Hydraulic components and systems have established themselves as effective high-performance drives in many stationary applications and vehicles, thanks to their exceptional power and performance density, their precise control and regulation capabilities, and their outstanding robustness, all at a low capital cost.
The projects at the Hydraulics Competence Center at Ulm University of Technology focus on applied research and further development of hydraulic components, hydraulic drive systems, and new applications. In addition to hydraulic training systems (mobile hydraulics, power-shift hydraulics), the laboratory equipment for teaching, research, and development includes a valve test bench donated by TRIES Hydraulik-Elemente Ehingen, a testing facility for fluids and oil condition sensors, as well as additional test benches for hydraulic drive and control technology in the machine laboratory.
Hydraulics Competence Center Website Flyer on the Hydraulics Competence Center
Project manager: Prof. Dr. Mathias Niebergall
Project duration: 01.10.2022 - open
Funded by: private
Project description:
Hydraulic components are key elements for high-performance drives in German machines and commercial vehicles that are in demand worldwide. The Hydraulics Competence Center is researching how these components can be improved. New solutions and approaches are being sought in terms of functionality, control and materials. In this way, new and innovative technologies are developed.
To ensure their competitiveness, the manufacturers of hydraulic components and drive systems in southern Germany have joined forces with the THU to expand their existing knowledge and develop new innovative technologies. With the help of the companies' infrastructure and the research activities at the university, innovations are to be generated jointly, e.g. as part of dissertations.
Research is currently being conducted into how hydraulic components can be replaced by electronic control systems and how the performance of test benches can be further optimized. Research is also being conducted into the development of high-performance hydraulic muscles, which have a significantly higher pressure level and a higher force density than known artificial muscles.
Project manager: Prof. Dr. Mathias Niebergall
Project duration: 01.10.2018 - 31.01.2021
Funded by: Federal Government - BMWi
Program name: ZIM
Project description:
For decades, hydraulic drive technology has been characterized by increasing power and pressure requirements with reduced installation space. In order to meet future requirements, a control module with a compact, highly integrated valve technology structure is being developed as part of this project, which enables safe hydraulic power control of a drive above 500 bar. The control module is to consist of a modular hydromechanical structure with adapted actuator technology, pilot and main control with separate control edges and tailored on-board electronics (OBE).
The project objective is a market-oriented control module that meets the highest performance requirements and offers safe and efficient functional networking of several hydraulic consumers by means of intelligent control / regulation. This creates the control technology basis for energy-efficient operation of hydraulic power drives.
Mathias Niebergall, Jonas Pfister, Roman Strobel, Jonathan Scheible: HYDRAULIC ARTIFICIAL MUSCLES FOR EXOSKELETON ACTUATION SOLUTIONS, 15th International Fluid Power Conference, Aachen, Germany, 2026
Niebergall Mathias, Strobel Roman: DEVELOPMENT OF A HYDRAULIC ARTIFICIAL MUSCLE WITH HIGH FORCE DENSITY, 14th International Fluid Power Conference, Dresden, Germany, 2024
Niebergall Mathias, Ziegler Hannes: COMPACT FLUID POWER CONTROL UNIT WITH INDEPENDENT METERING, 14th International Fluid Power Conference, Dresden, Germany, 2024
Bauer Gerhard, Niebergall Mathias: Oil Hydraulics, Springer Vieweg Verlag, 12th edition, 2020
DOI: doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-27027-8
