A large automotive service shop had two 100-hp compressors, one being a VSD, both available to supply the compressed air they needed for painting and body assembly of large vehicles. The load was full of peaks, and the maintenance staff needed up to 400 cfm to provide flow to paint booths and breathing air hoods […]
Piab strengthens its grip on palletizing with LBG-50
An unavoidable challenge when defining a new bag gripping system in a palletizing line is to get the exact measurements to align with the conveyor rollers for a smooth lifting and releasing process. This demands time-consuming analysis and design and, later, even more time for adaptation and adjustments. Furthermore, additional solutions may have to be […]
Compressed air fail: Penny pinching
A farm implement manufacturer expanded its facility about 15 years ago, and personnel decided they wanted a premium compressed air system. They purchased three very efficient two-stage premium compressors, one being a VSD, and connected the equipment with large piping to reduce pressure loss. Filters were mist-eliminator style to reduce pressure loss. Air dryers were […]
Are pneumatic technologies at risk of becoming obsolete?
Last month, I had the pleasure of attending Pack Expo in Las Vegas for the first time in about five years. I’ve always enjoyed that show, seeing all the packaging machinery and conveyors operating, watching the pneumatics and motion control technologies do what they do best. But I did notice one thing this year — a […]
Compressed air fail: Poor sealing methods
If you have ever done leakage detection with an ultrasonic leak detector you will get to know the common leak locations. If you have no detector, there is no excuse these days, excellent equipment is available for you to purchase at a reasonable price, go get it! A common sight — or rather sound — […]
ControlAir announces new electro-pneumatic vacuum regulator
ControlAir today announced the introduction of the new Type 1005V Electronic Vacuum Regulator. It is the first electronic vacuum regulator offered by ControlAir. The Type 1005V Electronic Vacuum Regulator is used in various industrial and automation applications to precisely control and regulate the flow of air or gases in a system. The Type 1005V Electronic […]
Busch Vacuum Solutions introduces new R5 RA
The new rotary vane vacuum pump R5 RA 0520 A from Busch increases energy savings by up to 25%. It features a compact and hygienic design, reduced heat emissions, and enables faster and easier maintenance. The optional Ecotorque variable speed drive provides up to 50% additional energy savings and a 20% increase in pumping speed. […]
Using pressure regulator assemblies for industrial applications
Accurate, repeatable pressure regulation for applications like testing industrial products and processes, running fountains, or controlling the temperature of saturated steam can be easily achieved with the right pressure regulator assembly. A Proportion-Air QBX proportional electro-pneumatic pressure regulator piloting a Burling Valve BD4 pressure reducing regulator is an ideal combination to meet the demands of […]
CTC bell-type suction cups hold fast to sheet metal
In many industrial sectors where sheet metal handling is required, vacuum handling is increasingly used, and suction cups have become an essential element of safety, reliability, and productivity. With CTC high-performance bell-type suction cups, COVAL has brought manufacturers the best of both flat and bellows suction cups to enhance system efficiency. The main feature of this […]
Finding energy efficiency in the cloud
Every manufacturer using compressed air shares the challenge of keeping compressed air systems running efficiently and reliably. Depending on the industry, the compressed air system accounts for 10-50% of a plant’s energy usage and is as essential to uptime as electricity. But compressors are inherently inefficient. Leakage, irregular maintenance, pressure settings, and controls contribute to […]
Series 35G5 solenoid valve offers reliable fluid control for harsh environments
Spartan Scientific proudly releases its latest engineering success, the Series 35G5 diaphragm style solenoid valve. Designed to excel in challenging environments and engineered for exceptional durability, this stainless-steel valve brings a new level of reliability and versatility to fluid control applications. The Series 35G5 solenoid valve is available in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 in. NPT […]
Compressed air fail: Bearing cooling
A wood products company hired a compressed air auditor to check out its system and try to discover why it now needed to run three compressors rather than the normal two units that previously satisfied the plant demand. The auditor placed instruments on their system to measure pressure, power, temperature, and flow — and quickly […]
Understanding air flow and FRLs
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Pneumatic systems are widely used within industrial environments to power machinery and equipment, providing reliable and efficient performance. The Filter-Regulator-Lubricator (FRL) is vital in maintaining optimal air quality and pressure within these systems. However, when selecting an FRL, one must not overlook the significance of understanding FRL air flow characteristics, […]
VMAC welcomes new Director of Engineering
VMAC has announced that Jamie McPherson is the company’s new Director of Engineering. An accomplished leader with experience in industrial manufacturing and design engineering, McPherson will lead VMAC’s vertically integrated product development department, which includes a foundry, custom machine shop, and mechanical, electrical, and software engineering teams. “Jamie’s proven leadership and dedication to continuous improvement […]
Lightweight, basic air preparation service units available from Festo
Festo launches MS-Basic, a family of pneumatic service units in polymer housings that offer attractively priced components covering most application needs. MS-Basic air preparation components have the functionality to perform the most important technical tasks necessary for proper compressed air preparation and consist of pressure regulators, filter regulators, electric on/off and soft start valves, as […]
Compressed air fail: Breathing air purifier
A metal process plant has two breathing air purifiers installed on site for the protection of its personnel. These units are installed to ensure hazardous Carbon Monoxide is kept out of breathing air. Recently, the two systems were evaluated by a compressed air auditor. When paint fumes or metal particles are in the ambient air […]
Emerson’s new IO-Link master saves costs and future-proofs air systems
Emerson has introduced a new Class A, IO-Link master that provides customers with a cost-effective solution for smart and analog sensor connectivity on the Aventics Series G3 Fieldbus platform. The G3 IO-Link Master is suitable for machine architectures with many sensors and pneumatic valves, and where it’s important to have reliable digital data communication between […]
Should wet compressed air receiver tanks be outdoors?
During plant inspections, it is often noticed that compressed air receiver tanks are installed outdoors. This is done for a reason — and is a good idea, in many cases, because it benefits the operation of air drying and filtering equipment and produces better quality compressed air when hot summer days cause worst-case conditions. Here […]
ControlAir announces new electro-pneumatic pressure regulators series
ControlAir today announced the introduction of the new Type 1000P Electro-Pneumatic Pressure Regulator Series. The Electro-Pneumatic Series consists of the Type 1000P Precision Pressure Regulator, Type 1005P High Flow Pressure Regulator, and the Type 1010P Economic Pressure Regulator. The Type 1000P/1005P/1010P Electro-Pneumatic Pressure Regulators are complete closed-loop servo systems consisting of two solenoid valves, an […]
Compressed air fail: Remote cooler install
A wood products company called in a compressed air auditor to have a look at its compressed air system. System reliability was poor, and the staff was having issues with the main compressor, a 200-hp air cooled screw compressor that carried most of the plant load. This compressor was rated at 100 psi, but recently […]
Emerson to showcase Floor to Cloud solutions at Pack Expo 2023
Emerson will exhibit its Floor to Cloud packaging solutions at Pack Expo Las Vegas, September 11-13, 2023. As the future of automation, Floor to Cloud solutions empower smarter packaging lines and more efficient processes that make it possible for manufacturers to continuously improve plant productivity, sustainability, and safety. Visitors to South Lower Hall, Booth 6107, […]
Compressed air fail: Vacuum pick-up
A metal products manufacturer had a production problem in one of its processing areas. The maintenance staff had increased the discharge pressure on their air compressors to help with the issue, but it seemed the problem would come back occasionally with no warning. Fig. 1 shows the problematic item, a vacuum pick-up crane. When the […]
Rid your packaging lines of UKTs (Unnecessary Knob Twisters)
Follow these five steps to prevent tampering and ensure effective and correct process adjustments for pneumatic components. Steve Bain, Industry Segment Manager – Food and Beverage, Festo North America In modern automation systems, the need for frequent process adjustments poses the risk of unwanted device tampering, often referred to in exasperation by plant managers as Unnecessary […]
Metal Work Syntesi air prep components available from AutomationDirect
AutomationDirect has added new Metal Work Syntesi air prep components to their pneumatic components category. This value-packed addition offers a full selection of combination pre-assembled air prep systems including manual shut-off, filter/regulator, and lubricator assemblies; filter/regulator and lubricator assemblies; filter and lubricator assemblies; and filter and coalescing filter assemblies. Also available are individual components including […]
How can you spot wasted compressed air?
In a noisy industrial expensive plant, air leaks are everywhere, but hard to detect because the ambient roar washes out the sound of air leaving your system. But strange as it may seem, sometimes you can see compressed air leaks, or more accurately, you can see the result of the air escaping! Fig. 1 […]