If popular culture is any bellwether, a clear winner already exists in the battle between 3D printing versus injection molding. However, in the real world, 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, and injection molding rarely compete for industry attention…

The lift truck industry is growing not only in volume, but in sophistication. Societal expectations for friendly interfaces, predictable performance, increased productivity, IoT connectivity and environmental safety are raising the bar on lift truck design…

Although wind currently provides 5 percent of the world’s electricity, the growing push for renewables has led many scientists and engineers to predict that wind turbines may generate at least half of all power by 2050. That is not a given, however, as…

In the off-road machinery industry an easy-to-use operator interface is increasingly important. Because of innovation and technology enhancements, users expect encoder, push-button and touch screen access to real-time data on the machine. With a comprehensive…

The potential for wind energy is massive. Although wind energy currently represents only about five percent of the world’s total electricity, many experts predict it could easily produce at least one-fourth to one-third of the world’s total production…

Over the last few years there has been a significant increase in the popularity of electric cars. These vehicles are efficient, silent and do not pollute the air (at least where they are driven). In looking at the function of an electric car, there are…

Demand for wood is higher than ever. According to a 2020 report by the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, record volumes of wood-based products were produced and traded globally in 2018. This represented an 11% increase in international…

Internet of Things (IoT) technology enables otherwise unconnected objects to be connected digitally. The technology already is transforming industries such as automobile manufacturing, consumer products, shipping and logistics and more. IoT in construction…

The electrification trend is clearly impacting the automotive industry’s reliance on internal combustion engines (ICE). It is even affecting change in off-road segments, such as construction. With the growing use of precision agriculture technology, and…

Since the 1960s, the diesel internal combustion engine (ICE) has reigned as the powerplant of choice for off-road heavy equipment, offering high levels of power and torque relative to weight and volume.

In the future, however, diesel’s reign as the construction…

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. 

New technologies, including drones, robots, GPS, artificial intelligence, big data, IoT technologies and more…

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.

But as mining operations move toward the future, many offer a new vision. It’s…

Innovations in rail travel are making trains faster, safer, more efficient and environmentally friendly. Of all the transportation modes, rail is leading the way in new technologies.

Electric railways are becoming more common in response to both environmental…

From piercing, punching or riveting applications in the automotive industry to press applications within industrial automation, a linear actuator can be found in virtually all manufacturing sites, sharing the common goal of moving a load. Until recently…

In a Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) system, solar radiation is collected and concentrated, multiplying the sun's ambient heat to temperatures in excess of 750°F. In the most common application of CSP today, this is accomplished through parabolic…

Wind turbines are designed to maximize power production based on the predicted wind speeds found at the plant site. However, excessive wind speeds are experienced at times, so it is crucial to limit power generation at those times to avoid spontaneous…

Wind power generation in the U.S. has been trending favorably upwards for wind farm owners. Primary contributing factors include the cost of wind turbine installations dropping by over one-third since 2010 as the capacity of turbines increased. Add-i…

The design and deployment of aerial lifts, truck-mounted cranes, telehandlers, scissor lifts, man lifts and other modes of vehicular material handling demands two requirements above all others:

• Safety for the operators

• Operational integrity…

A massive engineering and design collaboration have brought the vision of world-renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava Valls to life in Lakeland, Florida. The new Innovation, Science and Technology (IST) Building at Florida Polytechnic University…

Industrial OEMs and end users rely on traditional tie-rod cylinders to deliver power to industrial presses, mills, foundries, power generation, oil and gas exploration and other extreme, heavy duty applications.

As the workhorse of the industrial cylinder…

In today’s industrial manufacturing environment, hydraulic cylinders are complex devices that incorporate a wide range of components available in a multitude of sizes, configurations and materials. When it comes to complex hydraulic systems, cylinder…

Not so long ago, only the largest OEMs could afford to develop complex proprietary control systems. But the recent introduction of versatile digital ecosystems connecting electronic control hardware and software to the Cloud is expected to be a game changer…

Inefficient energy allocation, heat generation and noise are typical concerns among facility engineers in manufacturing environments. Parker’s new variable speed drive solution, called Drive Controlled Pump (DCP), increases hydraulic power unit efficiency…

The advancements in hydraulics and variable speed drives (VSD) were running in parallel for many years but on opposite sides of the fence from each other in solving paper converting industrial applications. Once the engineers on both sides met in the…

Given the many risks of excess heat in a hydraulic system – such as fluid decomposition, increased wear on system components, damage to seals and bearings, etc. – the need for an effective heat exchanger is often an essential consideration.…