We all know that almost every industry uses hydraulic systems. We’re also aware that they are utilized in heavy equipment and machinery and in transporting and lifting of heavy objects. But, there’s more to hydraulic systems than just involving big and heavy objects. Talk to any supplier of hydraulic equipment in Australia, North America, or Europe and they will all say you can spot hydraulics in the simple everyday things which we can find in the most regular places.
Below, we have compiled a list of different uses of hydraulics and where they can be found in everyday life.
Hydraulics in Some of the Regular Stuff
It is all around us. We’re just not aware of it, but they’re there even in the most mundane of things. You can find them even in the most interesting and fun things, not just in the construction or robotics industry. Here are some of the ordinary places hydraulics are used efficiently and effectively:
Cars
Hydraulic brake circuits are responsible for most vehicles’ brakes on all wheels.
Gasoline Pumps
Hydraulics let gas pumps draw fuel from storage tanks and into a car’s gas tank.
Airplanes
Hydraulic mechanisms are used on a plane’s control panel operation. It is also the one that makes a plane’s landing gears and flaps work.
Amusement Parks
Most of the rides and attractions in amusement parks are powered by hydraulic systems rigged in their engines.
Elevators
Some elevator types rely on hydraulic mechanisms like pistons and cylinders to boost and stop an elevator car.
Barber Shops
That pump that your barber steps on to raise or lower your chair is all hydraulics.
Office Chairs
Hydraulic power make your office chair go up and down or lean backward or forward. Adjusting the chair’s levers triggers the mechanism to adjust the seat according to your preference.
Bakeries
Bakeries and pastry shops make use of hydraulics for mass production of their goods as they are lifted, turned over, and transported on conveyor belts for packing.
Construction Equipment
Construction equipment and heavy machinery such as forklifts, cranes, pumps, and jacks all use hydraulics to lift and lower different objects.
Dishwashers
Dishwashers rigged with a hydraulic system gives a quieter performance and stronger water pressure compared to those with none.
Automotive Shops
Ever wondered how those big platforms can lift something as heavy as a car and not break under its weight? Hydraulics do that.
Snowplows
Hydraulics enable this machine to move vertically and horizontally to better perform the task which it was made for.
Performance Stages
More modern theatrical and performance stages use hydraulics to hoist them up and bring them back down. Some stages, like Cirque Du Soleil’s Ka, requires a more complex configuration.
Hydraulics have made various aspects of our life very easy and convenient. Wherever you go, there’s sure to be a hydraulic system in some form that most people fail to see. Can you imagine what life would be like if hydraulics were never invented and we still operated everything using pulleys and inclined planes?
