Aircraft hydraulic systems must help operate many critical flight components, maintaining efficiency through the most demanding in-flight conditions. The primary use of hydraulic systems in aircraft are in the components of landing gear, brakes and flight control surfaces. Flight control surfaces are the aerodynamic devices which allow the pilot to adjust and control the aircraft's altitude. The fundamentals of aircraft hydraulics and their maintenance are consistent regardless of the size of the aircraft.

Hydraulic systems use pumps to push fluid from the reservoir through the system, converting mechanical energy into hydraulic fluid power. Certain valves help direct the flow of the fluid, others relieve pressure when needed.

While brass and stainless steel are commonly used in hydraulic and pneumatic systems, there are benefits to using one over the other. In this blog post, you will learn about the benefits of each, helping you to understand why one may be better than the other for your unique application.

Have you heard? ConExpo-Con/Agg is just around the corner. ConExpo-Con/Agg is the international gathering place every three years for people involved in all segments of the construction and agriculture industries. The event features exhibits of the latest technologies and innovations in equipment, products and services, plus 150 extensive industry-targeted education sessions.

ConExpo is the largest construction show in North America-- so large it only happens once every 3 years.

Hydraulic hoses are the arteries of a hydraulic system. They are used in a wide variety of equipment and industries, including oil and gas, mining, construction, agriculture, manufacturing, rail, automotive, food and pharmaceutical production, and much more. Hydraulic hoses are used to convey fluid throughout a hydraulic system to provide a flexible connection between two fluid ports. They are typically required to operate under extreme temperatures, pressures or even in vacuum. Hydraulic hoses are made of reinforced rubber or thermoplastic conduit surrounded by a flexible metal or fiber wire winding, then covered with another layer of material, or made of Teflon® with a stainless braid. The wire reinforcement is braided or spiral wound and gives the hose its flexibility and strength.

JIC fittings are compression fittings that have parallel threads and a 37-degree flare seating surface, as specified by SAE J514 and ISO 8434-2. The JIC 37-degree fittings are compatible with SAE 37 fittings, making them easily interchangeable. 37-degree fittings are used in higher pressure applications. Comparatively, the SAE 45-degree fittings are used for low pressures, such as automotive, air conditioning and refrigeration.

The carbon tax is a tax on the emission of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide. The tax burden is determined by units of carbon dioxide released. The more carbon dioxide a company releases into the atmosphere, the more money it must pay the government. The rates fluctuate based on the estimates of current damage by greenhouse gases and desired outcomes for lower emissions.

Regardless of which winter holidays you celebrate, we have TWELVE helpful resources for you to bring into the new year.

This year was full of industry happenings and highlights. 2022 is a year most of us won't forget. Here are the most read blog posts from Brennan this year:

The largest sector of fluid power technology is in mobile equipment used in agriculture, construction, mining, rail maintenance, firefighting and waste management. The principles of hydraulics have been driving heavy equipment for 140 years. The very first excavator to use hydraulic technology was built in 1882 by Sir W. G. Armstrong & Company in England, where it was used in construction of the Hull docks. Unlike today's excavators that use hydraulic fluid, Armstrong’s system used water to essentially follow the principles of current hydraulic systems.

Metric thread hydraulic fittings are the most popular type of fluid connectors in the world. However, the term 'metric fitting” is loosely used to describe a number of fittings with foreign threads. DIN, BSP, JIS, Komatsu, Kobelco and of course metric are often lumped into the “metric” category, even though some are based on Imperial or “inch” dimensions. For instance, BSP have British Imperial threads, yet most sizes of BSPT (tapered) have direct metric equivalents. Unlike other Imperial threads, metric threads are measured by their pitch-- the distance from the crest of one thread to the crest of the next, where Imperial thread pitch is measured as a given number of teeth per inch.