Abstract: The historical progress of fluid power transmission and control technology is reviewed, and present situation of hydraulic technology during late1990s is summarized. The hydraulic technology is the selection of multi-discipline, which has the character of the integrative system of machinery, electronic and hydraulic devices. And the hydraulic technology combines computer technology to make more progresses in system design, control, fault diagnosis, virtual reality of the hydraulic technology. Finally its development trend is forecasted, which is focusing on its environmental protection, the integration, modularization, intelligence and networking of components and hydraulic circuits and applications of the new materials.

Key words: Fluid power transmission and control, Future expectation, Historical review, Present situation