Introduction

=Introduction= Fluid power deals with the generation, control and transmission of power through the use of pressurised fluids (liquid or gas). Fluid power has become the muscle of the industrial revolution without it the industry could not be the same as the fluid power steers and brake automobiles, aid in the launch of spacecraft, moves earth, mines coal and other minerals, drives machine tools (lathes, CNC machines), control airplanes (ailerons, rudder, control systems), processes food, and moves earth for the building and infrastructure industry.

One important aspect to remember is that since a fluid can be either a liquid or a gas, fluid power is actually the terminology used for hydraulics and pneumatics. Hydraulic systems use liquids such as petroleum oils, water, and synthetic oils, whilst pneumatic systems use air as the gas medium because air is abundant and can be readily exhausted into the atmosphere after finishing its assigned task.