Project Details
[Return to Previous Page]Multi-discipline Engineering Capstone Project: Developing Portable/Compact Power Unit for Remote and/or Mobile Hydraulics Applications Using Bear-Loc® Load-Holding/Locking System
Company: York Precision Machining & Hydraulics
Major(s):
Primary: IE
Secondary: ME
Non-Disclosure Agreement: YES
Intellectual Property: YES
Participants in this Capstone project will have the objective of developing a portable/ compact hydraulic power unit to provide hydraulic power to the manufacturer’s proprietary product, Bear-Loc, for use where there is no hydraulic power available. Bear-Loc is known for its superior safety and performance in hydraulic load holding and locking. The Bear-Loc could provide useful for many industries and applications that are currently prevented from using it because of lack of power in remote locations. The successful portable/compact hydraulic power unit will displace a small amount of fluid i.e. just enough to operate our Bear-Loc® no matter where it is located. In theory this unit would contain its own power source, some sort of small compressor and perhaps an intensifier unit to provide the pressures needed, as well as a small reservoir to hold additional hydraulic fluid. It should be small enough that it can be moved and operated by one man without assistance. This design may even be taken one step further to contain a manifold to which hydraulic lines could be attached if the unit is powerful enough to displace a larger amount of fluid or move a small actuator. It could also contain sensors that would read current pressures, indicate when the desired pressure has been reached, and display whether the lock is open or closed. There would also be design considerations such as being sufficiently robust to stick with our core values of offering a quality product, yet not so costly to manufacture that it is out of budget for potential future buyers. Successful “proof of concept” development of the power unit will become part of the company’s intellectual property.
