For this month’s newsletter we are spotlighting the influence sustainability is having on the design of hydraulics, pneumatics and other technologies. In recent years, greater emphasis has been placed on sustainability, leading to the use of new materials, powertrain technologies and more to help reduce environmental impacts.
As our top story discusses, improving the efficiency of components and systems is a key area of focus for many companies. Not only can this lead to less energy use, and thus emissions, but several cost and operational benefits as well — which is an important factor for machine owners.
Biodegradable hydraulic fluids are another important area of focus. Should a leak occur in a hydraulic system, the fluids running through it can get into the ground and waterways, potentially causing long-term damage. While biodegradable fluids are not new, as our piece in this newsletter discusses, there have been several advancements in recent years which are now enabling them to better meet both performance and biodegradability requirements. You can watch our discussion with Rebecca Zwetzig, Sector Manager for Chevron Industrial Lubricants, to learn more about this as well.
Other highlights in this month’s newsletter include a look at the influence sustainability is having on hydraulic and pneumatic designs as well as the challenges and opportunities associated with the second-life battery market.
How do you see sustainability influencing design trends? Have an application story or development in this area to share? Reach out to me any time on this or other topics of interest we should be covering at Power & Motion at [email protected].
Sara Jensen, editor, Power & Motion
