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Hydraulic machines use oil under pressure as their prime source of energy. Some types of hydraulic machines include backhoes, dump trucks, some jackhammers and cranes, bobcats, hose crimpers and plastic and aluminum extruders. Hydraulic machines can perform a large variety of jobs, such as injection molding, hose crimping, and metal stamping. Examples of products made by these machines are aluminum baseball bats, moldings, metal plant hangers, metal shepherd’s hooks for the garden, metal tubing, and a component in industrial sprinkler systems.
A hydraulic press machine, if outfitted with a die, can stamp all kinds of shapes from metals, including car fenders, bumpers and doors. A hydraulic bending machine can bend any kind of metal, such as tubing, into a variety of shapes, such as a fence, automobile exhaust systems and brake line tubing. A hydraulic hose machine can extrude any type of hose, rubber and plastic included. A crimper crimps various metal fittings for numerous types of hoses, in a number of different threads and sizes. These are used for power steering hoses, brake line hoses and air conditioning hoses in the automotive industry.
Industry, manufacturing, and entertainment venues often make use of hydraulic machinery. Hydraulic machines, such as spinning motors and the power units that drive them, can be found in amusement parks, giving motion to attractions like the Ferris wheel. Some theatrical stages are hydraulically powered to enable the stages to rise higher, and then bring them back into place. Some elevators also make use of hydraulic power to lift and lower the car’s passengers. Some bucket trucks, sometimes referred to as cherry pickers, are hydraulic, and so are some forklifts. Tree trimmers use various hydraulic machines to do their jobs, including stump grinders and chippers.
In everyday life, hydraulic machines have become an integral part of travel. Certain parts of automobiles are powered by hydraulics, including power steering, brake lines, shock absorbers and automatic transmissions. The snowplows that keep roads cleared use hydraulics, allowing the plows to move up and down, and side to side. Aircraft also use hydraulic systems, as do industrial pizza ovens. Industrial bakeries use hydraulics to move baked goods along conveyor belts, lift them and also flip them. Even barber chairs are powered by a hydraulic lift mechanism so the hair stylist can raise or lower the chair to adjust the customer’s height as the stylist works.
One of the most common hydraulic machines is the trusty old floor jack. Ever tried to jack up a car with one of those awful things that come as standard equipment in most vehicles? If you have, you'll appreciate the ease of raising a few tons of vehicle with a hydraulic jack. They are quite expensive and, as such, are typically found only in the possession of professional mechanics or very serious hobbyists.
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