Freedom of movement in concrete and steel construction thanks to hydraulics

The Dutch company from De Meern (Utrecht) has been supplying custom hydraulics since the 1960s.

Hydroton was approached by CIT Blaton to develop the clever idea from engineering firm Greisch into a working principle. "The challenge in the design lay primarily with the high forces to which the dampers are exposed. The materials used are therefore very high-quality and all traceable thanks to material certificates," says Floor Goes, mechanical engineer at Hydroton. "Thanks to the integrated speed control, the speed and force at which the dampers function can also be adjusted. Because the dampers are arranged opposite each other, one damper is compressively loaded, while the other damper is tensively loaded. This creates a different working pressure and therefore a different required adjustment range of the speed control to achieve the correct deceleration."

Reliable product

After the technical design file was checked by the engineering firm, production of the components began. To ensure a reliable product, a modular design was chosen, with all parts connected by bolted connections. Goes: "Bolted connections are easy to tighten to the right torque, where a welded connection in a hydraulic cylinder can cause unwanted stresses in the material. We wanted to avoid this in the design."

Customization in specialized field

In addition to designing hydraulic dampers, Hydroton positions itself as a partner to solve all kinds of issues in hydraulic power transmission. Operating in many technical sectors, the company supplies hydraulic power units, cylinders and electrical controls. For example, the company also supplies turnkey high-pressure jacking and sliding systems to move bridges and tunnels. Designing complete hydraulic actuators for precast concrete construction and prestressing rebar in viaducts, piles and other prestressed concrete elements is a specialty in which Hydroton excels.