Digital revolution changing hydraulics

Electrohydraulics trim costs while improving safety and efficiency.

The transportation industry's adoption of electronic controls is continuing almost unabated. Microprocessors are taking over hydraulic systems, offering improved performance and diagnostic capabilities while making operator cabs more comfortable.

The capabilities of semiconductors are continuing to rise, giving them enough computing power to manage complex actions performed by hydraulic systems. That factor brings a number of benefits for equipment operators. But bringing these advantages to equipment buyers forces those designing electrohydraulic systems to pay close attention to electronic hardware and software, and some of these design considerations ripple out to most other aspects of product design.