R&D Centre in Wadowice

The Wadowice branch of the Research and Development Centre mainly deals with power hydraulics elements, focusing its activities on PONAR Wadowice S.A. products, with a particular emphasis on directional control valves and hydraulic valves. Within the individual R&D departments, new functional variants are developed and tested, enabling the improvement of operating parameters such as maximum working pressure, flow rate, and the ability to operate in extreme environmental conditions (such as extreme temperatures, humidity, and dust levels).

Technical Facilities

The plant features a modern, constantly modernised machinery park, complemented by technical facilities used for conducting trials and testing hydraulic elements. The R&D Centre is equipped with, among other things, a test rig for hydraulic pumps, a special chamber for testing components at high temperatures, and equipment enabling the study of the impact of vibrations.

Advanced Flow Simulations

PONAR Wadowice S.A. uses the latest software in its work, including tools that enable advanced flow simulations within hydraulic elements. The software used in the R&D Centre’s work includes: ANSYS/Fluent/CFX (for flow simulations), Matlab/SIMULINK, INVENTOR ULTIMATE (for FEA strength calculations), ALTIUM DESIGN (for designing electronic circuits and PCBs), and Data Acquisition.

A fluid dynamics simulation showing pressure contours and flow lines in a pipe system. Color gradient indicates pressure variations.

Tests in extreme temperatures

Our products undergo testing in special chambers simulating conditions prevailing in extreme temperatures. These test rigs make it possible to recreate the actual operating conditions of a given device and allow for precise measurements of all its operating parameters. Directional control valves and hydraulic valves are most frequently subjected to such tests.