LCM and RWT develop CPS valve to market maturity

Joint technology development from Upper Austria saves up to 30 percent energy

A collaboration between the Linz Center of Mechatronics (LCM) and the tool technology company RWT from Rußbach shows how high-tech research and industrial practice can go hand in hand. Together, the two companies have brought a new type of hydraulic valve – the CPS valve (Cybernetic Proportional System) – to market maturity. This innovative system not only significantly reduces energy consumption, but also simplifies the design of hydraulic systems.

The CPS valve developed by RWT and LCM requires significantly fewer components and cables than conventional systems. According to test results from the Johannes Kepler University Linz, energy savings of at least 30 percent can be achieved through an intelligent energy recovery concept that uses the load of the movement in excavators or agricultural machinery, for example.

“Especially in times of high energy prices and increasing sustainability requirements, this is a big step forward,” emphasizes Reinhard Thor, Managing Director of RWT. Together with Andreas Plöckinger from the Linz Center of Mechatronics, the system was developed from the concept phase to the application-ready solution. The valve could be used in various areas in the future – for example in construction machinery, agricultural machinery, wind turbines, aircraft or ships.

The market launch is planned for 2026. This once again demonstrates how interdisciplinary research and applied technology development in Upper Austria can lead to sustainable and internationally competitive innovations.