Changing horizons
21 Oct 2021
Changing horizons
The BFPA Yearbook spoke with two prominent members of the Association – Parker and Holmbury Group – about the changing technology and political landscape, and the effect this is having on leading solutions providers at both enterprise and SME level within the fluid power and related solutions arena.
The hydraulics, pneumatics and related systems and equipment solutions marketplace continues to develop and adapt in order to continue to best suit the changing requirements of end user and OEM customers. In specific terms, Frank Durban, Division Marketing & Engineering Manager Electric Motion, Motion Systems Group of Parker Hannifin observes that electrification and digitalisation are driving change in product and system design across the mobile, industrial and transportation industries. “This is no surprise; there’s growing demand for combined electro-hydraulic and electro-pneumatic technology,” he says. “It reflects customer needs to save energy, limit environmental impact, maintain safety and adapt to changing regulations. For example, in mobile, many customers want to improve their power to weight ratio. Solutions like Parker’s GVM motor are a no-brainer as the user can both reduce vehicle weight and design footprint and increase efficiency.” Durban adds that opportunities to develop software and IoT solutions are also popular. “Today’s technologies can streamline controls, improve product utilisation and predict maintenance requirements on a global scale,” he explains. “If say, you’re running a fleet of telehandlers, we can show you how well the equipment is being utilised, wherever you are in the world; the tech monitors efficiency and provides data to support business decisions.”
Relationships
Durban considers that strong relationships remain business critical. “Understanding what our customers (and their customers) need from equipment is central to everything we do,” he says. “That way, we can develop technologies and products that truly add value and get the outcomes people need. Our Global Mobile Systems Centre in Sweden is an example of how Parker converts listening into action. It’s home to many different partnerships, including work on electric telehandlers, forklifts and boom controls. We work with customers to define their precise needs, then develop vehicle prototypes to prove effectiveness. Customers can visit the centre to see demonstrations and help us refine their solutions first-hand. Where emerging technologies are key, we can also access Parker’s global Mobile Technology Centre in the US. This joint venture between our motion systems and aerospace teams is dedicated to addressing electrification and electro-actuation technology. There’s significant potential for knowledge transfer with the industrial and mobile markets; it’s an exciting time to work in our business.”
Connectivity
With regard to technological developments that are impacting on the solutions leading providers are now supplying to users and OEMs, Durban believes connectivity is key. “Breaking down the barriers between hydraulics, pneumatics and electro-mechanical technologies is a major opportunity,” he says. “Parker is in a unique position to have all these technologies in our portfolio – plus controls and fittings that cut across everything.” Durban adds that additive manufacturing is another developing area, which Parker uses for some finished products and prototypes. “As materials improve, processes will speed up and we expect acceptance of the technology to increase,” he says.
Pace of change
James French, Managing Director, Holmbury Group, comments that when visiting shows such as Hannover Messe and bauma he is astounded by the pace of technological change. “There are huge advancements being made within the remit of digital transformation landscape,” he says. “Within the context of Holmbury’s own products this translates to equipment such as RFID sensors to trace when and where products were installed or fitted, and how long they should be in operation before they are due for a service.”
For French, a key driver for this type of technological change is the need to continually satisfy the changing demands of Holmbury’s end-user and OEM customers. “Sensor technology is the main form of smart automated technology that we use as a provider of hydraulic couplings and valves,” he explains. “However, we do see growing demand for the capabilities on offer from digital technologies for a wide range of industrial and mobile machinery. Every year, our OEM customers release new or updated standards for suppliers to adhere to. This could relate to the plating on their products or particle contamination requirements and so on. Some of our OEM customers serving the construction industry, for example, are looking to, or have already released hybrid or purely electric machinery. This drives forward technology and where our products are featured on those machines our customers are demanding even more from them, whether that’s a higher-pressure coupling, a higher flow coupling or parts that offer more durability or greater resistance to contamination.”
Whatever it is, French points out that customers are always asking for more in terms of how these products can match their next-generation machines. “Therefore, we require an in-house regime whereby we are able to re-specify some of our products in order to satisfy these requirements,” he says.
French adds that probably the biggest shift Holmbury has seen in its history with regard to hydraulic quick release couplings was when the construction industry moved largely from ISO A agricultural style couplings to the flat-based design. “We are now starting to see other shifts in terms of some of our OEM customers’ demands, and also within the general market, whereby our couplings are expected to connect under pressure,” says French. “Increasingly, these couplings are also expected to stay locked together and connected with no leakage even under the highest of pressure pulses or highest of flows. So, we regularly talk to OEMs about ways to implement these solutions in as efficient and cost-effective manner as possible.”
French also explains that Holmbury’s portfolio has grown over the past few years off the back of some new innovations that have been driven by this type of business. For example, the company now also offers multi-couplers which are becoming increasingly popular within the construction and agriculture sectors.
Raising the standards bar
In terms of industry standards, the most important standard for Holmbury is ISO 16028. This is the main standard relating to flat-faced couplings, mainly around the quick release types. “That ISO standard is very well-known,” says French. “It has been established now for over 30 years and is regularly evolving by committee as demands in the marketplace from an efficiency, health & safety and eco perspective becoming ever more rigorous. We’re also very aware that within the construction sector there are regulations concerning the spillage of oil. For example, if you’re working in certain types of construction environments if you spill oil on the floor you have to dig down to certain depths to ensure the oil has been fully removed. It’s not enough just to use a spill kit. This to some extent comes back to the point about providing couplings that are able to connect under high pressures, staying connected with no leakage.”
Regulations
In terms of regulations that are impacting on hydraulics and pneumatics products and services, Durban makes the point that there is nothing really new. “The last review of the ISO12100 Standard regarding Machine Safety dates from 2015 and it ensures safety in machine design,” he points out. “However, with the advent of vehicle electrification and inherent safety, respect of ISO26262 for the development of new systems has become unavoidable.” Durban adds that these are just some of the drivers changing how Parker’s customers operate. “Government incentives and local factors are also key: for example, emissions reduction targets determine what equipment people can use in cities, permissible noise levels and so on,” he says. According to Durban, safety remains an important factor for all businesses, including Parker’s. “We’re constantly addressing safety requirements and regulations to keep customers, colleagues and communities safe and build a better tomorrow,” he emphasises.
Brexit
Looking at Brexit from a standards perspective, French comments that he would hope that the level of standards is at least maintained if not improved. “Continuing to adhere to, if not improve, standards would certainly continue to benefit us as a business,” he says. “People are certainly more interested in having discussions with us about our premium high-end products so maintaining high standards is important to us.”
Political landscape
French reflects that the changing global political landscape is something everyone in the fluid power equipment industry has been talking about and closely monitoring now for the past three years or so. “For Holmbury as a UK business that imports and exports all over the world, naturally the more free trade there is and the less tariffs that are in place the better,” he says. “I think embracing a protectionist mindset in the UK wouldn’t be a good idea as I’m not sure whether we could effectively revitalise home-grown manufacturing in the short term. So, in the absence of us being able to make many of the things we need ourselves we have to be able to buy things from other countries. We therefore need a reliable and convenient importation regime.” French adds that the fact we previously enjoyed completely free trade in Europe makes that flow of products very convenient from a cost and timeframe perspective. “So, in an ideal world we will continue to benefit from these types of free trade agreements with as many partner countries as possible after the Brexit negotiations,” he says. “However, Brexit is a tricky balancing act in that it is largely about us looking to take back some level of our independence while not weakening our business offerings globally”.
“As an owner of a business, one craves stability and opportunity, and those things just weren’t in place last year, which resulted in many companies putting projects on hold. This meant it was almost impossible for us and many other companies to forecast where sales were going to be month on month because we couldn’t predict customer buying patterns. Therefore, I do hope that there is a strong level of mutual understanding and cooperation in a post-Brexit environment. It is in everyone’s interest for differences to be ironed out a way that benefits both the UK and the EU. This is of course no easy feat to accomplish, but it is an incredibly important issue.”
This article appears in the 2021 BFPA Yearbook