A direct drive pump works like a car’s engine. A motor turns a crankshaft attached to 3 or more offset pistons. As the crankshaft turns, the pistons reciprocate in their respective cylinders, creating pressure in the water. Pressure and flow rate are determined by how fast the motor turns the crankshaft.

Direct drive pumps cycle much faster than intensifiers, on the order of 1750 revolutions per minute. Direct drive pumps generally are found in lower pressure applications (i.e. 55,000 pounds per square inch and under). Maintenance on the direct drive pump tends to take longer than an intensifier pump. Direct drive pumps can only run more than one cutting head only if all cutting heads are cutting the same part at the same time. With an intensifier pump, you could have cutting heads on multiple machines, cutting different parts, cycling the various cutting heads on and off in any sequence. The intensifier pump will need to only vary its stroke rate accordingly to maintain flow and pressure.