Every Custom Hydraulic Fitting Has Its Own Story

Sunday, March 5, 2017

At Air-Way Global Manufacturing, we are known for providing our customers with special, one-of-a-kind, hydraulic fittings. While we have earned a strong reputation for manufacturing high quality products, you may not be aware of the role our technical engineers play in the overall design process.

Air-Way engineers collaborate with product managers and development teams at our customers to formulate, test, and finalize custom hydraulic fittings for a variety of industries and applications. Backed with decades of experience and knowledge, our engineering and design services team assesses the individual needs of our customer, and then works alongside them to ideate and design a part tailored to exact specifications and functionality.

Hydraulic Fitting Design for Specialized Applications

For example, one of our OEM customers needed a customized fitting for a larger size hydraulic application involving an SAE J518 Code 62 Four-Bolt manifold with three O-Ring Face Seal (ORFS) connections. ORFS Connections are leak-free and suited for a broad range of sizes, higher pressures, and assembly in tight quarters. This custom hydraulic fitting would be operating within an unforgiving environment, experiencing extreme external and internal forces. It required an engineered – one piece – hydraulic solution.

Our technical engineering team worked with the OEM’s engineering staff to design a specialty fitting with unique functionality. Weighing in at 7 pounds, we developed a hydraulic flange fitting (pictured below) that met their exact specifications and requirements.  In this situation, part weight was not a concern!  By working alongside the OEM’s product development engineers, we were able to conceptualize, design, and ultimately manufacture a strong, resilient, one-piece solution just for them.

Multiple Applications for Hydraulic Equipment Impacts Design

Equipment manufacturers and OEMs are continuing to expand and develop their heavy equipment to support a variety of uses. As owners move towards doing more with fewer models of equipment, we are there to help the heavy equipment manufacturers advance and evolve their hydraulic solutions.

Collaboration in Hydraulic Design Starts Here

At Air-Way, we believe our customers should be part of the conversation. We feel that feedback and collaboration are critical pieces of the product development process. Our technical engineers work in conjunction with customer in-house development teams to review drawings and solid models, develop hydraulic fittings that support specialized applications, and manufacture them based on jointly approved specifications.

Customization is just one of our specialties – and it’s due to our commitment to quality manufacturing, technical expertise, and customer collaboration.

Read more about the Air-Way customization process or contact us today.