COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN OF PORT PLATE FOR MICRO-HYDRAULIC AXIAL PISTON MACHINE AND PERFORMANCE TESTS ON IT.

Computer-Aided Design of a port plate of a microhydraulic axial piston machine is done. Computer optimisation is used to dimension the port plate. Importance of having an optimum gap height between the port plate and the cylinder block has been taken into account. The characteristics are measured on a pump fitted with the designed port plate. The effect of changes of each main operating condition on the variation of gap height and power loss at the port plate-cylinder block interface is reported. An automatic regulation of the gap height at all operating conditions yielding minimum power loss is achieved. A new approach to displacement control of micro-hydraulic axial piston pumps is suggested wherein a combination of speed and swash angle variations is used.