Flow Meter

Traditional hydraulic testing is dangerous, inefficient, and reliant on analogue tools. Technicians must manually control load and record readings while standing within hazardous machine operating zones, potential exposing them to fluid injection. Our challenge was to eliminate “live work” while maintaining accurate, high-pressure and high-flow testing capability in a portable form. This required balancing conflicting requirements: delivering up to 600 bar and high flow rates while keeping the device compact and practical for field use. Additional constraints included limited time to market, reliance on proven hydraulic components, and the need to integrate reliable wireless control and digital data capture.

The Flow Meter transforms a traditionally manual, hazardous process into a fully remote, digital system. The solution integrates a wireless control architecture, enabling technicians to operate the hydraulic load and capture data from up to 100m away. A key milestone was the implementation of an electro-hydraulic loading system, allowing precise remote control while maintaining reliability and safety.One of the roadblocks was balancing high pressure and flow requirements with portability. This was resolved through a compact, integrated manifold and a cartridge-style flow meter. The final design combines hydraulic components with custom electronics, delivering a safe and efficient user-friendly testing platform.

The Flow Meter delivers strong commercial, environmental, and societal impact by improving safety, efficiency, and decision-making in heavy industry. It removes technicians from hazardous environments, aligning with strict safety standards and reducing risk exposure. Operationally, it increases testing efficiency by up to 700%, lowering labour costs and improving machine uptime. Environmentally, faster diagnostics reduce idle running and fuel consumption, while durable, serviceable design extends product lifespan and minimises waste. Commercially, it strengthens SafeGauge’s market position by offering a high-value, differentiated solution. Overall, the Flow Meter sets a new standard for safer, more efficient, and data-driven industrial maintenance practices.

The Flow Meter combines industrial design, digital integration, and engineering innovation into a cohesive, purpose-built system. At its core is a fully wireless architecture, enabling remote control of hydraulic load and real-time monitoring of pressure, flow, and temperature via a tablet interface. This is supported by a two-stage electro-hydraulic loading system, allowing precise and reliable control under high-pressure conditions.The physical design is driven by functionality and durability. A custom enclosure made from glass-filled polycarbonate provides impact, chemical, and vibration resistance, while housing a 16kg integrated manifold. The bottom-heavy geometry and base chamfers improve stability and prevent toppling during operation. Ergonomic considerations include a central carry handle and balanced weight distribution for safe handling.Flat surfaces and recessed fasteners ensure compatibility with tools and fittings, improving usability in tight working conditions.Additional features include a swappable, widely available tool battery for minimal downtime, an internal bypass system to prevent overpressure damage without consumables, and a fully serviceable design to extend product lifespan and reduce waste.User interaction is enhanced through a cab-facing LED panel for quick visual feedback, and a digital interface that enables data logging, live graphing, and PDF report generation.