Week 2

Hey Everyone,

Now that I have had the opportunity to learn more about fluid power, I have become increasingly aware of the abundance of hydraulics and pneumatics in modern machines. I had typically associated hydraulics with large scale construction machinery. While doing work in the machine shop Friday, it occurred to me that many human-scale devices used fluid power in ways I took for granted. For users to clean shavings and other debris, the shop provides pneumatic lines attached to a centralized pump to make use of its high energy density. The weight of a heavy drop saw is supported by a small hydraulic line, allowing operators to make clean cuts without having to contend with muscle fatigue. The beauty of fluid power lies in its versatility, and in the coming months I am sure I will continue to see fluid power systems in places I would not have expected to find them.

Keep up the great work everyone,

Mike