CASE STUDY · HYDRAULIC PIPEWORK & QUICK-RELEASE

Hydraulic Pipework & Quick-Release System

A bespoke hydraulic system designed to make tooling changes quicker and more practical on a manufacturing machine.

Hydraulic Pipework Quick-Release Couplings Manifold Ring Main Power Pack

Hydraulic pipework and quick-release coupling system on a manufacturing machine

PROJECT OVERVIEW

A hydraulic quick-change system designed around the production process.

The customer needed a quicker way to change over hydraulically operated foam moulds during machine tooling setup.

Active Hydraulics designed the hydraulic arrangement around the machine application, combining a quick-change manifold, hydraulic pipework, quick-release couplings and a ring main system.

A new hydraulic power pack is also being fabricated as part of the improvement, with the pack raised above the previous position to address the oil returning down the system when the machine is not running.

THE CHALLENGE

The tooling changeover needed to be quicker and easier to manage.

The existing machine arrangement made hydraulic tooling changes more involved than necessary. The project was to create a practical connection system so the hydraulically operated foam moulds could be changed over quickly during setup.

Provide a practical quick-change connection system
Integrate quick-release couplings with a dedicated manifold
Route hydraulic pipework around the machine as a ring main
Provide a suitable hydraulic power-pack arrangement
Raise the power pack to help prevent oil returning down the line and overflowing the tank when the machine is not running

OUR APPROACH

Design the hydraulic system around the machine, not the other way around.

Active Hydraulics designed the system as a complete hydraulic solution, considering the machine pipework, quick-release points, manifold, ring main and power-pack arrangement together.

The existing installation also highlighted a practical issue with the power-pack position. When the machine was stopped, hydraulic oil could run back down the line and overflow the tank. The new arrangement raises the power pack to improve the installation geometry.

Existing hydraulic power pack and pipework on the manufacturing machine — Existing hydraulic power-pack arrangement on the machine before the new raised power-pack installation.

ENGINEERING FOCUS

Pipework, quick-release connections and a new power-pack arrangement.

The project brings several hydraulic elements together into one practical system. The pipework provides the machine-side distribution, while the quick-release couplings and manifold allow the hydraulic mould connections to be changed more efficiently.

Hydraulic pipeworkMachine pipework arranged to provide a practical hydraulic distribution system.

Quick-release couplingsQuick-release connection points designed to make hydraulic mould changeover faster.

Quick-change manifoldA manifold arrangement designed around the hydraulic connections required by the tooling.

Ring main systemA hydraulic ring main forms part of the machine-side distribution arrangement.

New power packA new hydraulic power pack is being built to suit the revised system arrangement.

Raised support frameThe power pack is being raised to improve the installation geometry and address oil return to the tank.

New hydraulic power pack being built by Active Hydraulics — New hydraulic power pack during fabrication.

Rear view of new hydraulic power pack — Rear view showing the dual pump and hydraulic assembly.

Side view of new hydraulic power pack and raised support frame — Power pack with the raised support frame being prepared behind it.

THE RESULT

A more practical hydraulic tooling changeover system.

The completed design gives the customer a dedicated hydraulic quick-change arrangement for the machine, bringing the manifold, pipework, quick-release couplings, ring main and power-pack requirements together.

The new raised power-pack arrangement is being built to address the previous low-level installation and the associated oil returning down the line when the machine is stopped.

Faster changeoverQuick-release connections allow the hydraulically operated foam moulds to be changed more efficiently.

Integrated pipeworkHydraulic pipework and the ring main are designed as part of one system.

Dedicated manifoldA quick-change manifold provides the connection arrangement required by the tooling.

Improved power-pack positionThe new raised arrangement is designed to address the previous oil-return and tank-overflow issue.

HAVE A SIMILAR ENGINEERING CHALLENGE?

Let's discuss what you need to achieve.

If you need hydraulic pipework, quick-release connections, a power pack or a bespoke hydraulic system, talk to Active Hydraulics about the application.

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