Hydraulic systems work on a simple principle: force is applied at one point, and is transmitted to another point via an incompressible fluid. That hydraulic fluid is a blend of oils, and even the simplest hydraulic system allows force to be multiplied from one point to another very easily.

To simplify things, think of an oil-filled pipe with a piston at each end. This is the simplest form of a hydraulic system. If you apply force to one piston, the force is transmitted to the second piston with the oil in the pipe. Oil cannot be compressed, so nearly all of the applied force is transmitted to the second piston.

Hydraulic System Versatility

A major advantage of hydraulic systems is that the pipe connecting the two cylinders can be any length or shape, allowing it to be used in a wide range of applications with ease. The pipe can also fork into more than one, allowing one “master” cylinder to drive multiple “slave” cylinders at once.

It is also easy to multiply or divide the force the system exerts on a piston. By changing the size of one piston relative to the other, you can add force multiplication or division.

An Example of Force Multiplication

A piston with a surface area that is 9 times larger than the other piston in a system will exert 9 times the force. So if 100 pounds of force is applied to the smaller piston, 900 pounds of force will appear at the larger piston, though the smaller piston will have to travel 9 inches for every 1 inch the larger piston moves.

A good example of a piston-driven hydraulic system is the brakes in a car. When you press the brake pedal, it pushes on the piston in the brake’s master cylinder. This then pushes on four slave pistons (one at each wheel) which press the brake pads against the brake rotor to stop the car.

Many other hydraulic systems use valves and a pump that supply high pressure oil to the system instead of being manually actuated. These are commonly seen in commercial and agricultural applications.

Let Us Help

No matter which kind of hydraulic system you’re working on, Domer’s has you covered. We offer custom made Gates brand hydraulic hoses on-site in 2, 4, and 6 wire configurations to suit a wide range of applications, as well as a large selection of hydraulic and hose fittings in SAE and metric sizes. For any questions, call us today at 863-763-3417.