Parker Technology Controls Hydraulic Systems
Parker Hannifin has provided a range Iqan hydraulic products to demonstrate the application of electronic control in hydraulic systems at the National Fluid Power Centre. The Iqan technology has been set up to illustrate the power, flexibility and configurability of embedded controllers, as part of the Stage 3 Mobile Electro-Hydraulics Systems course at the centre. Formed as the commercial arm of North Nottinghamshire College in April 2000, the National Fluid Power Centre offers a range of specialist and bespoke training programmes that help keep engineers abreast of the ever-changing technology and best-practice procedures within the industry.
Service engineers that work in the industry come to the centre for vocational training to gain extra skills that can be used to enhance performance and productivity in the workplace on a day-to-day basis. Among the Iqan products in use is an Iqan MD3 master display module, which is fully programmable for machine applications as a graphical user interface and as a CAN gateway. Other products from Parker's Iqan range at the centre include the XA2 expansion unit, which provides additional inputs/outputs, LSL analogue levers, analogue pressure transmitters, analogue temperature transmitters and the latest LC5 Co-ordinate joystick.
The LC5 has a variety of handles available offering various combinations of buttons, thumbwheels and triggers, all proportional outputs signals are of the contactless Hall-effect type with dual sensors, which provides redundancy for high safety and reliability. The ergonomic design of this product makes it suitable for arm rest and panel installations and is designed for outdoor use. Other products from Parker's range used on the project include the L90LS load sensing valves, the Icount Particle detector, which provides analysis for fluid management and contamination control and is interfaced with the Iqan using CAN J1939.
As well as being used as part of the course, the Iqan products are being integrated into a CAN open network around the laboratory at the centre to demonstrate how data can be exchanged between various machine controllers. John Savage, director of the National Fluid Power Centre, said: 'We are taking a major step forward to develop and deliver systems-based training, which involves the integration of hydraulics, electronics and control. 'Using Parker's hydraulic control technology we aim to develop engineers at a systems level, while also evolving the centre itself,' he added.
Service engineers that work in the industry come to the centre for vocational training to gain extra skills that can be used to enhance performance and productivity in the workplace on a day-to-day basis. Among the Iqan products in use is an Iqan MD3 master display module, which is fully programmable for machine applications as a graphical user interface and as a CAN gateway. Other products from Parker's Iqan range at the centre include the XA2 expansion unit, which provides additional inputs/outputs, LSL analogue levers, analogue pressure transmitters, analogue temperature transmitters and the latest LC5 Co-ordinate joystick.
The LC5 has a variety of handles available offering various combinations of buttons, thumbwheels and triggers, all proportional outputs signals are of the contactless Hall-effect type with dual sensors, which provides redundancy for high safety and reliability. The ergonomic design of this product makes it suitable for arm rest and panel installations and is designed for outdoor use. Other products from Parker's range used on the project include the L90LS load sensing valves, the Icount Particle detector, which provides analysis for fluid management and contamination control and is interfaced with the Iqan using CAN J1939.
As well as being used as part of the course, the Iqan products are being integrated into a CAN open network around the laboratory at the centre to demonstrate how data can be exchanged between various machine controllers. John Savage, director of the National Fluid Power Centre, said: 'We are taking a major step forward to develop and deliver systems-based training, which involves the integration of hydraulics, electronics and control. 'Using Parker's hydraulic control technology we aim to develop engineers at a systems level, while also evolving the centre itself,' he added.
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