Every single day on this beautiful planet, an estimated 41 million trees are cut down. That's a lot of sawing, debarking, stacking, and moving folks. That's also a lot of hydraulic power. The logging and sawmill industry is heavily reliant on the use of hydraulics to power and control equipment. Hydraulic systems provide a reliable, efficient, and cost-effective way to move heavy logs, cut timber, and process wood products. American Hose and Supply has provided valves, hoses, and adapters to the logging industry for decades. In this blog post, we will explore these different types of hydraulics and how they are used in this industry. So put on a hard hat and a red flannel shirt, let's get to it! 

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1. Open Center Hydraulic System

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The open-center hydraulic system is the most common type of hydraulic system used in the logging and sawmill industry, and frankly just about any industry that moves heavy materials. It is used to power equipment such as log loaders, skidders, and delimbers. The open-center hydraulic system works by directing hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic motor or cylinder to create movement in the equipment. This is simply the regular, everyday hydraulic system you would encounter on most large machinery. 

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2. Closed Center Hydraulic System

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The closed-center hydraulic system is used in more specialized applications, such as sawmill headrigs and debarkers. It works by maintaining constant pressure in the hydraulic lines, which allows for precise control of the equipment, but the flow is only directed to the components when needed. The main pump is pressure compensated, meaning the system pressure flow is shut off when that component is not needed. This type of hydraulic system is more complex than the open-center system and requires more maintenance.

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3. Load-Sensing Hydraulic System

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The load-sensing hydraulic system is a type of closed-center hydraulic system that is used in high-pressure applications such as log splitters and sawmill carriages. This system uses a load-sensing valve to detect the load on the hydraulic system and adjust the pressure accordingly. This helps to reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency. Basically, this is a more automated, precise closed-center hydraulic system. 

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4. Electro-Hydraulic System

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The electro-hydraulic system uses an electric motor to power a hydraulic pump, which then powers the hydraulic equipment. This type of system is used in sawmill carriages and log-handling equipment. It is more efficient than traditional hydraulic systems, as it only uses power when the equipment is in use. Perhaps this one is a "gimme" but still! Electro-Hydraulic systems help convey the timber to the saw and they are quite common industry-wide.

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5. Control Valves

These valves are the traffic directors of the hydraulic system. Should the material need to be rotated, pushed forward or backward, or mechanically moved to another area, a directional control valve sends the hydraulic power to the right part of the machine. 

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6. Adapters

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The most versatile little guys in the industry, adapters help hoses with different end connections “adapt” to valve bodies, hydraulic cylinders, or other hoses. These are very common in many industries, and they are the puzzle pieces that help make repairing and retrofitting of equipment easy. 

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So let's wrap up with this, the logging and sawmill industry relies heavily on the use of hydraulics to power and control equipment. Furthermore, and if you read our blogs regularly (of course you do),  then you know these types of hydraulic systems all use hoses, which is our specialty! Each of these systems has its own advantages and is used in different applications depending on the needs of the industry. By using hydraulics, the logging and sawmill industry can work efficiently, safely, and productively. Do you need some help with a hydraulic repair for your sawmill or logging equipment? Then give the team at American Hose a call, or email us here. Now chop some trees!