1: Shorter Design Process
Designing with electro hydraulic integration in mind shortens the process from the initial strategy meeting to the finalization of the design. In a traditional design process, the core function of the machine is determined and then the machine is designed or upgraded to match. In many cases this means that the specific electronic products don’t come into consideration until after the machine is at least partially designed. Thinking about this from the very beginning allows your team to integrate them into the machine from day one, meaning they do not need to revisit the drawing board after a significant amount of work has already been done.
2: Design for Future Customization
Electronic components within a hydraulic system allow for more specific custom hydraulics down the line. Digital display screen and electric controls can be updated to change the feedback or control of the machine with a simple software update. This means that the same machine can grant different user experiences should customers have more specific needs in mind. Building these into the machine from the beginning limits the amount of effort needed to appeal to a larger customer base. Alternatively, it may require hardware replacement to customize a machine to a customer.
Electronic components integrated into the hydraulic system allow for much more precise, customizable control. Building in this functionality early in the process means you can pick the right electronics for the right hydraulics
3: Get Your Machine to your Customer Quicker and with Less Expense
Electronic components may seem complicated at first, but they actually simplify construction. Newer, Controller Area Network (CAN) systems make wiring much simpler than traditional point-to-point wiring systems, making your control layout far more ‘plug and play.’ The customizable nature of control elements increases their versatility, so you can use the same hardware on multiple machines, saving you a long list of parts you have to keep in stock without forcing you to compromise functionality. Such an electrical control layout is often less or equal cost of what you produce today, both in labor based on time saved, and on hardware.
4: Increase Opportunities for Innovative Design
In today’s market, it is much easier to get a hydraulic machine to perform how you want. We can create motion and performance like never before and at the same time lower the knowledge level of the operator. Traditionally, for a machine to perform a complex operation required an experienced, well-versed operator who would activate the proper control in the correct sequence at the precise time. In short, the operator had to tell the machine exactly HOW to do the desired operation. Now we can program the machine to do that operation automatically, so the operator simply has to tell it WHAT to do, allowing more inexperienced operators the same level of precision.
5: Create Proper Component Synergy
Thinking through the electronic integration at the very start of the hydraulic design phase allows for proper product selection. You can pick out pumps, motors, valves, and more based on the electronics that will be controlling them. Inversely, if the electronics were to be integrated later in the process, the pairing of physical component and electronic controller may be less than optimal, creating either a less efficient system or forcing a redesign later in the process.
