Downsize Your Drive, Not Your Power: The A3V Pump Changes the Sustainability Equation

For years, the path to sustainability in industrial hydraulics seemed to involve trade-offs. Gaining energy efficiency often meant complex system designs or accepting limitations. But what if you could achieve massive energy savings while also reducing investment costs, simplifying your machine build, and improving performance?

This is the new reality made possible by the Bosch Rexroth A3V pump platform, a highly efficient, high-speed variable displacement pump designed specifically for modern, speed-controlled industrial applications.

The Speed-to-Torque Revolution

The fundamental principle behind the A3V is a game-changer for machine design. In a speed-variable pump system, the required motor torque is directly related to the pump’s displacement and speed. By designing the A3V to operate reliably at exceptionally high speeds—up to 4000 rpm—we’ve flipped the traditional design equation.

This higher speed allows the pump to achieve the same flow rate with a smaller displacement, which in turn reduces the required motor torque by up to 30%.

What does this mean for you?

  • Downsize Your Motor: You can now use a smaller, less expensive servo motor.
  • Reduce Drive Costs: A smaller motor often allows for a smaller, more cost-effective converter.
  • Eliminate Liquid Cooling: In many cases, the smaller servo motor can be air-cooled, eliminating the cost and complexity of water-cooling circuits.

The result is a direct reduction in both initial investment cost and long-term operating costs.

Efficiency You Can Measure (And Hear)

The A3V platform isn’t just fast; it’s a new benchmark for efficiency in medium-pressure hydraulics. With a total efficiency of up to 93%—five percentage points higher than previous generations—it minimizes energy losses during operation. For cyclic applications like injection molding or presses, this can translate to overall energy savings of up to 80% compared to constant-speed systems.

We also engineered the A3V for quieter operation. Its design significantly reduces pressure pulsation, a primary source of hydraulic noise. This leads to a quieter machine, a more comfortable working environment, and less vibrational stress on the entire system.

Built for the Future of Hydraulic Drives

The A3V platform is purpose-built for the demands of modern electro-hydraulic systems.

  • Recuperation Ready: In applications like lowering a lifting platform or counter-holding a die cushion, the A3V can act as a motor, driving the servo motor as a generator to feed power back into the grid or intermediate circuit.
  • Unlimited Start/Stop: Designed for highly cyclic applications, it has no restrictions on start/stop cycles or prolonged pressure holding.
  • Dynamic and Variable: The combination of variable displacement and variable speed allows the system to achieve any operating state with optimized energy use, from high-flow movements to high-pressure holding with minimal torque.

The Smart Choice for Sustainable Hydraulics

The A3V pump platform proves that sustainability and cost-efficiency can go hand-in-hand. By enabling the downsizing of core drive components while delivering best-in-class performance, it represents the next generation of intelligent, medium-pressure industrial hydraulics.

Ready to rethink your drive train? Contact your CMAFH representative to see how the A3V can power your next machine.

CMA/Flodyne/Hydradyne is an authorized Bosch Rexroth distributor in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Northern Indiana.

In addition to distribution, we design and fabricate complete engineered systems, including hydraulic power units, electrical control panels, pneumatic panels & aluminum framing. Our advanced components and system solutions are found in a wide variety of industrial applications such as wind energy, solar energy, process control and more.

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