Anticipating customer needs
For Bucher Hydraulics this means optimising existing hydraulic systems to minimise losses and thereby actively reduce energy consumption. On the other hand, the division is developing new hydraulic controls and systems, such as servo-hydraulic pump-control systems, that enable customers to make considerable energy savings and ultimately reduce their overall operating costs.
Smart system architecture
Compared with conventional throttling control, the servo-hydraulic pump-control system generates only as much pressure and flow as the drive needs at the time. The benefits to the customer: The energy balance is optimized; energy consumption and CO2 emissions are reduced by 40% to 70% for the entire life cycle.
The drive units are installed decentrally and near the cylinder, which reduces the installation space needed, pipeline losses and the installation time and cost. This lowers the use of hydraulic oil by 90%, as only the actual pendulum volume has to be provided for. In addition, fewer components such as cooling units and storage facilities are needed, which additionally reduces the use of resources.
Proven in practice
With 8 000 hours of operation, this system enables the Swiss firm Nencki to reduce by 70% its energy consumption in a test rig for rail chassis. At the same time, the setup of the plant was considerably simplified and processes further refined. The servo-hydraulic solution also means that the noise affecting employees is reduced by up to 50%.
Story from the Sustainability Report 2017