Month: May 2017

May 25, 2017

CPI Limit Switches in Hydraulic Multiplier Applications.

Hydraulic Multipliers see use in a wide variety of industrial equipment as a cost effective way of driving multiple actuators from a single hydraulic circuit. These systems typically allow the operator to manually activate a conveniently mounted switch which controls a valve diverter. At the right moment, hydraulic pressure is diverted from one circuit to another and back again when done.

Since operators are typically using levers in things like Backhoe’s, Crane’s, Forklift’s, or agricultural sprayers, it is convenient to mount these switches directly on the lever itself where it can be ergonomically reached during operation. These switches are often subject to repeated use and abuse, outdoor environments, and extreme vibration in conditions which pose a safety hazard.  The switches need to work, work well, and work for a long time without failure.

Typical Hydraulic Multiplier Circuit Using CPI Switches

A typical hydraulic multiplier circuit using one of our switches is shown below:

Hydraulic Multiplier Uses CPI Waterproof Switches

While there are a number of our switches used into this application, your selection will depend on a few key considerations:

  1. Mounting Constraints – Our most common mounting configuration here by far is the “V-Back”. This stainless steel assembly takes the basic waterproof limit switch and allows it easy mounting to cylindrical surfaces like a lever assembly or steering wheel simply by using tie wraps or heat shrink tubing for a more finished look.
  2. Tactile Considerations – With both high button and low button configurations, feel can be adjusted to prevent accidental engagement, or facilitate easy activation.
  3. Waterproof Rocker Switches – In addition to single acting waterproof limit switches, momentary or maintained contact Rocker Switches like our K1005 can be coupled with our HS001 pipe mount bracket for use in this application.

Pipe mount Pendant Switch

Harsh Duty Switches Control Heavy Duty Hydraulics

CPI’s line of waterproof switches get used on these kinds of hydraulic multiplier applications because they are just plain hard to kill. In applications like forklifts, telehandlers, backhoe’s, cranes, agricultural machines, or flow control valve hydraulics, there is generally an unfriendly ambient environment that places additional demands on the electromechanical endurance of switches…

…CPI switches were designed with that in mind.

Call the CPI engineering team today to discuss your switching challenges or visit http://www.cpi-nj.com .

Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/cpi-limit-switches-in-hydraulic-multiplier-applications/

May 12, 2017

CPI Internal Draw Wire Position Sensors Replace External Sensors in Oilfield Mast Raiser System.

If you’ve spent more than 5 seconds perusing the CPI Website, then you know that toughness and durability are the primary attributes of everything we make. Nowhere is this more apparent than in our newest SL2000MS, our hybrid design, long stroke linear position sensor for hydraulic cylinders and accumulators.

Our best clients for this technology are companies making long stroke hydraulics destined for some of the toughest environments in the world, and some of the toughest can be found in the world of Oil and Gas exploration both onshore and offshore.  In these deployments 10 meter stroke lengths are common, often on telescoping or multistage hydraulic cylinders where achieving accurate position sensing is both extremely tough, and critically necessary.

CPI SL2000 Deployed into Oil Rig Mast Raiser System

Hydraulic cylinders deployed into oilfield mast raiser systems are going to be asked to endure some of the most challenging environments that hydraulic equipment will ever see on planet Earth. Temperature extremes, contamination, corrosive airbourne elements, and a demanding requirement that the actuator does not fail easily in service conspire to eliminate most position sensor technologies from consideration. Indeed, the cost of any downtime on an active rig is staggering, costing by some estimates, up to 1 million dollars a day.

Recently CPI partnered with a major Hydraulic Cylinder Manufacturer to provide 6 of its SL2000 Linear Position Sensorsinto an oil industry mast raiser application for a land-based drilling platform.  In this application, the CPI sensor replaces another company’s draw-wire sensor that could not survive in the application.

In the mast-raiser system, double-acting telescopic cylinders are used which start out horizontally and move to a vertical orientation during operation. When considering a replacement sensor technology, our client initially considered rod type sensors but quickly eliminated this technology owing to a few important limitations.

  1. Rod type sensors will have to be very long (> 10 meters) and rod sag and deformation is often a concern in strokes over 1 meter.
  2. Rod type sensors are fixed length and problematic for telescoping cylinders.
  3. Rod type sensors require extremely accurate core drilling of the piston to insert internally.

The CPI SL2000 For Endurance and Flexibility

Instead the CPI SL2000 was chosen for a number or reasons, offering a better overall solution that the previous sensor solution, or any existing rod type sensor.

  1. It is easily designed into the cylinder making field deployment and replacement easy.
  2. Its non-compressible nature makes it able to withstand almost any kind of hydraulic fluid, and almost any pressure in the cylinder.
  3. The SL2000 can be deployed horizontally or vertically in any cylinder or accumulator, even multistage cylinders where the draw wire technology is ideal.
  4. The sensor leverages an extremely short magnetostrictive sensor and provides absolute position measurement with high accuracy.
  5. The solution is ATEX and IEC-EX certified.

CPI’s SL2000 Series represents an important breakthrough for long-stroke hydraulic cylinder position sensing.   Leveraging years of magnetostrictive sensor development (the core sensing technology) while maintaining our patented hardened draw wire core, has substantially evolved the area of linear position sensor measurement for the worlds harshest, most extreme operating environments.

Contact CPI today to discuss your need for harsh duty linear position sensors.

Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/Linear-Position-Sensor-Mast-Raiser-Hydraulics