Electrohydraulic drives are primarily used whenever a low power/weight ratio, a compact build and/or large forces are required for individual applications. These drives are often used together with electric drive technology in machines. However, in terms of automation, unlike electric drives, electrohydraulic drives are still largely connected via analog interfaces and centralized closed control loops today. To compensate for this competitive disadvantage of hydraulic drive technology and, at the same time, significantly enhance its performance and diagnostics capability, a consistent automation solution has been developed that can be configured for both centralized and decentralized solutions. This contribution firstly gives an overview over this complete solution already available and its classification in the automation world. In a second step, the subset of decentralized drive solutions contained therein is presented in more detail and their benefits are explained on the basis of some exemplary applications.

Electrohydraulic drives are primarily used whenever a low power/weight ratio, a compact build and/or large forces are required for individual applications. These drives are often used together with electric drive technology in machines. However, in terms of automation, unlike electric drives, electrohydraulic drives are still largely connected via analog interfaces and centralized closed control loops today. To compensate for this competitive disadvantage of hydraulic drive technology and, at the same time, significantly enhance its performance and diagnostics capability, a consistent automation solution has been developed that can be configured for both centralized and decentralized solutions. This contribution firstly gives an overview over this complete solution already available and its classification in the automation world. In a second step, the subset of decentralized drive solutions contained therein is presented in more detail and their benefits are explained on the basis of some exemplary applications.