Design And Fabrication

of
Hydraulic Arm

Hydraulic Arm
Hydraulic arm is basically the extended component
of a machine

which can perform tasks and

operations that

are far from the reach of the main

machine body and require lots of small & delicate

movements .
As the name suggests hydraulic arm is the
mechanical arm which operates with the help of
hydraulic press that is provided from the main body
of the machine.
Both, the arm & machine body are equipped with
hydraulic cylinders that delivers hydraulic press
and make the arm move.

Pascal's law says that when the pressure at any point in a static
fluid in a closed system is changed, the change in pressure will
disperse equally throughout the fluid. That is, the pressure at a
point far away from the region of change will change by the same
amount as a point nearby. A closed system can simply be an
enclosed container, or it may be something more complex, such as
two or more interconnected containers; the important thing is that
no fluid can enter or leave the system. It is also important to note
that, in physics, a fluid can be either a liquid or a gas. The law can
be demonstrated by a number of simple experiments, and has
important applications, such as in the hydraulic press.
The principle was named after the French mathematician and
philosopher Blaise Pascal who discovered it in the 1600s. It
applies to static situations and not to dynamic conditions where
other factors could affect pressure values. For example, it does not
apply to fluids that are in motion or subject to changing
temperatures.

Demonstrations
There are a variety of Pascal's law experiments that can be used
to demonstrate the effect. Pascal himself showed that it worked by
filling a barrel with water and inserting a long pipe into the top.
When he poured water into the top of the pipe, the barrel burst.
The weight of the water in the pipe caused an increase in pressure
inside the barrel that pushed against the sides until they gave way.
Perhaps the most basic way of demonstrating the law at home
involves simply squeezing a balloon. In this example, the flexible
walls of the container show how the increase in pressure caused
by squeezing is dispersed throughout the balloon. The balloon will
bulge uniformly in all directions, not just at the side opposite that
which is squeezed.
In another common demonstration, a bottle is filled to the top with
water, and some matchstick heads are dropped into it so that they
float. The neck of an inflated balloon is stretched over the bottle,
and then lightly squeezed. The matchstick heads now sink some
distance into the water. This is because the increase in pressure
due to the squeezing of the balloon is transmitted down into the
water, forcing some of it into the porous matchstick heads and
4

causing them to sink, due to the extra weight. When the pressure
on the balloon is removed, the water pressure decreases, air
pressure in the matchstick heads forces water out, and they float
again.
Applications
Perhaps the best-known application of Pascals law is the hydraulic
press, a device that converts a small force into a larger one. It
generally consists of two connected chambers, each with a piston
a moveable barrier that can be pushed down or pulled up
without allowing fluid to escape and containing a fluid that
cannot be compressed. One chamber-piston combination is larger
than the other: this is the output. The idea is that a small force
applied to the smaller, or input, piston will result in a larger output
force. Pressing down on the input increases the pressure, and that
increase will be the same against the larger output piston.
Calculating the Output Force
The output force is calculated by dividing the area of the output
piston by the area of the input piston then multiplying the result by
the input force. If the output piston has ten times the area of the

input, the output force will be ten times the input force. For
example, if the input force is 5 units, the input area is 2 units and
the output area is 20 units, the output force will be 50 units. In this
way, heavy objects can be lifted without the need to apply a large
force.
This does not mean that extra energy is appearing out of nowhere.
The amount by which the output piston is raised will be less than
the amount by which the input piston is pressed down, which
evens things out. In the above example, if the input piston is
pushed down 10 units, the output piston will be raised by 1 unit.
The principle is similar to using a lever to lift a rock. Hydraulic
mechanisms of many types, such as the braking systems
on aircraft and some vehicles, rely on Pascals law.

Principle behind hydraulic arm:

Hydraulic arms works on the principle of hydraulic press which
is governed by Pascal's law according to which pressure exerted
anywhere in a confined incompressible fluid is transmitted equally
in all directions throughout the fluid such that the pressure ratio
(initial difference) remains same.

where :
P :

Is the hydrostatic pressure or the difference in pressure at

two points within a

fluid column, due to the weight of the fluid.
:

Is the fluid density.

g:

Is acceleration due to gravity.

h :

Is the height of fluid above the point of measurement, or the

difference in elevation between the two points within the fluid

column.
Pascals law can be written as :
(P1)(V1) = (P2)(V2)

According to this equation the ratio of pressure & volume

remains same at both the ends of an unrestricted system like
pipes, hydraulic cylinders etc.

In case of hydraulic press the force

transmitted is proportional to the area of
cross section of the ends where force is
applied.

Pascal's Law

A demonstration of Pascal's Law

Pascal's Law (from Blaise Pascal 1623 to 1662), comprises a set
of principles formulated in 1648 and states that pressure applied to
a confined fluid at any point is transmitted undiminished throughout
the fluid in all directions and acts upon every part of the confining
vessel at right angles to its interior surfaces and equally upon
equal areas.
This is the basic principle behind any hydraulic system - pressure
applied anywhere to a body of fluid causes a force to be
transmitted equally in all directions, with the force acting at right
angles to any surface in contact with the fluid.

Pressure is force divided by area.

If you apply even a small force to a needle, the pressure at
the tip is high because its area is small (look at the
formula below). That is why it penetrates materials!

10

The hydraulic jack

Pictured in the animation above, it transmits force from one piston
(small) to the other (larger). The force is transmitted by a liquid
(oil). A liquid exerts the same pressure in all directions (as well as
a gas) and as a result the two pistons will exert different forces
because of the different surface areas they possess, according to
the formula P=F/A.. The larger piston will travel a smaller distance
but it will exert a larger force.
The formula can be rearranged: P=F x A. Because the pressure
(P) is the same in the whole system (which is the hydraulic jack),
the force (F) will be larger where the area (A) of the piston is
larger!

11

This way it can lift a car, a lorry or anything... It is all about being
able of building a large enough piston (engineering limitation).
The force exerted by the large piston will be larger than the force
applied to the little piston, although the oil pressure is the same
everywhere in the circuit.
If the area of the large piston is twice as big as the area of the
little one, the force will be doubled. That is the point of this
machine!
The small piston moves a longer distance while the large piston
moves a shorter distance, as you wuld expect from the principle of
the conservation of energy. You exert a small force but for a large
distance; on the other end of the jack a large force is exerted by
only for a short distance.It is a trade off. It is similar to the gear
system of a bicycle: when you use a soft gear, which allows you to
pedal easily, you have to pedal more times in order to cover the
same distance.
In a modern hydraulic system, the force will be applied by a motor
which pumps oil through the circuit. This is the principle of
hydraulic machines, extensively used in the industry, especially in
heavy machinery.
12

Car, train, lorry and aircraft control systems also make use of this
technology.

13

Examples of questions and problems about Force and

Pressure
1) A needle will exert enormous pressure because the surface area
(A) of the point where the force (F) is being applied is very small.
That's why it penetrates skin and other materials.

2) If your mass is 50 kg , what is the pressure you exert on the

ground when you are standing up, assuming that the surface area
of your shoes is 0.05 m2.
Answer:
(remember that mass is not the same as weight)
Assuming that g =10 m/s2 , F = 50kg x 10 m/s2 = 500 N (weight)
A = 0.05 m2
P = F / A = 500 N / 0.05 m2 = 10000 N / m2

3) A jack is projected to lift a bus which has a mass of 4 000 kg. If

the large piston (the one that moves up in the animation) has an
14

area of 1 m2, and the small piston on the other end of the circuit
has an area of 0.05 m 2 , what is the minimum force that must be
applied (to the little piston) in order to lift the bus?
Answer: We want find out a force, which is given by : F = P x A . P
is the same in the whole circuit , and to do this exercise we don't
need to know its value so that we will simply call it P.
Lets call the force on the small piston F s and the force on the large
piston FL . Likewise, the area of the small piston will be called
A s and the area of the large piston A L. Because the pressure (P)
is the same in both pistons we can write:
Fs = A s x P
and
FL = A Lx P
We know the areas ( A s = 0.05 m2and A L= 1 m2), so that we can
substitute them in the equations:
Fs = 0.05 m2 x P
FL = 1 m2 x P

15

We have 2 equations and 2 unknowns. It is a system of equations.

From now on you will use your maths skills. You could even
pretend that you have x's and y's instead of F's , A's and P's , if it
makes things easier to you.
There are many ways to solve this system . We will do it by
dividing the top equation by the bottom one:

Fs / FL = 0.05 / 1
That is all (Remember that P / P = 1) .
So,
Fs / FL = 0.05
Rearranging:
Fs = 0.05 FL
In order to lift the bus , the force on the large piston (F L) must be al
least 40 000 N (because the mass of the bus is 4 000 kg). So,
Fs = 0.05 x 40 000

16

Fs = 2 000 N (Final answer)

This example illustrates how a small force can be multiplied many
times by using a hydraulic jack. This is the type of calculation that
mechanical engineers do.

17

The relationship between hydraulic pressure and

force

Pressure is the force per unit area exerted on a surface, divided by

the area of that surface.
Pressure = Force/Surface Area
Therefore hydraulic pressure is the force per unit area exerted by a
fluid on the surface within the container.
For the demonstration of the relationship between hydraulic
pressure and force, Sphaera's interactive interactive instructor-led
CBT products are simple yet effective. Buttons on screen provide
the instructor with full control over the amount of force applied
18

whilst pressure and force are clearly indicated numerically and

through use of colour.
Hydraulic Brakes

A simple interactive hydraulic braking system.

In a hydraulic braking system, the slave pistons have a larger area
than the master cylinder. Force applied to the master cylinder is
multiplied as the fluid exerts the resultant pressure on a greater
surface area.
To demonstrate the operation of a simple hydraulic braking
system, Sphaera's interactive classroom training aid is simple yet
effective. Buttons on screen provide the instructor with full control
over the amount of force applied whilst pressure and force are
clearly indicated through use of colour

19

Simple Hydraulic System

A simple hydraulic system

A simple hydraulic system such as that within a hydraulic jack
consists of two different sized cylinders connected by a pipe.
According to Pascal's Law, pressure exerted on the smaller piston
is transmitted through the fluid to act on internal surface of the
larger piston. Pressure is a property of the system (not the pistons)
and is therefore experienced equally by each piston. Because
each piston has a different surface area, the force exerted on each
piston will be different, even though the pressure is the same.
If the larger piston is twice the area of the smaller piston then the
force on the larger piston will be twice as great. In order to create
that extra force, the smaller piston has to be moved by twice the
distance.
It was this principle that was understood by Joseph Bramah when
he patented the Bramah Press in 1795

20

For the demonstration of how a simple hydraulic system works,

Sphaera's interactive instructor-led CBT is simple yet effective.
Buttons on screen provide the instructor with full control over the
amount of force applied whilst pressure and force are clearly
indicated numerically and through use of colour.
Hydraulic Swash Plate Pump

A constant displacement hydraulic swash plate pump

A constant displacement hydraulic pump uses a fixed swash plate
to drive a set of pistons in and out as they revolve.
At the top of their stroke, the pistons move over the inlet port and
draw in fluid at low pressure. The fluid is then carried round and
expelled through the outlet port at high pressure as the swash
plate drives the piston into the cylinder.
To demonstrate this principle, Sphaera's interactive hydraulic
swash plate pump features 8 revolving cylinders that provide a
21

clear indication of hydraulic pressure and flow. Operation can be

viewed at fast or slow speed.

A Frenchman

named

Pascal

discovered

that

a pressure

applied to any part of a confined fluid transmits to every other part

with no loss. The pressure acts with equal force on all equal areas
of the confining walls and perpendicular to the walls. Remember
when you are talking about the hydraulic machine, you are
talking about the way a liquid acts in a closed system of pipes and
cylinders. The action of a liquid under such conditions is somewhat
different from its behavior in open containers or in lakes, rivers, or
oceans. You also should keep in mind that you cannot compress
most liquids into a smaller space. Liquids dont give the way air
does when you apply pressure, nor do liquids expand when
you removepressure.Punch a hole in a tube of toothpaste. If you
pushdown at any point on the tube, the toothpaste comes outof the
hole. Your force has transmitted from one placeto another through
the toothpaste, which is a thick, liquidfluid. Figure 10-5 shows what
would happen if youpunched four holes in the tube. If you were to
press onthe tube at one point, the toothpaste would come out ofall
four holes. You have illustrated a basic principle ofhydraulic

22

machines. That is, a force applied on a liquidtransmits equally in

every direction to all parts of thecontainer.We use this principle in
the operation of four-wheelhydraulic automobile brakes. Figure 106 is a simplifieddrawing of this brake system. You push down on
thebrake pedal and force the piston in the master cylinderagainst
the fluid in that cylinder.

23

Pascal's Principle
Pressure is transmitted undiminished in an enclosed static fluid.

Any externally applied pressure is transmitted to all parts of the enclosed

fluid, making possible a large multiplication of force (hydraulic press
principle). The pressure at the bottom of the jug is equal to the externally
applied pressure on the top of the fluid plus the static fluid pressure from
the weight of the liquid.

24

Hydraulic Press

25

Automobile Hydraulic Lift

A hydraulic lift for automobiles is an example of a force multiplied
by hydraulic press, based on Pascal's principle. The fluid in the small
cylinder must be moved much further than the distance the car is lifted.

For example, if the lift cylinder were 25 cm in diameter and the small
cylinder were 1.25 cm in diameter, then the ratio of the areas is 400, so
the hydraulic press arrangement gives a multiplication of 400 times the
force. To lift a 6000 newton car, you would have to exert only 6000
N/400 = 15 N on the fluid in the small cylinder to lift the car. However, to
lift the car 10 cm, you would have to move the oil 400 x 10cm = 40
meters. This is practical by pumping oil into this small cylinder with a
small compressor.

26

Basics of Hydraulics
The question "What is hydraulics ?" can be answered in the
following way.
Hydraulics is the transmission and control of forces and motions
through the medium of fluids. Short and simple.
Hydraulic systems and equipment have wide-spread application
throughout industry.
For example:
- machine tool manufacturing
- press manufacturing
- plant construction
- vehicle manufacturing
- aircraft manufacturing
- shipbuilding
- injection molding machines
Prerequisites that hydraulics requires of the user and serviceman:
- knowledge of the basic physical laws of hydrostatics and
hydrodynamics
- knowledge of the symbols of hydraulic control elements

27

- knowledge of hydraulic circuit diagrams

- knowledge of the maintenance of a hydraulic system
Hydraulic to Electrical Analogy
Hydraulics and electrics are analogous, because they both deal
with flow, pressure and load. The components in each type of
circuit perform similar functions and therefore can be related, a few
examples are listed below:

Various forms of energy are converted to accomplish mechanical

movement in the injection molding machine. Electrical energy is
28

converted to mechanical energy, which in turn is converted to

hydraulic energy to operate and control the moving components of
the machine. The hydraulic energy is converted to mechanical
energy to achieve the final desired result, which may be "mold
clamping pressure" or "material injection". The figure above
summarizes the energy conversions for an injection molding
machine. Click on the thumbnail for a larger view.
Pascal's Law states that a pressure acting on a confined fluid is
transmitted equally and undiminished in all directions. In the figure
below, a 10 pound force acting on a 1 square inch area generates
a pressure of 10 pounds per square inch (psi) throughout the
container acting equally on all surfaces.

29

Pascal's Law

This principle is important to remember, that the pressure in any

portion of an hydraulic system is equal throughout that system.
This statement is valid with the omission of the force of gravity,
which would have to be added, according to the fluid level. Due to
the pressures that hydraulic systems operate at, this smaller
amount need not be considered e.g. a 32 foot head of water
approximately equals 14.5 psi. (a 10 meter head of water
approximately equals 1 bar.)

30

Force Transmission in Hydraulics

Area and Force

As the clamp piston is moved forward during the clamp close
function, the pressure developed acts upon the clamping piston
which has a certain size or area.

31

A basic formula in hydraulics states that pressure multiplied by

area to which that pressure is applied equals force. i.e. pressure x
area = force
p xA= F
The formula can be manipulated to calculate any one of the three
variables p, A or F, if any of the other two variables are known.
As follows:
p xA= F
F/p=A
32

F / A= p

Pressure
Hydraulic pressure is generated when a flowing fluid meets
resistance which is generally related to the load that is being
moved.

A force is applied via the lever to produce system pressure (p =

F/A

or

A).

If more force is applied, the system pressure rises until the load
moves, if the load remains constant the pressure will increase no
further. The load can therefore be moved if the necessary pressure
is generated. The speed at which the load moves will be
dependent upon the volume of fluid which is fed to the load
cylinder. For example, as the mold is opening or closing, the
33

pressure generated in the system represents the resistance of the

toggle lever to movement. Adding to that resistance would be the
weight (i.e. mass) of the mold and toggle lever and also the friction
between the toggle lever bushings and the tie bars. When the two
mold halves touch and the toggle begins to straighten out, the
increasing pressure represents that which is required to stretch the
tiebars in the generation of a particular clamp force. Similarly when
injecting material into the mold the pressure generated in the
injection system represents the resistance of the injection ram to
movement. Adding to that resistance would be the mass of the
injection ram and screw, the friction between all moving
components and the resistance of the plastic melt as it is forced
quickly into the mold cavity.
Pressure Control
In order to safeguard the system, pressure relief valves are
installed. The valves serve to limit the amount of pressure that can
develop in the hydraulic system since the various hydraulic
components are expensive and they are subject to pressure
limitations before failure occurs. One characteristic of fluid flow that
is important to note here is that flow occurs always in the path of

34

least resistance. Pressure would continue to rise in the circuit

consistent with the load being moved. The pressure relief valve is
always set to allow flow to travel through the relief valve well
before pressure rises above safe levels and causes damage to the
system and its components. In other words, the path of least
resistance is employed here to safeguard the system after the
other movements have taken place.

35

Pressure

Override

An extremely important concept to understand about pressure

relief valves is their pressure override characteristics. Pressure
override is the difference between the pressure at which the relief
valve just starts to crack open and the pressure at the full open
position. For direct acting pressure relief valves this pressure
differential can be as high as 30% and proportional pressure relief
valves range from 10% - 20%.

36

Pressure Intensification
Another important concept to keep in mind is that of pressure
intensification. This law of hydraulics is often forgotten when
troubleshooting hydraulic circuits.

For example, if two pistons of different size are connected by a

rod, the pressure existing on the smaller area will always be
greater. This principle also applies to the cap side and the rod side
of a normal double acting piston.
If P1 = 1,000 psi and A1 = 10 square inches, then F1 = 10,000
pounds of force.
If F1 = 10,000 pounds of force and if A2 = 5 square inches, then
P2 = 2,000 psi.

37

Speed in Hydraulics
The speed of a hydraulic component can be calculated based on
the formula below:

For example, given the conditions below the injection piston,

therefore the screw, will move at 3.85 inches per second. However,
this speed will not be possible if the pressure relief valve opens.

Hydrodynamics
As well as understanding the concept of speed in hydraulics, it is
38

also important to have some insight into flow characteristics. For

example, the drawing below shows that when oil is flowing through
different diameter pipes an equal volume flows in an equal unit of
time. If that is true and if the shaded quantity Q1 equals
the shaded quantity Q2, then velocity V2 must be greater than
velocity V1.

As the diameter of the pipe decreases, the flow rate will increase.
Specifically, if the pipe diameter decreases by one half in the
direction of oil flow, the cross sectional area will decrease by four
times, and visa versa. Oil flow velocity through different pipe sizes
can be calculated using the formula:

39

The same gallons per minute will have to travel 4 times faster
through the smaller pipe.
Another important concept in hydrodynamics is how fluids flow
based on certain critical flow speeds or as the result of meeting
restrictions to flow such as bends in the pipe or system
components.

One goal in the initial design of hydraulic power transmission

systems is to encourage laminar flow as much as possible since
an increase in turbulence will increase flow resistance and
hydraulic losses as well. The diagram below illustrates the concept
of turbulent flow

40

Although turbulent flow is wasteful in most hydraulic applications, it

is desirable to have turbulence in the oil flow as it travels through
the heat exchanger for cooling purposes. If turbulence exists as
the oil flows through the heat exchanger, more of the oil molecules
come into contact with the heat exchanger cooling tubes and more
efficient cooling is the result.
Directional

Control

One of the main advantages of hydraulic based systems is that the

oil flow direction is easily controlled. The drawing below shows a
piston being extended, held stationary and then retracted, simply
by changing the position of a directional valve. Even though the
drawing is simple in nature, it still demonstrates the principle
involved in directional control. In addition to simple directional
control valves, we also employ proportional directional control

41

valves on some machines to control the clamp opening and

closing function

Working

42

Syringe Hydraulic Arm

Hydraulics is used in many applications we see or use every day.

The brakes in an automobile or the lift on the bucket of a tractor
are two very common applications. We can experiment with simple
hydraulics using plastic syringes for cylinders and small plastic
tubing for the hydraulic hose. One definition I read for hydraulics
was, the movement of pressurized liquids through confined
spaces.
Like working with gears, pulleys, or levers; a mechanical
advantage can be realized by using different size cylinders on the

43

end of the hydraulic connections. By trading distance moved with

the amount of force the advantage is realized.

Moving the larger cylinder between 1 mark moved the smaller

cylinder 2 marks.

44

Hydraulic cylinders for lifting and tilting bucket are easily seen in
this tractor my father constructed.

Testimonial to Popularity of the Project

Sandy Gady 7th and 8th grade Math,Science, Design and
Engineering teacher
I have done the hydraulic arms with the syringes, they are so cool
its beyond description. I used to do them when I taught 6th grade
in a small town. We had lots of retired people with saws, so they
would cut up the wood we needed. I then enlisted several of them
to come into the classroom and we taught kids how to use drills,
screwdrivers and hammers to assemble the finished project. In the
end, they had a hydraulic arm that moved in three directions. Ive
had contact with some of these students since, and many of them
still have their hydraulic arms 20 years later. They still beam with
pride when they talk about them. Cost of materials, about $5.00.
Educational value, priceless.

45

Gathering the Parts Together

The tubing I used was the type used for aquarium airlines. Fuel
line

for

model

glow

engines

would

work

but is more

expensive. There could be medical sources also.

46

Syringes can be purchased where farm supplies are sold. I used

the 12cc size as the pump and the 6cc size as the actuator
cylinder.

I used one flat washer on the pivot point of the gripper part of the
arm, not sure it is needed

47

8/32 Machine screws were used to hold clamps on and for pivot
points.

I used these copper plated tube straps to fasten the actuators

(syringes) to the wood.

48

The upright part of the arm is a furring strip. This inexpensive wood
is used when installing drywall.

49

For the horizontal part of the arm, I used 5/8 square stock that
comes in 36 lengths. Normally found next to the round dowels.

Two sizes of craft sticks are used in this project, one on top is the
size of a tongue depressor and the bottom one is the size of a
Popsicle stick.

50

The base can be made from scrap boards also, best to pick out the
better boards as some are warped. This board was labeled as 1 x
6 but true dimension was smaller.

51

Making Up the Parts

Normally I am making up kits for a class, so I will get all the parts
fabricated first. That way few tools are needed to complete the
project and it is safer for them not having to use saws or drills.

52

Straighten the bend in the straps with a pliers.

The straps should look like this after 90 degree bends have been
removed.

53

Cut the furring strip to 8 in length

54

Cut the 5/8 square stock to 11 in length.

55

Cut 1 from both ends of craft stick, the ends are used for building
gripper parts and the center is used to connect syringe to
pushrods.

Gripper pads are long cut from smaller craft stick material.

56

A right triangle is cut from scrap wood that is at least thick.

The long side is 1 long and shorter side is long.

These are the wood parts needed before drilling the holes. The
small triangle piece can be made from a scrap piece of wood.

57

Construction

Drill holes for bearing pieces on the boom, I drilled both pieces
together

Bearing pieces after drilling the two holes at once.

58

Drilling the two holes on boom to mount the actuator (syringe).

There is also a hole at the far right that is the pivot for this portion
of the arm

Drilling hole at end for gripper assembly, this is drilled 90 degrees

from the other holes.

59

Hole for strap on the main support is close to the edge so be

especially careful when drilling.

Larger holes on the ends are pivot point and smaller holes in the
middle is where pushrod attaches.

60

The pushrods for the gripper section can be made from paper clips
that are straightened. Bend the curves out with your fingers and
further straighten with a pliers.

One end of the pushrods will attach to the wood by making two 90
degree bends in the wire. Pictures shows the first bend, for this
bending a needle nose pliers is needed.

61

Make another bend a short distance from the previous bend in the
opposite direction.

This is what the pushrod should look like, two will be needed. I was
going to use music wire which is stiffer but it is also harder to bend.

62

Plastic tubing to be used at a bearing for the wire pushrod can be

cut from the tubing in a pen.

63

Putting it Together - It is at this point that the students would start

assembling the parts that had been fabricated.

Mounting the actuator to lift the arm. I find it easier to test the fit of
all pieces before gluing the wood wedge.

64

Actuator to lift the boom is securely strapped at the correct angle. I

should have mounted this slightly higher.

65

The straps need to be pulled over the syringe very tight so that it
does not shift when pressure is applied.

Using two nuts tightened against each other should allow the nut
to the inside to have a small gap from the wood and not come off.
The two thin pieces of wood need to turn freely on the bolt.
66

To position the two craft sticks that will be part of arm bearing
make sure that the arm will come down to where the actuator is
almost pushed in.

Also make sure the arm can swing upwards without the binding at
the hinge location.

67

There needs to be enough room inside the joint so the arm can
move up and down

Syringe actuator in extended position should lift arm above

horizontal position.

68

I built the two halves of the gripper using Ducocement so I used

clothespin to hold parts together while glue dries when possible.

The pads are added next, no real way to clamp it but the Duco is
sticky at the start and tends to hold pieces together.

69

Note washer on the bolt at the pivot point should help the wood
parts move easier. Do not tighten the head of the bolt down too
tight, the parts must be free to move easily.

Plastic tubes attach one end of the pushrods to the syringe

actuator.

70

The wood piece with plastic tubes is glued to the end of the
syringe actuator. Hot glue holds fairly well or you can use small
wood screws to attach the wood to the end of the syringe.

Bring the gripper plates together, pull the actuator out to almost full
extension, and insert the pushrod ends with the 90 degree bends
into the small holes.

71

Bend the wire 90 degrees downward into the plastic tubes.

72

Carefully bend the wire back so the pushrods do not fall out. I was
going to use music wire which would have been stiffer but the
paper clip material is much easier to bend.

73

Mark the center of the base and glue the upright portion of the arm
to the base. I used hot glue for this and held it for a couple of
minutes to make sure it was hard.

Cut off two lengths of the plastic tubing at least 12 inches long for
each.

74

Push the tubing on the syringe where the needle would normally
attach. If the fit of the tubing is too loose, stretch the ends of the
tubing while heating it will shrink the tubing at the ends. Too much
heat is not good, just enough to shrink the tube slightly for a tighter
fit on the syringe.

Actuator for gripper attached to boom. It must be placed at the

correct spot so amount of travel is correct for the gripper.

75

Attach one end of the other piece of tubing to the lower syringe.

Attach the larger 12 cc syringes to the opposite ends of the plastic

tubing.

76

Filling the Cylinders

Part of the key to success with this project is getting as many of
the

air

bubbles

out

of

the

lines

as

possible.

In

automobile brake lines this is known as bleeding the brakes. I am

not

sure

have

the

best

procedure

for

this

but I will give some suggestions.

Bring the actuator cylinder plunger down, pull the line off and pull
in

some

water

into

the

line

with

the

larger

cylinder.

Put the line back on the small cylinder and push water into
it. When it is full, turn the actuator cylinder upside down
so the water does not drain out.

The next steps are to pull water into the large syringe and line,
repeating this until the air bubbles are gone. No doubt it will take
several strokes of pulling water through and pushing some of it out
until the bubbles are gone.

77

Small actuator cylinder with water to top of syringe end when

positioned upside down.

I found that even after shrinking the ends of the tubing, some
people were pulling the syringes off so I am taping the connections
after the line is full of water.

78

If glue is not holding the small piece of wood to the end the
syringe, two small wood screws into the plastic should hold.

79

We have designed the hydraulic arm that has four

movements .

All the movements are hydraulic operated and uses

25 ML cylinders .

Except for the one grab & release movement which

uses 10ml cylinder as it is a very small and delicate
movement.

This hydraulic arm can grab a object and place it

wherever you want inside its circle of reach.

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Raw Materials Used

1. Syringes (as hydraulic cylinders)
2. Water (as hydraulic fluid)
3. Plywood sticks (for basic structure)
4. 2mm pipes (for hydraulic transmission)
5. Nuts & bolts
6. Insulation tapes
7. Files ( for cutting the plywood)
8. Glue/ m-seal/fevi quick
9. Red & black tape
10.

Hard wood ( for lower frame)

81

Fabrication Process
11.

In the fabrication of hydraulic arm the

following things were kept in mind:

12.

Each part should withstand the load this

hydraulic arm is meant to carry.

13.

The hydraulic cylinders must not leak

while operating the arm.

14.

All the moving parts move unrestricted

and frictional hindrance should be kept low.

15.
16.

Each part should be removable as to

make it repair friendly.

17.

The grab & release function should be

powerful enough to hold the desired load .

18.

The lower frame should not vibrate or

get misbalanced while arm is under operation.

82

19.

The control cylinders should be so fixed

that they can be easily used without distorting

the over all structure of the arm.
20.

The most important and unique

function that is the rotational

movement

should be performed with hydraulics not with

motors or mechanically.
21.

All the cylinders should be fixed at an

optimal distance as to take full mechanical

advantage.

83

Basic lower frame under fabrication

STAGE 2
Fabrication of vertical support
The vertical support is the main foundation for the arm as
it holds the whole arm an raises it above the ground, and
most importantly provides the rotational motion to the
arm.
The vertical support is mounted on the lower frame with a
roller disc that is free to move rotationally only.
It is tightened with the help of nuts and bolts on the roller
disc and in between it a special place is made to mount
the cylinder which will be used to raise the arm vertically.

84

Stage 3
assembling of horizontal arm
Two parallel plywood strips are cut equally and hand
drilled

to fit into the place provided on the vertical

support.
Another set of holes are drilled on them some distance
apart to fix the moving piston from the cylinder to
transmit motion.
At the end of this horizontal arm another set of holes are
drilled so that the final grab & release arm can be fixed.
The dimensions of these arms must match each other so
that the movement dont get disturbed .
Rotatory movement is the specialty of this hydraulic arm
because in this arm we have used hydraulic power to
operate the rotatory section.
Even in the high tech hydraulic arms motors are used to
deliver power to the rotatory section.

85

Like

in

case

of

cranes

&

other

construction

and

manufacturing machines only motors are used to deliver

motion to the rotatory part.
But we have designed this arm to be operated fully with
hydraulic power so we have used a roller disc on the base
of vertical support and that roller disc is connected to the
cylinder mounted on the frame base, when the pressure is
applied the piston moves outwards and pushes the roller
disc which then moves in a circular direction giving arm its
rotatory motion.

86

Advantages of using hydraulic power to operate the

rotatory system:

1. Less energy & power consumption.

2. Easy to craft.
Minimum mechanical constraints & moving parts .

87

DISADVANTAGES :
1. Limited movements possible.
2. Cant

work

efficiently

when

high

power

required.
3. Requires regular rectification.
4. Control unit & final touch
5. After all the fabrication is done the cylinders
are filled with the working fluid in this case its
water.
6.
7.

All the controlling cylinders are fixed on the

basic frame .
8. After this the last decoration work is done to
make the arm

presentable.

88

Pascal's law
Continuum mechanics

The effects of Pascal's law, as Pascal discovered in his 1646

barrel experiment
Pascal's

law or

the principle

of

transmission

of

fluid-

pressure is a principle in fluid mechanics that states that pressure

exerted anywhere in a confined incompressible fluid is transmitted
equally in all directions throughout the fluid such that the pressure

89

ratio (initial difference) remains the same. [1] The law was
established by French mathematician Blaise Pascal.[2]
Definition
Pascal's principle is defined
A change in pressure at any point in an enclosed fluid at rest is
transmitted undiminished to all points in the fluid
This principle is stated mathematically as:

where
is the hydrostatic pressure (given in pascals in the SI
system), or the difference in pressure at two points within a
fluid column, due to the weight of the fluid;
is the fluid density (in kilograms per cubic meter in the SI
system);
g is acceleration due to gravity (normally using the sea level
acceleration due to Earth's gravity inmetres per second
squared);
is the height of fluid above the point of measurement, or
the difference in elevation between the two points within the
fluid column (in metres in SI).
90

The intuitive explanation of this formula is that the

change in pressure between two elevations is due
to the weight of the fluid between the elevations.
Note that the variation with height does not depend
on any additional pressures. Therefore Pascal's
law can be interpreted as saying that any change
in pressure applied at any given point of the fluid is
transmitted undiminished throughout the fluid.
[edit]Explanation
If a U-tube is filled with water and pistons are
placed at each end, pressure exerted against the
left piston will be transmitted throughout the liquid
and against the bottom of the right piston. (The
pistons are simply "plugs" that can slide freely but
snugly inside the tube.) The pressure that the left
piston exerts against the water will be exactly equal
to the pressure the water exerts against the right
piston. Suppose the tube on the right side is made
wider and a piston of a larger area is used; for
example, the piston on the right has 50 times the
area of the piston on the left. If a 10 kg load is
91

placed on the left piston, an additional pressure

(nearly 1 N/cm2) due to the weight of the load is
transmitted throughout the liquid and up against the
larger

piston.

The

between force and pressure is

difference
important:

the

additional pressure is exerted against every square

centimeter of the larger piston. Since there is 50
times the area, 50 times as much force is exerted
on the larger piston. Thus, the larger piston will
support a 500 kg load - fifty times the load on the
smaller piston.
Forces can be multiplied using such a device.
One newton input produces 50 newtons output. By
further increasing the area of the larger piston (or
reducing the area of the smaller piston), forces can
be multiplied, in principle, by any amount. Pascal's
principle underlies the operation of the hydraulic
press. The hydraulic press does not violate energy
conservation, because a decrease in distance
moved compensates for the increase in force.
When the small piston is moved downward 10
92

centimeters, the large piston will be raised only

one-fiftieth of this, or 0.2 centimeters. The input
force multiplied by the distance moved by the
smaller piston is equal to the output force multiplied
by the distance moved by the larger piston; this is
one more example of a simple machine operating
on the same principle as a mechanical lever.
Pascal's principle applies to all fluids, whether
gases or liquids. A typical application of Pascal's
principle for gases and liquids is the automobile lift
seen in many service stations (the hydraulic jack).
Increased air pressure produced by an air
compressor is transmitted through the air to the
surface of oil in an underground reservoir. The oil,
in turn, transmits the pressure to a piston, which
lifts the automobile. The relatively low pressure that
exerts the lifting force against the piston is about
the same as the air pressure in automobile tires.
Hydraulics is employed by modern devices ranging
from very small to enormous. For example, there

93

are hydraulic pistons in almost all construction

machines where heavy loads are involved.
]Applications
The siphon
The

underlying

principle

of

the hydraulic

jack and hydraulic press

Force amplification in the braking system of
most motor vehicles.
Used in artesian wells, water towers, and dams.
Scuba divers must understand this principle. At
a depth of 10 meters under water, pressure is
twice the atmospheric pressure at sea level, and
increases by about 100 kPa for each increase of
10 m depth.

94

Hydraulic systems use a incompressible fluid, such as oil or water,

to transmit forces from one location to another within the fluid.
Most aircraft use hydraulics in the braking systems and landing
gear. Pneumatic systems use compressible fluid, such as air, in
their operation. Some aircraft utilize pneumatic systems for their
brakes, landing gear and movement of flaps.
Pascal's law states that when there is an increase in pressure
at any point in a confined fluid, there is an equal increase at
every other point in the container.
A container, as shown below, contains a fluid. There is an increase
in pressure as the length of the column of liquid increases, due to
the increased mass of the fluid above.
For example, in the figure below, P3 would be the highest value of
the three pressure readings, because it has the highest level of
fluid above it.

95

If the above container had an increase in overall pressure, that

same added pressure would affect each of the gauges (and the
liquid throughout) the same. For example P1, P2, P3 were
originally 1, 3, 5 units of pressure, and 5 units of pressure were
added to the system, the new readings would be 6, 8, and 10.
Applied to a more complex system below, such as a hydraulic car
lift, Pascal's law allows forces to be multiplied. The cylinder on the
left shows a cross-section area of 1 square inch, while the cylinder
on the right shows a cross-section area of 10 square inches. The
cylinder on the left has a weight (force) on 1 pound acting
downward on the piston, which lowers the fluid 10 inches. As a
result of this force, the piston on the right lifts a 10 pound weight a
distance of 1 inch.

96

The 1 pound load on the 1 square inch area causes an increase in

pressure on the fluid in the system. This pressure is distributed
equally throughout and acts on every square inch of the 10 square
inch area of the large piston. As a result, the larger piston lifts up a
10 pound weight. The larger the cross-section area of the second
piston, the larger the mechanical advantage, and the more weight
it lifts.

The formulas that relate to this are shown below:

P1 = P2 (since the pressures are equal throughout).
Since pressure equals force per unit area, then it follows that
F1/A1 = F2/A2

97

It can be shown by substitution that the values shown above are

correct,
1 pound / 1 square inches = 10 pounds / 10 square inches
Because the volume of fluid pushed down on the left side equals
the volume of fluid that is lifted up on the right side, the following
formula is also true.
V1 = V2
by substitution,
A1 D1 = A2 D2
A = cross sectional area
D = the distance moved
or
A1/A2= D2/D1
This system can be thought of as a simple machine (lever), since
force is multiplied.The mechanical advantage can be found by
rearranging terms in the above equation to

98

99

Mechanical Advantage(IMA) = D1/D2 = A2/A1

For the sample problem above, the IMA would be 10:1 (10 inches/
1 inch or 10 square inches / 1 square inch).

100

REFERENCES

R . K. Bansal
(Fluid mechanics & fluid machines, laxmi
publications)
D . S. Kumar
(Fluid mechanics & fluid power engineering,
s.kkataria& sons)
V .P . Gupta
(Hydraulic machines, cbs publishers)
Research papers by the students of MIT (Massachusetts
institute of technology) (available on internet)

101