NFPA Advanced Hydraulics Conference

Electrifying large off-highway vehicles is challenging due to the substantial cost and size of batteries required for a full workday. This presentation introduces an innovative hydraulic system architecture featuring a Digital Displacement pump/motor in a 30-tonne tracked excavator powered by a high-voltage battery. The digital hydraulic system offers substantial advancements by enabling independent actuator control and removing flow-sharing power losses. Additionally, it allows efficient energy recovery and hydraulic energy transformation. Test results are presented for the baseline and converted machines in several realistic duty cycles. The Digital Displacement hydraulic system demonstrated energy savings of approximately 35% or, alternatively, an operational uptime increase exceeding 50%.

In the rapidly evolving off-highway industry, digital transformation is not just beneficial—it’s essential. Strategic collaboration plays a critical role in delivering secure, robust, and scalable Edge IoT and AI solutions. Combining advanced hardware design and automotive-grade security standards with agile telematics and analytics capabilities substantially reduces risk for OEMs while accelerating the deployment of digital services.

Real-world examples show how seamless connectivity and rapid scalability translate directly into measurable business value. Attendees will gain insight into why collaborative ecosystems are indispensable—driving innovation, enhancing reliability, and significantly improving operational outcomes for OEMs in demanding environments.

A conventional diesel-engine-based backhoe loader was recently converted into an 800V battery-electric development vehicle. Its work function system uses an electrically driven, variable-displacement hydraulic pump connected to conventional valves and actuators in a load-sensing arrangement.

This session summarizes the efforts to optimize and validate eHydraulic system performance in typical backhoe working scenarios, with a focus on controllability, productivity, overall efficiency, and NVH. Both hardware- and software-based methods for achieving the performance targets are highlighted.

The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a luxury but a necessity for mid-market manufacturing and distribution companies looking to remain competitive. However, many organizations struggle to bridge the gap between the promise of AI and its practical applications. This presentation will demystify the process and demonstrate how companies can take actionable steps toward implementing cost-effective AI tools and strategies to transform their operations.

By covering the fundamentals and focusing on real-world examples, this session is designed to empower executives and leaders to confidently integrate AI solutions into their businesses.

As machine builders evaluate new technologies and different machine architectures to drive system efficiency improvements, it can be challenging to find the right solution with constraints around time, resources, and budget. Machine modeling is often the answer, however depending on the modeling effort, the time, cost, and resources can be equivalent. This presentation dives into a phased approach to machine and system modeling leveraging quasistatic and dynamic models to help drive towards optimized system solutions.  Quasistatic models leverage real machine duty cycle data and analyze the efficiency impact of different technologies to quickly narrow down the field of solutions. After identifying potential solutions, a dynamic model is developed to evaluate performance and efficiency using dynamic component and system models. Leveraging different modeling techniques to evaluate technologies reduces time and effort to find the best solution.

Electrifying off-highway vehicles requires intelligent eHydraulic systems. This session explores how advanced inverters enable precise hydraulic control, supporting stable speed and regenerative braking. It highlights how intentional component selection—such as electric machine and pump pairing—can optimize efficiency when designed as a system. Application-specific requirements related to inverter, electric machine, and pump form fit are also addressed. The discussion emphasizes the critical role of functional safety and secure communication protocols in global applications. Attendees will gain insights into key system engineering considerations for robust EV hydraulic solutions, along with expertise on enhancing performance in electrified machinery.

Electrifying construction equipment is no longer a distant goal—it’s a necessity. Yet complexity often slows adoption. Market-driven solutions can help simplify the development and production of electric machines. Modular mechatronic architectures bring together high-performance power transmission and seamless electrical integration, enabling faster time-to-market and reliable machine compliance. A real-world example demonstrates the advantages of an all-in-one electric wheel hub: a compact, integrated assembly that combines inverter, electric motor, and gearbox while meeting the mounting and fit requirements of today’s compact construction equipment.