The next quarterly Fluid Power Industrial Consortium (FPIC) is slated for December 7 at the Intercontinental Milwaukee. The FPIC is a partnership with the National Fluid Power Association member companies and other stakeholders in the fluid power industry. Its more than 320-member companies include those that design and manufacture fluid power components and systems, system integrators, OEM’s, users and other organizations. The FPIC provides quarterly half-day technical seminars with a focus on the latest technological advances that provide members with solutions to overcome challenges within the industry.

Seminar topics are aligned with NFPA’s Fluid Power Technology and Manufacturing Roadmaps as well as topics recommended by the seminar participants. The Dec. 7 Program will be “Advanced Sealing Technologies and Materials for Improving System Reliability.”

Hallite’s Chuck White will lead one of the presentations with “Assessing and Managing Rod Seal Friction in Hydraulic Applications: Giveaways and Takeaways.” The presentation will include data from the MSOE rod seal endurance rig conducted earlier this year that tests 16 rod seals simultaneously. The presentation will highlight how rod seal leakage in a hydraulic application can reduce equipment performance and result in hydraulic system failure. While several factors may contribute to rod seal leakage, friction is one of the most common and underestimated causes. Advances in rod seal design, friction assessment methodologies, and materials have improved their reliability. Increased sealing reliability enhances a hydraulic system’s operational efficiency in an environment where cylinders work harder, faster, and for longer cycles than ever before. For more than a century Hallite has manufactured a variety of fluid power hydraulic and pneumatic sealing solutions for a wide range of applications. The company’s technical and engineering teams have accumulated a wealth of experience and knowledge about seals and their interaction with other components within a hydraulic system. This presentation will provide some practical considerations to manage rod seal friction. Case studies demonstrating how equipment manufacturers have benefited from applying these practices will also be presented.

For more information, visit www.msoe.edu.