When I started working on this issue, focusing on construction and installation, I thought much of it would be about various rules and guidelines for designing an efficient and reliable hydraulic system. What I’ve learned through my conversations, however, is that there actually aren’t that many rules to follow — because hydraulic systems are so complex and have constantly changing parameters. Instead, I came to understand that the most important thing is to maintain constructive dialogue throughout the entire design phase — both internally among those building the system and with the customer who ordered it.
This becomes clear in the article about Anderstorp Hydraulik, a company well known in the industry for having built efficient and reliable systems for many years. At Anderstorp Hydraulik, close teamwork has always been a key focus, while also striving for the greatest possible clarity with the client about what the system will be used for and where it will operate.
Projekthydraulik, which has provided training in hydraulics for many years, also sees the preparatory phase as one of the most important parts of a good design. Together with the customer, it’s crucial to determine the basic conditions for the hydraulics — what forces it needs to handle, and much more. Once that is known, the design process moves relatively quickly.
An important part of designing a reliable hydraulic system is the choice and placement of hoses and fittings. However, according to Hydroscand, it’s only in recent years that the importance of this has become more widely recognized. Today, hoses and fittings are seen as key design components — just as important as pumps and valves.
With ongoing digitalization, various simulation programs have been developed as tools for system design. However, they are still not used very often in the hydraulics field. These programs can, for example, help test different hydraulic system configurations and determine which design is most optimal. At Linköping University, they have developed Hopsan, a simulation program for hydraulics, which is featured in the magazine along with an overview of other similar tools.
In this issue, we also celebrate that Fluid Scandinavia turns 30 this year! ITH Förlag, which publishes the magazine, has also undergone some changes. Earlier this year, ITH in Örnsköldsvik acquired Bertil Andersson’s shares — he founded the magazine 30 years ago — and recently SFMA purchased the shares held by Projekthydraulik since 2014. The new owners are planning various new initiatives going forward, which we will share more about in due time.
There has also been a change in the position of CEO at the publishing company this year. Jan-Åke Johansson from Projekthydraulik, who has been CEO for about 10 years, has chosen to retire, and Jon Sandström, CEO of ITH, has taken over the role. The magazine includes a feature article covering Jan-Åke Johansson’s farewell.
I also want to take this opportunity to personally thank Janne (as everyone knows Jan-Åke Johansson) for all the support and help he has given me over the years as editor-in-chief. When I started working with the magazine, I knew nothing about the hydraulics industry, and without Janne’s support, I would never have managed to put together the first few issues. Moreover, we’ve had a very pleasant collaboration over the years, and I wish Janne all the best in his well-deserved retirement!
