Boiler failure is a major concern for heating and power plants, and the corrosion associated with the boiler's water quality is known to be the main cause. The total cost of boiler tube failures in power plants is estimated to be about $5 billion a year (note that this figure is from 2009,

Throughout the automotive industry there is an increasing interest in lightweight construction materials to achieve better fuel economy and meet regulatory requirements. Most automotive manufacturers make use of recent advancements in high-strength steels, ultra-high-strength steels, aluminum a

In order to prevent high temperature corrosion, identifying the corrosion products is key. As with the analysis of aqueous corrosion products, a combination of methods such as SEM-EDS and XRD are required to identify the species that are present in scale formed at high temperatures. The major d

The anodizing process enables the formation of a brilliant, stable and durable oxide layer upon certain metals, which minimizes wear and corrosion damage to the underlying metallic substrate. The thick anodic oxide layer also serves as an effective base for applying an additional colored coatin

Cooling towers provide an effective method of heat rejection and are widely used for space conditioning, refrigeration and industrial cooling applications. The control of corrosion in cooling water systems is a major challenge for many industries all over the world. In cooling water ci

Stainless steel is known for its corrosion resistance in many environments in which carbon and low-alloy tool steels would corrode. (Background reading: An Introduction to Stainless Steels.) The corrosion resistance is a result of a very thin (about 5 nanometers) oxide layer on the steel’

Nickel (Ni)-based alloys are used in highly corrosive environments and often where other metals—such as stainless steels—have insufficient corrosion resistance. Since Ni-based alloys tend to be more corrosion-resistant than stainless steels, they often replace stainless steels where

Refractory metals are widely used because of their unique and desirable properties and behaviors, especially their resistance to corrosion and their extraordinary resistance to wear and heat. These metals are mostly used in the fields of engineering, science and metallurgy. The five ma

Lightweighting vehicles means making sure the lightest materials suitable to the job are used in the manufacture of vehicles. By lightweighting, manufacturers aim to create vehicles that have better handling and fuel efficiency than their heavier counterparts. Some of the materials tha

Welding is used regularly in connection with hydraulic systems, for everything from repairing hydraulic cylinders to fabricating frames and supports. There are also a wide variety of welding processes that can be used, including arc welding, stick welding, and solid-state welding. H

Extreme temperatures, high pressure, and high speed are conditions that occur quite often in the food and beverage industry. And that explains why you see hydraulic and pneumatic systems performing a wide variety of tasks from moving ingredients along for processing to final packagi

There are times when you have a component or a subsystem within a hydraulic system that needs to be replaced. Buying the new part may be the smart move in some instances, but that solution becomes less attractive when there are long lead times for delivery, the part is hard to locat

When a hydraulic hose fails, it brings your hydraulic system to a halt, can put your employees in danger, potentially damages your system, and leads to a mess that could have environmental ramifications. The best way to prevent a hose failure is to recognize the signs of impending f

Hydraulic cylinders can be found in almost every industry, ranging from the sterile, clean environment of food and beverage to the rough and rugged world of construction. When these cylinders lose performance or outright fail, the word “replace” leaps to mind. Replacing a cylinder m

There are several different categories of hydraulic pumps, each with its own capabilities and limitations. Trying to decide what type of pump you need for a hydraulic system application can be challenging, but a basic knowledge of the most common types of hydraulic pumps is a good s

The last thing anyone wants is to be out at sea and have a rudder system fail to respond to controls, or be in port loading passengers and have the hydraulic passenger lift fail halfway through the job. In either of these hypothetical instances, people could be injured or killed, eq

For each use of hydraulics, there is a specific hydraulic hose that is right for the job. Selecting the correct specifications for your hydraulic hose is important because the wrong choice could lead to damaging or injurious failures. While all hoses have finite and expected lifespa

Since their advent in the late 1800s, hydraulics have become an integral part of numerous industries. Whether you are involved in heavy construction or food processing, properly functioning hydraulic equipment is vital to the productivity of your business.  Despite advances

Hydraulic cylinders are a vital part of so many different types of machinery in a wide variety of industries, and when they fail, the results can range from annoying to dangerous. It is important to understand the nature of hydraulic cylinder failure, including what causes it and how

Not all pre-configured hydraulic power units can simultaneously meet all design requirements and still fall within applicable constraints. Systems that involve high flow, long duty cycles, or repeated short cycle times often necessitate a custom design in order to function efficientl