"Green engineering" today encompasses both its core meaning and broader applications, embodying the principles of systems engineering. It includes not only green procurement, green design, green production, green manufacturing, and green consumption, but also the implementation of scientific development concepts. Companies are transforming their production methods, adjusting product structures, driving technological advancements, and promoting the construction of independent innovation systems within the industry.
The hydraulic and pneumatic sealing industry is a high-tech sector that plays a key role in energy conservation, environmental protection, safety, and emission reduction. It is an industry well-suited for "green engineering" and has great potential for quick impact. The products in this industry are standardized, modular, and generalized, making them highly suitable for green design. Moreover, the technology combines multiple disciplines and incorporates new achievements from various fields, such as advanced processes and materials. This makes it easier to develop new technologies and products with unique features, which can be quickly promoted. Therefore, vigorously promoting "green engineering" in this industry holds significant practical value for advancing technological progress.
Liquid-tight and airtight products make a major contribution to energy saving and environmental protection. Especially hydraulic products, due to their working principles and application scenarios, have new technologies and products closely tied to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Reducing oil and air leakage, minimizing mechanical and medium energy loss, is a continuous goal for companies in the hydraulic and pneumatic sealing industry. As such, promoting "green projects" will inevitably drive technological advancement in this sector.
For example, load-sensing technology, secondary regulation, proportional control, variable frequency drives, hydraulic transformers, and hybrid electro-hydraulic systems are all promising in terms of energy efficiency. When combined with computer electronics, network technologies, fieldbus, GPS, computer graphics, and intelligent sensing, they enable digitization, intelligence, and networking of machinery. This helps improve the technical level of agricultural equipment like combine harvesters and construction machines like excavators. Load-sensing technology alone can save 20%–30%, while frequency conversion and electro-hydraulic proportional control can reduce system energy use by 30%–40%.
In addition, as hydraulic technology develops, it has produced components meeting the needs of automatic control, especially for miniaturization, intelligence, and digitization. Examples include low-power hydraulic valves, small displacement high-pressure piston pumps, built-in sensor hydraulic pumps, digital valves, cylinders, and pumps—offering superior performance for host systems.
Hydraulic energy-saving technology is not only applied to mainframes but also generates energy savings in other areas. For instance, the “Switching Hydraulic Source†developed by several research institutions can generate 831 W·h of electric energy through deep-sea testing using the principle of switching hydraulic sources. This innovative system allows for efficient power distribution to each actuator, achieving optimal energy savings.
Looking at pneumatic technology, it is inherently pollution-free and beneficial for the environment. Technologies such as valve islands, pneumatic muscles, proportional servo control, and fieldbus support extended automation and process improvements.
Other energy-saving solutions include torque converters, hydraulic couplers, and liquid-viscous speed control clutches, which are widely used in travel machines, fans, water pumps, and power generation equipment. Recently, magnetic couplings have also shown promising energy-saving effects.
Noise reduction is another important area of research in fluid power technology. Through improved component design and machining accuracy, noise pollution and personal injury risks are effectively reduced. For example, the National Centre for the Performing Arts' stage lifting system operates at just 37 dB. The fluid power industry still has much work to do in this area, and new technologies and products will continue to emerge.
"Green engineering" offers new opportunities for industry growth. By promoting it, enterprises can gain competitive advantages and foster innovation. Chinese companies and foreign counterparts started around the same time, and the gap is not large. Enterprises should seize these opportunities, align with market demands, and adopt modern design and manufacturing technologies, such as networking and virtual simulation, to develop green products that meet market needs. This will accelerate independent innovation and help achieve leapfrog development.
"Green engineering" is a systemic concept involving information integration, process integration, functional integration, and social integration. For the hydraulic and pneumatic sealing industry, system integration innovation—through original, integrated, and introduction-based innovations—can enhance independent R&D capabilities and lay the foundation for future breakthroughs.
Promoting "green engineering" will lead to the creation of new technologies, processes, materials, and products, improving product quality, expanding the range of specialized and refined products, and driving overall industry progress. It also plays a crucial role in establishing an independent innovation system.
Moreover, promoting "green engineering" involves more than just technology—it requires strategic positioning, cultural transformation, and entrepreneurial thinking. It also demands a philosophical understanding of its importance. In the past, many companies followed others, relying on imitation. But with growing global intellectual property awareness, this approach is no longer viable. Only by mastering core technologies can companies remain competitive.
To implement "green engineering," appropriate green standards are essential. Currently, there are 20 domestic hydraulic pollution standards, including 17 national (15 ISO) and 3 industry standards. Six more are under revision. However, these standards still fall short of "green engineering" requirements. Therefore, we need to start from the concept of "green engineering" and develop product standards that align with it.
Some people have underestimated the role of hydraulic and pneumatic seals, seeing them merely as simple fittings. This lack of attention has limited industry growth. In reality, hydraulic and pneumatic sealing technology, combined with electronic control, is a core component of all main engines. Without advanced sealing technology, there can be no high-level machinery.
Countries like the U.S., Japan, and Germany, which are leaders in equipment manufacturing, are also strong in hydraulic and pneumatic sealing technology. For China to become a true equipment manufacturing powerhouse, it must also become a leader in hydraulic and pneumatic seal manufacturing. The day the industry revives is the day China’s equipment manufacturing truly flourishes.
Advancing "green engineering" is not just a matter of will—it requires recognizing the direction of development, facing challenges, analyzing them, and overcoming them. We firmly believe that "green engineering" will yield tangible results in the hydraulic and pneumatic sealing industry, and its promotion will drive significant technological progress.
Compactor Tip,Tamping Feet,Compactor Cap
Jiangsu Origin Machinery Co., Ltd , https://www.originmachinery.com