www.hpmag.co.uk HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS July/August 2025 37 reduce air consumption and downtime, but adoption varies. Many operators of mobile kit remain wary of adding complexity unless the benefit is clear and quantifiable. That reluctance is not without cause. Reliability remains the cornerstone of mobile machinery. In agricultural fields, demolition sites or roadside service conditions, a failed valve or leaking hose can bring operations to a halt and compromise safety. Ensuring system integrity in these harsh environments requires rigorous component testing, attention to sealing materials and robust filtration. Despite these efforts, unplanned failures remain a costly issue, and preventative strategies are being reevaluated. Predictive maintenance and condition monitoring are emerging as practical solutions for mobile applications, supported by the miniaturisation of sensors and advances in edge computing. Pressure transducers, flow meters and contamination sensors can now be installed directly onto mobile platforms without overwhelming power budgets or data networks. This is especially useful for hydraulic systems under cyclical loading or those with extended service intervals. When combined with onboard diagnostic tools, these sensors enable real-time decision making, allowing operators to address wear or performance degradation before it becomes critical. However, condition monitoring must be implemented thoughtfully. It is not simply a matter of adding sensors, but of interpreting data in ways that are meaningful and actionable across varied use cases. Mobile equipment may operate in rural, urban or cross-border settings, making remote access, network reliability and data security essential considerations. Moreover, many mobile fleets are mixed in age and manufacturer, adding further complexity when attempting to roll out digital maintenance regimes consistently. The challenge The challenge of workforce capability must also be acknowledged. Even the best-designed systems can underperform if not correctly specified, operated or maintained. As hydraulic and pneumatic systems become more electronically controlled and software-driven, there is a growing gap in skills. Diagnostic routines that once relied on mechanical intuition now demand an understanding of sensor outputs, CANbus networks and fault codes. This evolution calls for targeted training at both vocational and professional levels, with equipment suppliers playing a more active role in upskilling their customers and support networks. Another issue that has taken centre stage in the UK is fluid cleanliness. Contaminated hydraulic fluid continues to be one of the leading causes of premature failure in mobile applications. Given the operating environments of many machines — including quarries, farms and industrial waste sites — the risk of ingress is high. Yet too often, filtration is treated as an afterthought or compromised by cost pressures. The solution lies not just in better filters but in system-level thinking: specifying appropriate cleanliness targets, monitoring particulate levels regularly and installing breather systems and tank isolation where appropriate. Supply chain disruptions over recent years have only heightened the need for better planning and smarter specification. Sourcing critical components such as directional control valves, accumulators and custom manifold blocks can still involve extended lead times. As a result, many OEMs and fleet managers are taking a more proactive stance. Where possible, they are designing around more widely available components or standardising across multiple machines to reduce inventory complexity. Modular designs and common interfaces are becoming more popular, as are local sourcing strategies that can cushion against global volatility. At the same time, the industry is seeing increasing regulatory and societal scrutiny around environmental practices. This includes fluid disposal, the use of environmentally acceptable lubricants and noise emissions. Some councils and contractors now stipulate equipment standards that go beyond basic compliance, pushing OEMs and operators to reassess system choices and operating procedures. Pneumatics, often seen as energy-intensive in fixed installations, can in mobile scenarios offer a compact and clean alternative, provided leak rates and energy losses are managed effectively. Looking forward, mobile hydraulic and pneumatic systems in the UK will need to evolve on multiple fronts. Innovation will not just be about higher pressures or faster response times, but about systems that are easier to monitor, maintain and integrate. As the boundaries between mechanical, electrical and software engineering continue to blur, the most successful solutions will be those developed collaboratively — across disciplines, across supply chains and with the end user firmly in mind. For an industry grounded in physical force, the future of mobile equipment may well rest on intelligence — the intelligence to adapt, to anticipate and to operate sustainably under pressure.
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