Sound market segment management to meet customer needs in fluid power technology

Fluid power products are used in a wide range of markets, such as mechanical and plant engineering, energy and environmental technology, automation technology, printing machines, woodworking machines, as well as food and packaging machines. Driven by rising population figures worldwide, agricultural engineering, construction machinery and infrastructure projects in particular are absolute growth markets. The prospect of a growth industry is by no means the only reason for MAPAL to focus on fluid power technology. The workpiece materials to be machined (cast iron, steel, stainless steels and non-ferrous metals) are ideally suited to the tool manufacturer’s product portfolio. Over and above carrying out demanding machining steps, MAPAL can support the entire process worldwide here as a technology partner. “The customers’ needs fit our MAPAL DNA”, is the analysis of Jochen Schmidt, who heads up the Fluid Power segment. To him, being a technology partner means understanding both the customers’ needs and the actual product and how it functions in the end product.

One such end product might be an excavator. Using a lever or a joystick to move loads weighing several tonnes to their destination with millimetre precision means that every single movement must be executed very precisely and reliably to ensure perfect interaction. Each lever is connected to a specific valve housing. The more functionalities the machine has, the more of these valves are installed in series. The number of parts that can be moved during excavation corresponds to the number of hydraulic valve housings installed. For Jochen Schmidt, manufacturing them is the supreme discipline in the world of hydraulics. For many years, MAPAL’s expertise has been in demand for the spool bore in the valve housings. The gap size with the spool depends on the accuracy of this bore and is very narrowly defined in modern hydraulic valves so that the hydraulic oil can only flow in the required direction.

In addition to hydraulics, the fields of pneumatics and process engineering are also the focus of the fluid power technology market segment. As a technology driver in automation technology and the digital transformation, pneumatics is the key to increasing productivity in industrial production. Valves and cylinders of any design and requirement are focal components for MAPAL, for instance. The performance of such components in the overall system depends on tiny details that can be decisively influenced by MAPAL solutions. Typical products in process engineering include valves, pumps, compressors and actuators. “It’s everything to do with the movement, control and regulation of fluids”, explains Jochen Schmidt. Components in this division typically also feature functional properties that are associated with high requirements for the manufacturing process. In addition to machining these specific components, MAPAL also offers complete solutions for the entire part. Just as in hydraulics and pneumatics, MAPAL also has a wealth of experience in machining components for process engineering.

Based on the applications already implemented for existing customers, MAPAL has developed specific solutions for fluid power technology. They reflect many customer and component requirements. Clear best practice examples each deal with specific production situations. MAPAL designs the tools for these in a way that always results in the most cost-efficient process. That not only includes completing pre-machining and semi-finishing swiftly, but also keeping an eye on downstream processes and closely monitoring the further development of the parts. “The requirements for fluid power parts have increased significantly in recent years”, Jochen Schmidt highlights. “On the one hand, sustainability plays a role, which is reflected in efficiency increases, for example in mobile machines, and the even greater prevention of leaks through enhanced precision. On the other hand, increased levels of accuracy are required for valves that have to function optimally both in machines in cold storage and in very hot areas in order to be able to meet all operating conditions. As a technology partner, we pursue these developments together with our customers.”