Power Drives Inc blog

Powering Smarter Infrastructure Repairs: How PDI Supports Innovation in the Field | Power Drives Inc

Power Drives Inc — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 15:39:39 GMT

Across the country, cities are facing aging infrastructure — and the pressure is on to repair it without disrupting everyday life. Gone are the days when sewer water main repairs meant tearing up entire streets. Today, smarter, non-invasive systems are stepping in to solve the problem — and at Power Drives, Inc. (PDI), we’re proud to help make those systems work.

Recently, we partnered with G-Fab, a company led by Glenn Hanneman that builds advanced equipment designed to rehabilitate sewer water mains without excavation. Glenn’s system allows felt liners to be inserted through manholes and hydraulically pushed from the truck into the existing pipe, creating a structural lining inside without digging.

It’s innovative. It’s efficient. And it depends on performance-critical hose assemblies — the kind we specialize in.

At PDI, our team worked directly with G-Fab to plumb his system with custom hose and fitting solutions. The equipment operates under high pressure and in rugged field environments, meaning every hose has to be engineered for safety, reliability, and durability. That’s exactly what we delivered.

But this isn’t just about one system. Whether it’s a specialized build like Glenn’s or a standard municipal vehicle, hose assemblies are the arteries of hydraulic infrastructure. When they fail, downtime adds up fast — and so do the costs. That’s why municipalities and contractors across industries trust PDI for expert hose replacement, custom builds, and fast turnaround when it matters most.

Our in-house fabrication, deep technical knowledge, and commitment to quality have made us a go-to provider for industrial motion and control solutions for over 79 years. From custom hydraulic assemblies to tube bending and more, we’re here to keep systems running and communities moving.

“Working with PDI on one-off custom builds wasn’t just a good cost decision, but also PDI ‘s vast inventory & knowledge that made all the difference on meeting timelines and keeping below budget.”

G-Fab Mechanical LLC

Need custom hose assemblies or a trusted partner for your hydraulic systems?
Whether you’re managing city infrastructure or building the next breakthrough in industrial equipment, PDI is here to help. Get in touch with our team today and see how our expertise can support your next project — or keep your current one running stronger than ever.

Pneumatics in the Food and Beverage Industry | Power Drives Inc

Power Drives Inc — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 17:05:38 GMT

They may not be the first thing that come to mind in the food and beverage industry, but pneumatics are essential to food and beverage conveyance, packaging, processing and storing. Hose, tubing and actuators are all over the place.

Pneumatic Hose and Tube

The first category of pneumatic products in the food and beverage manufacturing world are hose and tube. This breaks down further into:

Rubber hose

Rubber hose can be sourced in low, medium or high pressure. Its job is to provide power to the air operated equipment in the operation, such as actuators that separate ingredients and move them along to their proper destinations.

plastic tubing

Plastic tubing can be found everywhere from soda dispensers to coffee and espresso machines, but when it comes to air tubing, these products convey carbon dioxide, nitrogen and mixed gas.

Material selection for plastic tubing includes polyethylene, polyurethane, nylon, Teflon® and PVC. They are all durable and the decision of which to use is dependent upon operation. Polyethylene is used more on the low-pressure side, and is chemical resistant as well as economical. Polyurethane is flexible and strong, as well as kink resistant. Teflon® tubing performs very well in robotic applications, and nylon is light, stable and durable. Engineered for superior stress and crack resistance, this tubing is reliable in carbonation and protecting the flavor of your beverages.

Pneumatic Actuators

Pneumatic actuators allow for the clean, safe packaging, processing, and storing products by air in a manufacturing environment. Pneumatic actuators move back and forth along a linear or rotary path.

The types of pneumatic actuators:

RodlesS

Rodless pneumatic actuators can either be mechanically coupled or magnetically coupled. There is no internal rod to the actuator, but rather an external guide. Rodless actuators can be used for load-bearing applications. Some rodless actuators are extremely flat and compact.

NFPA

An NFPA cylinder is also commonly referred to as a tie rod air cylinder. NFPA cylinders are reusable and available in bore sizes of up to 12 inches and stroke lengths of 120″. These cylinders are available in aluminum for light duty applications, and steel for heavy duty applications.

Thrusters

Thruster actuators are common for pick-and-place applications. Thrusters are cost-effective and durable, and can handle small and large objects. Available in standard and heavy duty options, these actuators can be as long as 60″.

Repairable and Non-Repairable

Repairable actuators offer corrosion resistance and are easy to clean and mount. Bore sizes range from 1 1/2 – 8″ and maximum operating pressures go up to 200 psi. Non-repairable actuators have bore sizes of up to 3″ and maximum operating pressures of up to 200 psi. Repairable actuators offer a sustainable solution while non-repairable actuators are low cost and simple to swap out.

ISO

At PDI, our ISO certified pneumatic cylinders conform to ISO 6432 and ISO 15552. Whether standard, non-rotating rod, direct mount or standard, our actuators meet the toughest standards to ensure that your operation runs smoothly. ISO 6432 cylinder bore sizes range from 8mm to 25 mm, and ISO 15552 cylinder bore sizes range from 32 mm to 125 mm.

Rotary

A rotary actuator is different from other actuators in that the motion for such an actuator is circular, instead of linear. Rotary actuators are available as either rack or pinion, and either double or single acting. Common applications for rotary actuators are industrial applications such as transferring parts, controlling valves and conveying.

Compact

When space is at a premium, compact cylinders are extremely useful. Diameters range from 9/16 to 3″ and stroke lengths are from 1/4 to 2″. PDI’s compact cylinders are pressure rated up to 200 psi and have a temperature range of -20 to 400°F.

Grippers

The times that grippers would be used are primarily in pick and place situations. Gripper actuators feature jaws that close around objects to move them to new positions. Grippers come in different styles such as angular, shovel and flange.

IVAC

IVAC stands for integrated valve actuator control. IVAC actuators are lightweight and feature magnetically operated switches for complete control. These actuators result in reduced energy use, lower operating costs and reduced installation costs. PDI is your source for IVAC actuators in any situation where you need both an actuator and valve.

Of course each food and beverage manufacturing facility is unique. The pneumatic products needed to assist in the creation of food products vary greatly. If you have a new project or need a replacement part, give us a call or email any time.

Hydraulic Use in Municipalities | Power Drives Inc

Power Drives Inc — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 19:25:51 GMT

Municipalities utilize myriad hydraulic products within their fleets. These include fire trucks to police cars to snow plows to sanders and street sweepers. The maintenance of municipality fleets’ fluid transference and treatment systems require attention to quality and detail for efficient public service.

Where public safety is concerned, preparedness is key. Many municipalities work with us for their hydraulic component needs and are one of our largest markets for Vendor Managed Inventory, or VMI.

Hydraulic Products in Municipalities

Hydraulic Assemblies
For quick turnaround needs, we offer ‘while-you-wait’ services at our Eaton-authorized Express Hose Centers. With more than 3,500 combinations of hose and fittings in stock, our trained hose specialists will fabricate a hose assembly for you, right on the spot. Visit one of our retail locations.

Hydraulic Fittings
Available in both crimp and reusable options, PDI supplies Eaton hydraulic hose fittings, which are made of high quality materials and are manufactured to meet all SAE, DOT and other industry requirements. They are specifically tested to withstand extremely high pressures.

Hydraulic Pumps and Motors
PDI has various hydraulic pumps and motors sure to meet any application requirement. Reliable, smooth operating pumps range in pressures from 1,000 to 8,000 psi and are designed for maximum reliability. They are available in a wide variety of municipal applications.

VMI Services

The last thing you need is to run out of a critical inventory item. With PDI’s vendor managed inventory, you never have to go without again. A dedicated specialist ensures that all of your items are fulfilled, according to the predetermined schedule that you set. VMI is a life-saver for many high-volume operations.

Call today to understand how PDI can assist your municipality!

Hydraulics in Material Handling | Power Drives Inc

Power Drives Inc — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 20:20:51 GMT

Material handling is a large market in the fluid transference and treatment business. There are various material handling machines in almost every manufacturing setting and they are well-used in many other markets. Material handling machines get things from point A to point B.

As this article from Mobile Hydraulic Tips points out, hydraulics keep things moving in material handling applications. From simple lifts to more complex systems, they are everywhere and make our lives a lot easier. Reliability and portability are of utmost concern in material handling, and in MRO situations, our hose experts help determine which parts and accessories are the best for the job. For OEM applications, our engineers work closely with you to create a custom product based off of your unique applications.

Hydraulic Products in the Material Handling Market

Hydraulic Hose

Hydraulic hose is specifically designed to convey hydraulic fluid within a hydraulic system. With wide pressure ranges, optimal levels of abrasion resistance, long-lasting durability and high-performance transfer capabilities, PDI has the right hose for your application.

Hydraulic Pumps and Motors

PDI has various hydraulic pumps and motors sure to meet any material handling requirement. Reliable, smooth operating pumps range in pressures from 1,000 to 8,000 psi and are designed for maximum reliability. For a lot of power in a small package, think PDI for your hydraulic pumps and motors.

Hydraulic Valves

Solenoid operated directional control valves are common in material handling, and are actuated by electricity rather than by a human operator. These 2-, 3- and 4- way control valves are available in 2 or 3 positions and in various sizes depending on the psi and gpm required. They are available in different sizes and threads, such as NPT and SAE.

Industrial Hose

Industrial hose applications include suction & discharge of dry bulk materials, sand, gravel and dry cement.

Industrial fluid transference and treatment are the building blocks of material handling applications, including everything from custom bent hydraulic tubes to industrial hose. If you need an OEM or MRO product for material handling, call the experts at PDI.

Diesel Engine Products | Power Drives Inc

Power Drives Inc — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 20:25:37 GMT

Boiling down what we do here at Power Drives is a little different for each market we serve. There are different challenges and product needs for each, and there are many. One of them, and a core market of ours, is the diesel engine market. We have been serving this market since 1995.

There are two main categories of the diesel engine market: on-road and off-road. In the hydraulics world, this essentially translates to: trucks and locomotives. The on-road diesel engine market consists of products such as coolant lines, EGR lines, low pressure fuel lines, turbo supply and return and diesel engine fittings.

Diesel Engine Market Products

Coolant Lines

Coolant lines are are on-engine hoses, tubes or hose-tube combinations that connect the various components of the coolant system, from the engine block to the radiator to the water pump.

PDI’s coolant hoses and tubes meet or exceed many SAE specifications including 100R14, 100R5, J524, J525 and J356. Hose materials include Teflon® with a stainless steel overbraid, rubber, silicone and AQP elastomer.

EGR Lines

EGR lines, an acronym for exhaust gas recirculation lines, perform the function of recirculation. They transfer exhaust gas back into the cylinders, which reduces the amount of harmful gases that get expelled into the atmosphere. EGR lines are either tube, flexible metal hose or a combination of both, and can feature a stainless steel overbraid.

Low Pressure Fuel Lines

Low pressure fuel lines are also known as return lines, because they return excess fuel from the pump or filter to the fuel tank. Return lines can either be hoses, tubes or hose-tube combinations.

PDI’s return line hoses and tubes meet or exceed many SAE specifications including 100R14, 100R5, J524, J525 and J356. Hose materials include Teflon® with a stainless steel overbraid, rubber, silicone and AQP elastomer.

Turbo Supply and Return Lines

Turbo supply and return lines are on-engine hoses, tubes or hose-tube combinations for oil and coolant supply and return.

PDI’s turbo hoses and tubes meet or exceed SAE J524, J525 and J356. Hose materials include Teflon® with a stainless steel overbraid, rubber, silicone and AQP elastomer.

Diesel Engine Fittings

Diesel engine fittings keep everything together in a diesel engine. A tube is unable to perform properly there isn’t a reliable fitting attached to it. PDI can attach any of the various fittings to hose, tube or pipe, from compression to JIC (also known as Army Navy), American, Metric, British or Reusable. All of these fittings have their place, and we ensure that you have the proper fitting for your diesel engine application.

When you have diesel engine line or fitting needs, call PDI. We’ll get you on the road.

Hydraulic Hose Repair | Power Drives Inc

Power Drives Inc — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 19:55:09 GMT

In past posts, we’ve made it very clear that when there is a hydraulic hose failure in your operation, you should replace it, NOT repair it. However, the industry vocabulary still favors this search. Many people still use the term “hydraulic hose repair.” And in some special cases, we can salvage a hose with damaged ends, it is always unsafe to repair a damaged hose.

Hydraulic hoses usually fail due to one of two reasons: incompatible parts/accessories or improper environment. Incompatible parts can include bent hoses, fluid incompatibility and improper assembly. Improper environment can include high temperatures, poor routing, erosion, bent hoses near fittings, fluid incompatibility and improper assembly. Hydraulic hose failure occurs rather quickly most times, but there are signs leading up to the failure that routine maintenance checks can address.

Regular maintenance checks will also save significant time and money, because when a failure occurs, the system is shut down until a new hose can be created and installed.

Hydraulic hoses are our specialty and they make things work. They move fluid to create the power to move components within a system. They are powerful and can easily cause damage and harm if not created and handled properly. Stay on the side of caution and always get your hoses created by a reputable and established supplier.

Pneumatic Actuators | Power Drives Inc

Power Drives Inc — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 16:12:27 GMT

Pneumatic actuators are the mechanical devices that move things back and forth along a linear or rotary path. Pneumatic actuators are used in industrial applications where physical movement is required, either down a belt in a processing or sorting situation, in an oil refinery, water treatment or mining.

There are as many actuators as there are ways to move through actuation. These include Rodless, NFPA Thrusters, Repairable and Non-Repairable, ISO, Rotary, Compact, Grippers and IVAC actuators. Here at PDI, we are a distributor for the top pneumatic actuators in the industry, including Bimba and Norgren.

Rodless

NFPA

Thrusters

Repairable and Non-Repairable

ISO

Rotary

Compact

Grippers

IVAC

When you need a custom actuator, contact your fluid transference and treatment experts at PDI.

Hydraulic Pumps and Motors | Power Drives Inc

Power Drives Inc — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 20:34:03 GMT

Hydraulic pumps and motors are some of the most important pieces in a hydraulic system. They serve equally important, yet opposite functions.

Pumps convert the mechanical energy of a turning shaft into hydraulic energy, and motors take that fluid under pressure and apply it to create rotary mechanical force. One of the common terms used in hydraulics is “torque,” which refers to the rotary force applied to a shaft.

PDI has various hydraulic pumps and motors sure to meet any application requirement. Reliable, smooth operating pumps range in pressures from 1,000 to 8,000 psi and are designed for maximum reliability. They are available in a wide variety of industrial applications such as manufacturing and military. Here are some different types of pumps and motors:

Gear Pumps

Gear pumps can accommodate multiple functions and feature maximum pressure ranges of 3,500 psi and speeds of 3,600 rpm. Industrial and agricultural equipment are common applications for gear pumps as they pack a lot of power into a compact package.

Piston Pumps

Piston pumps are available in open and closed circuits and a wide range of design options to fit the specific needs of your engineering application. Low operating noise, long operating life and fire resistance are all reasons why piston pumps are the pumps of choice in MRO applications.

Vane Pumps

Eaton Vickers pumps are excellent for a wide range of industrial applications. Modular designs, fixed displacement, and flexible port and mounting options result in a versatile product ready to get the job done for any need you may have.

Motors
Power Drives carries Eaton Char-Lynn motors, which are simplified low-speed, high torque (LSHT) motors that are extremely efficient across a wide variety of markets and applications. With high pressure capacities and compact packaging, Char-Lynn motors are perfect for various construction vehicles and material handling equipment.

The next time you are in need of a pump or motor, give your friends at PDI a call, we can help you out!

Water Separator | Power Drives Inc

Power Drives Inc — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 14:44:29 GMT

Water wreaks havoc on locomotive systems. This is true both both the diesel and the air systems.

Power Drives has created a proprietary Compressed Air Water Separator to address and solve air contamination. Water in the air can cause so many issues, including increased maintenance costs and possible system failure.

The Compressed Air Water Separator is a drop-in solution that creates a highly effective system that works in concert with standard locomotive air dryers to remove water from the system for proper locomotive function. The air water separator is located after the inner cooler.

If you have any questions about the Compressed Air Water Separator and how it can positively affect the performance of your locomotive, contact us today.

Hydraulic Tubing | Power Drives Inc

Power Drives Inc — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 18:39:06 GMT

Hydraulic tubing, or hydraulic lines, are used in much modern machinery. Here at PDI, we manufacture steel tubing for hydraulic and diesel engine applications, and for customers large and small. From a tube less than an inch in diameter, to one multiple inches wide, we have the machinery and expertise to create hydraulic tubing that our customers need.

Manufacturing hydraulic tubes is an extremely precise manufacturing capability. They require the most demanding fabrication and must meet strict tolerance requirements and high pressures.

We specialize in hydraulics and are continually investing in technology to meet the growing demand for hydraulic and diesel engine tube fabrication.

More Than Bending

We bend tubes, but we also do much more than that. We create entire fluid transference tubing, and hose-and-tubing assemblies, which is why we call ourselves experts in fluid transference solutions. From cutting to deburring to bending to welding to assembling, we do it all. Robotic welding, tube bending and end forming are all processes we utilize for increased accuracy and production volume.

Thanks to these technologies, once we have a job set up, we can run many parts in no time.

Quality and Checks

Accuracy and quality are always important, but they are especially important when talking about high pressure, hydraulic applications. We have numerous quality checks, including a touchless, tube inspection system. A tube is inspected, and if any modifications need to be made, they are automatically sent back to the tube bender, so the part will be updated accordingly.

If you have hydraulic tubing needs and would like more information, please reach out. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.