S. Jensen
A concept electric and autonomous excavator which utilizes hydraulics

From the Editor's Desk: What Unique Uses for Fluid Power Have You Seen?

July 29, 2025
Power & Motion is looking for insights on the unique and out of the ordinary ways hydraulics and pneumatics technologies are being utilized.

Fluid power systems are utilized in a wide range of applications from construction equipment and manufacturing machinery to airplanes and material handling equipment. Hydraulics and pneumatics perform a number of tasks in these and other applications, aiding overall operation. 

Components such as hydraulic hoses are commonly associated with agricultural machinery and other heavy-duty mobile equipment. But did you know these hoses have also become an important part of the cooling systems being utilized in the data centers now being built in various parts of the world?

Meanwhile, pneumatic technologies have become an important part of many robotics systems, particularly the grippers and other end-of-arm tools used on cobots and large industrial robots. The continued uptake of robots in the coming years as part of automation efforts will therefore bring opportunities for the pneumatics sector. 

Read the below content to learn more about the use of pneumatics in robotics applications.

Brian Rockwell, North American Key Account Manager (left) and Cory Knight, Automation Technical Engineer – Food and Packaging (right), Festo
For robotics applications where speed, force, and weight are important considerations, pneumatics remains a viable technology of choice.
46883050 © Annavaczi | Dreamstime.com
Robotic end-of-arm tooling is becoming more integrated to ease installation
Creation of more integrated end-of-arm tooling is helping simplify their design and installation to accelerate robot deployment.
Automation/ThinkstockPhotos
Promo Automation Thinkstock Photos
Growing use of robots and cobots in manufacturing operations will benefit pneumatics suppliers whose solutions can provide a simple, cost-effective option for end effectors.
31367134 © Wellphotos | Dreamstime.com
Vacuum grippers and other pneumatic technologies are utilized with many robots
Advancements in pneumatics continue to make them the motion control technology of choice in automated systems for packaging machinery.

As part of my efforts here at Power & Motion to cover the various technologies and trends in the fluid power industry, highlighting the many use cases for hydraulics and pneumatics is an important component.

So, I want to know — what are some of the more unique ways in which you have seen hydraulics and pneumatics technologies utilized? What unique system designs have you created? Are there any out of the ordinary applications you have worked on or seen in the industry that are using fluid power?

I'd love to hear about the unique uses cases you're seeing for hydraulics and pneumatics, and potentially share those stories with our audience. There is so much interesting work going on in the fluid power industry, and I think spotlighting this work, in both everyday and unique applications, is important to help show all of the great things happening in this sector. 

So often I have discussions with members of the fluid power industry that the industry as a whole needs to do a better job of showcasing all of the interesting things taking place within it, and how this could help attract younger engineers into the sector

I want to be sure Power & Motion is doing its part to show all of the great working being undertaken in the industry by sharing as many design stories and application examples as we can.  

If you have a unique use or application of hydraulics and pneumatics to share, let me know! You can answer our poll below or reach out to me directly at [email protected]

About the Author

Sara Jensen | Executive Editor, Power & Motion

Sara Jensen is executive editor of Power & Motion, directing expanded coverage into the modern fluid power space, as well as mechatronic and smart technologies. She has over 15 years of publishing experience. Prior to Power & Motion she spent 11 years with a trade publication for engineers of heavy-duty equipment, the last 3 of which were as the editor and brand lead. Over the course of her time in the B2B industry, Sara has gained an extensive knowledge of various heavy-duty equipment industries — including construction, agriculture, mining and on-road trucks —along with the systems and market trends which impact them such as fluid power and electronic motion control technologies. 

You can follow Sara and Power & Motion via the following social media handles:

X (formerly Twitter): @TechnlgyEditor and @PowerMotionTech

LinkedIn: @SaraJensen and @Power&Motion

Facebook: @PowerMotionTech

Continue Reading

Oct. 5, 2022
Through mergers and acquisitions, companies have the opportunity innovate faster and serve new markets.
Jan. 13, 2020
The goal is to match kinetic energy of the press to the work required. It’s seldom quite that simple.

Sponsored Recommendations

Feb. 6, 2024
Newcomers to medical device design may think pressure and flow rate are sufficient parameters whenselecting a pump. While this may be true in some industrial applications, medical...
Feb. 6, 2024
Variable volume pumps, also known as precision dispense pumps, are a positive displacement pump that operates by retracting a piston to aspirate a fluid and then extending the...
Feb. 6, 2024
Acheck valve, a non-return or one-way valve, is a mechanical device that allows a gas or liquid to flow freely in one direction while preventing reverse flow in the opposite ...
Feb. 6, 2024
Engineers tasked with managing fluid flow talk about both holes and calibrated orifices, but they are two distinct entities. A hole can be any opening, but a calibrated orifice...