Mountain Stream Group’s development of this 4-page cross reference guide for the Ortman Fluid Power 3TH Series cylinder line started with an Internet search to ascertain all the manufacturers of NFPA heavy-duty, hydraulic cylinders. Next, we downloaded catalog information about the part number coding for the various mounting styles, identified the series name and available bore sizes and then put the data into the easy to read table.
A recent post in the Hydraulics & Pneumatics magazine’s discussion group on LinkedIn asks: Is fluid power on the decline?
As a person who worked in the industry for 10 years and has provided consulting services to the industry for the past 16 years, I believe it is—especially in the United States. And, if they don’t wake up immediately, they’ll find themselves in the history books and museums alongside dinosaurs—extinct.
Like a precision military assault, the fluid power industry is getting hammered on several fronts: technology competition, the environment, government regulations and knowledge loss. The environment, government regulations and knowledge loss have teamed up to open a gaping hole in the fortress allowing a full frontal attack by technology competition.
And, like Great Britain during World War II, the industry has done very little to combat the forces working against them. While some have acknowledged defeat and quit the battle, most of the industry, it seems, have yet to realize they’re under attack or their survival is at risk. Read more
