From Alloy to Application: Engineering Materials for High-Load Applications

Host Eric Lanke welcomes Ehren Polheber, corporate fluid power engineer at Scot Forge, to discuss how material science and selection affect hydraulic systems and fluid power component manufacturing. Polheber shares his 22-year fluid power background and 14-year tenure designing and troubleshooting large forging equipment, and explains that correct material grades and heat treatments are critical to avoid catastrophic failures under high loads while enabling lightweight designs in mobile equipment. He outlines a selection process based on applied loads, operating conditions (fatigue, temperature, corrosion), trade-offs (strength, machinability), and cost of ownership, noting that supplier-customer collaboration is essential. The episode compares casting and forging: castings offer near-net complex shapes at lower cost, while forgings reduce porosity and align grain flow for high-stress, mission-critical hydraulic applications. Subscribe to the Fluid Power Forum today to never miss an episode. The podcast is available on all of your favorite podcast platforms, including YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeart Radio.   Connect with our host, Eric Lanke, at [email protected].   Connect with our guest, Ehren Polheber, at [email protected].   Learn more about the company at www.scotforge.com.   Find and share more interesting fluid power technologies and unique applications using #onlyfluidpowercan and follow podcast and other fluid power industry-related updates at @TheNFPA.   #FluidPowerForum #EngineeringExcellence #SystemOptimization #MaterialScienceJourney