Pressure Sensors: Types, Use Cases, and Definition
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To become a hydraulics technician, you’ll need education and practical training. In addition, you’ll want to keep up with current trends in the industry, which include demands for more energy efficiency and IIoT automation.
What does a hydraulics technician do?
A hydraulics technician performs numerous tasks in industrial environments, including:
Often, they’ll work with hydraulics engineers when performing these tasks.
How to become a hydraulics technician – 5 steps
Becoming a hydraulics technician takes technical training and machine-related skills, which means you’ll need to get some education. These steps can help you start your career:
1. Take science and math courses
First off, if you’re still in high school, take advanced science and math courses. Specifically, physics and electricity-related courses will help you get used to thinking about machines while familiarizing yourself with how they work.
2. Get an associate’s degree
After graduating high school, seek a college or technical school that offers a degree in one of the following:
Technically, you could land a job with only a high school diploma, but an associate’s degree related to hydraulics technology and engineering will vastly improve your odds of getting hired.
3. Get certified
After getting your degree, it helps to get certified. Doing so will show future employers that you not only have the theoretical knowledge needed for the job, but also practical training as well.
One certification to seek out is the IHT (Industrial Hydraulic Technician) certification offered by the International Fluid Power Society (IFPS). To earn this designation, you’ll need to pass both a written and hands-on job performance test, each of which lasts three hours.
4. Land a job
Upon getting certified, you’ll be ready to land a solid position as a hydraulics technician. Places where you’d likely find a job include:
In each of these environments, you’ll need to work with both machines and people, so keep that in mind when interviewing.
5. Keep learning
Upon landing a position—and even before—you’ll want to keep learning about hydraulics, particularly the way systems are designed. Much of the work you’ll be doing will involve designing specific parts or entire systems, and knowing how that works will help you get ahead.
In addition, the field of fluid power is facing major changes, so you’ll want to be aware of what the future holds for the industry. Keep up on periodicals dealing with hydraulics in order to stay ahead of the curve.
Finally, if you’d like to seek advancement, consider getting a bachelor’s degree. Doing so can qualify you for a job as an engineer or other senior positions.
Keeping up with current trends in the industry
As with most industries today, the fluid power industry is facing numerous changes. Some of the major changes and trends the industry is seeing include the following:
Let’s look at a few of these specifically.
Demands for energy efficiency and reliability
Energy efficiency is in high demand, especially in areas where energy is expensive. This has led to the implementation of modern variable speed motors in hydraulics systems, allowing the system to maximize its efficiency.
Decreased environmental impact
Along with increased energy efficiency, decreasing the environmental impact of fluid power systems has become a major concern. For instance, there’s pressure to switch from mineral-based oils and conventional seals to more environment-friendly options. In addition, new improvements to hydraulic tank systems aim to reduce oil usage entirely.
Smart technology and automation
Finally, with Industry 4.0 taking the world by storm, there’s a high demand to automate hydraulics systems. This is achieved by combining conventional hydraulics—with their high power density—with intelligent electronic controls.
In fact, the market for electro-hydraulic servo valve controls is expected to grow to $1.54 billion by 2024, which means electronic expertise is a must for those entering this industry.
IoT also helps improve system reliability, such as when pressure sensors are used on hydraulic tanks to diagnose problems.
Conclusion
To sum things up, becoming a hydraulics technician means getting at least an associate’s degree and some certification. In addition, keeping up with the advances in the industry—such as increased demand for efficiency—will help those working with fluid power systems to be successful.