Abstract: Actuator control system and method comprising an electric motor driving a hydraulic pump in fluid delivery communication with a source of hydraulic fluid; a variable speed controller operatively coupled to the motor for driving the pump at variable speeds; an external hydraulic actuator in fluid delivery communication with the pump for receiving pressurized fluid flow from the pump; and a feedback loop operatively coupled from the motor to the controller for providing feedback signals correlative to a pressure of the pressurized fluid flow through the driven pump for driving the external hydraulic actuator in response to the feedback signals for providing electronic velocity and force control of actuation of the external hydraulic actuator. The actuator control system and method can operate on one or many high-pressure hydraulic linear and/or rotary actuators on different pieces of hydraulically driven equipment and with different velocity requirements actuating in different directions.

Abstract: A titanium aluminide turbine blade (10) includes an aerofoil (12), a platform (14) and a root (16). A protective coating (2) is applied to the aerofoil (12) and the platform (14) of the turbine blade (10). The protective coating (2) comprises austenitic stainless steel. A chromium oxide layer (22) is formed on the protective coating (2). The protective coating (20) and chromium oxide layer (22) provides oxidation and sulphidation resistance for the titanium aluminide article (10).