Preface
This book is the outcome of many years of persistent interest in fl uid power,
beginning with the operation of farm equipment and involvement in a 4H trac-
tor-maintenance project when I was a teenager, continuing throughout my college
years and far into my professional life. Partly, the fascination came from the science
foundations that are there and partly from the practical applications that brought
those abstract concepts to life. There is orderliness to hydraulics and pneumatics
that, beyond the work accomplished, has a sense of aesthetics. So the study of fl uid
power and the challenge of teaching others to use it has been a satisfying journey.
Our lives would be very different today if early civilizations had not recog-
nized the potential of using air and water to do work. From the fi rst rough water-
wheels and windmills to the sophisticated applications we see today, fl uid power
has enabled us to do what was, in many cases, fi rst thought to be impossible. Now,
with computer interfaces, new materials, and imaginative technology to help us,
we may be just at a new dawn of breakthroughs to come.
The purpose of this book is to introduce you to the fi eld of fl uid power. It lays
the groundwork for building an understanding of the concepts involved and sys-
tematically guides the use of these concepts in designing functional circuits. Pur-
posefully, the questions asked will require problem solving and creative thinking;
that is what real life requires. Mastery of the subject matter is not easy, but careful
study and thoughtful experimentation will make it happen.
Many individuals, companies, and organizations have contributed to this
learning resource. I wish to acknowledge their assistance and express my sincere
appreciation to them all. Likewise, I am deeply grateful to the publisher,
Goodheart-Willcox, for continued encouragement and support while this was
written. I hope the book will be a useful tool for the fi eld.
—Jim Daines
Introduction
Fluid Power: Hydraulics and Pneumatics provides comprehensive exposure to the
fl uid power fi eld, ranging from historical information to details on the design and
operation of hydraulic and pneumatic components, circuits, and systems. Profes-
sional and standardizing organizations that actively support fl uid power education,
manufacture, distribution, and service activities also are introduced to provide an
understanding of the background and magnitude of the fi eld.
The content of the book is organized into three areas:
■ Introduction to the fl uid power fi eld.
■ Hydraulics systems.
■ Pneumatics systems.
The introduction includes basic exposure to historical information, the develop-
ment of hydraulic and pneumatic power principles, symbols, and fl uid power sup-
port organizations. The hydraulic system and pneumatic system sections examine
those specifi c areas in detail.
3