMs must make swift and effective decisions to procure systems and components as quickly as possible and to partner with suppliers ready to meet their demanding production schedules to help save lives. To meet these unprecedented challenges, ventilator manufacturers...
ISO (International Standards Organization) is the world’s largest developer and publisher of international standards. There are three ISO standards that relate to compressed air quality and testing — ISO8573 Series, ISO12500 Series, and ISO7183 Series. The most commonly used standard is the ISO8573 Series, in particular, ISO8573-1:2010.
ISO8573 is the group of international standards relating to the quality (or purity) of compressed air. There are nine parts to the standard....
The next generation mobile hydraulic pump is designed for mobile and built to perform.
The P1M Series Mobile Open Circuit Medium Pressure Axial Piston Pump, increases equipment’s performance and delivers unrivaled...
Research over recent decades shows diversity and inclusion are competitive differentiators, beneficial to businesses over time. A 2018 diversity study from McKinsey & Company highlights that,
“…The companies in the top quartile of gender diversity were 15 percent more likely to have financial returns that were above their national industry median. Companies in the top quartile of racial/ethnic diversity were 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their national industry median.”...
Following new, more stringent Tier IV diesel engine emissions regulations, Rayco, an environmental equipment designer for the tree care and landscape industries, took the opportunity to develop a more efficient, powerful and compact stump cutter, the RG165T-R. In comparison to previous designs that utilized diesel engines, Rayco’s new stump cutter is centered around a powerful 165 HP gasoline engine.
As a result of the new gasoline design, the equipment’s envelope size was reduced...
The Tamrock Axera 226 — built in Lyon, France, by Sandvik Mining and Construction — is a rubber-tired, twin-boom rock-drilling machine. Typically used for underground hard-rock mining and tunneling applications, the machine is designed to drill a series of holes in the face, sides, roof and floor of a chamber without being moved. It can produce cross-sectional areas between six- and 40 m2 from one position. Depending on the application, rock bolts or explosives are inserted into the holes. With the drills located at the outboard ends of the booms, the risk of injury to the operator and damage to the main machine from falling rock and debris is minimized during the drilling operation.
The unique characteristics of the helical rotary actuator make it ideal for this application. Its sliding-spline operating concept produces very high output torque (in this case: 90,000 inch-pounds at 3,000 psi) from a compact configuration. The actuator measures 33 inches in overall length with an eight-inch housing diameter and weighs 415 pounds.
As the automotive industry moves toward more automated, connected vehicles, engineers are challenged to identify technologies that can process and transfer large volumes of data in real-time without adding significantly to the price of the vehicle. 
The popularity of electric and zero-emissions vehicles is growing substantially, although their share of the overall automobile market remains relatively small. 
Battery life anxiety is another key challenge that the market must overcome if electric vehicles are truly to become our future. That means we need to increase battery life and/or build a better infrastructure that includes more charging stations so consumers have the confidence of knowing they can safely drive without running out of power. 
This article was contributed by Will Shurtliff, global sales manager – vehicle electrification, Parker Engineered Materials Group 
In today’s production environment, compressed air is widely used to automate processes, provide motive power, and package products. A clean, dry, reliable compressed air supply is essential to ensure manufacturing facilities maintain efficient and cost-effective production processes to meet output goals.
Ambient air contains gaseous oil (vapor). It is a combination of hydrocarbons and VOC (volatile organic compounds) which come from natural sources as well as vehicle and industrial exhaust. While oil vapor in air regularly exists in a reasonably low volume, it will be comparatively higher in urban areas, industrial environments, and near parking lots, roads and highways.
One obvious solution that manufacturing and plant managers turn to in their effort to reduce oil in their compressed air system is to use an oil-free screw compressor. 
The implication is that oil free means that produced compressed air is free of any trace of oil. This is misleading and difficult to prove or guarantee in practice. This is due to the fact that 0.003 mg/m30.003 mg/m3 measurement must be conducted within the methodology presented in the ISO8573 series. However, the limitation of accuracy for the measurement of total oil is 0.003 mg/m3, not zero.
To learn more about how to assure technically oil free air, remove other contaminants and about key components of a compressed air treatment system, please download our white paper, "How To Get Oil Free Air From an Oil Free Compressor"
Sewing may not be widely regarded as glamorous, but it is literally what holds the very fabric of society together. All of the clothing we wear can be found to contain neat stitching, but have you ever wondered how bulkier items like mattresses, cushions or upholstery are sewn together? The highly-sophisticated machines that make the intricate designs and quilted patterns on the surfaces of these items are very different from the simple sewing machines of yesteryear.
“Our mutually beneficial partnership with Parker now extends to over 30 years, and the SNA quilting machines we currently use, including frame and 
Behind all this technology are a number of modules and systems from Parker, including Compax3 digital servo controllers combined with SMH low inertia servo motors, 
Article contributed by Philipp Jäger, systems sales manager, 
Several companies have invested in alternatives. Parker eliminated the need for an auxiliary compressor by designing a 
This article contributed to by Dave Walker, market development manager, Rail, Motion Systems Group, Parker Hannifin.
Whether it’s a 25-foot pleasure boat, million-dollar yacht, luxury cruise ship or large tanker, they all have one thing in common: they need potable water. That’s why marine desalination systems continue to receive so much focus and research.
The market is excited about the potential of wave energy to produce wave-powered water purification. In Hawaii, testing is under way on a new system that will produce electricity from wave energy to provide water for an entire island. If successful, the new wave-powered system will replace the existing generator as a more environmentally friendly alternative.
This article was contributed by Paul Kamel, Product Manager II, 