A piston pump uses reciprocating pistons driven by a crankshaft to pressurize and move fluid through the pump. The swash plate controls the stroke length of the pistons and thus the amount of fluid pumped. The cylinder block houses the pistons, which move back and forth to draw fluid into and discharge it from the cylinder spaces. Fluid enters and exits through ports in the port plate. Piston pumps can reach very high pressures and are useful for pumping viscous fluids or solids. However, they are also very expensive, heavy, and require regular maintenance to prevent wear of their mechanically complex parts.