The big picture

A holistic approach to hydraulics improves overall vehicle efficiency.

Efficiency has become a watchword for equipment designers facing significantly tighter emissions requirements during an economic downturn when buyers still remember high fuel costs. That is forcing those who develop hydraulic systems to take a holistic approach to design, searching for ways to use engine output more efficiently.

Taking a complete system view often requires a redesign of everything from pumps and valves, electronic controls and software, down to hoses. All of these components need to be optimized for each vehicle to ensure that equipment makers can jam more functions onto vehicles that meet environmental requirements