Pneumatic Tips

In this blog post, we will discuss the first of five industrial compressor capacity control modes. The simplest method of controlling a compressor is Start/Stop mode using pressure switch control. This control simply turns on the compressor to run at full load when the pressure hits a lower pressure level — and turns off the […]

 There are five different capacity control modes available for use with North American-built large industrial air compressors. It pays to know how each mode works, especially if you operate or service air compressors or happen to have your compressors operating in one of the least efficient modes. The accompanying photograph shows just one design that […]

Ensuring that air-operated double diaphragm pumps run consistently and optimally through long cycles is easy with Proportion-Air’s new Pump Controller. Many AODD pumps operate with just a ball valve and shop air. This can lead to inaccurate, inconsistent material flow. The Pump Controller is a turnkey system that eliminates these issues. Run-dry situations can be […]

  A compressed air auditor regularly flow-tested the compressors under his study. This generally would be done if the air compressor was drawing low amps — a telltale sign that the unit is producing low flow output — or if the compressor has excessive hours. Often times, internal wear due to age will reduce output […]

The EHS series of high-pressure electronic valves from Clippard is precision-engineered to deliver robust performance in higher pressure (up to 1,000 psig) applications, prioritizing both safe functionality and the reduction of potential leak points. Building upon the foundation set by the ES series, the EHS incorporates key features such as substantial cross sectional O-rings, proven […]

It is common to see the air in a complete plant dried by a desiccant dryer only to service one small end-use that is subject to freezing temperatures. The purge from a large desiccant dryer is much more costly than that of a small point-of-use dryer, which can be placed on the outdoor feed. The […]

Proportion-Air is expanding its proportional electro-pneumatic pressure and flow control into the testing equipment field with its newest product, the Proportion-Air Supply. This benchtop unit for lab or manufacturing use is designed to regulate compressed air and other gases within prescribed pressure and flow limits for easy use. Suitable for developing, testing, and diagnosing pneumatic […]

In linear motion applications, pneumatics, servo pneumatics, and controlled pneumatics each deliver unique motion and force capabilities. Contributed by By Frank Langro, Director of Product Market Management, Pneumatic Automation, Festo Pneumatic linear actuators are fundamental for automation because of their low cost, ease of installation and operation, high yet compliant force, speed, compactness, safety in hazardous areas, […]

A compressed air auditor was excited to see logbooks for each of the compressors at a large mineral processing facility. Each book was protected from the environment by a really nice orange plastic case. The auditor was interested to see the compressor history and opened the book, only to discover it was blank — no […]

A compressed air auditor recently performed an energy audit at a mineral processing facility. Plant personnel were constantly complaining about production outages due to low pressure. The problem was that when the pressure dips down below 80 psi, the drive clutches on the large ball mills — that grind the processed down minerals to powder […]

A compressed air auditor found, during a site visit to a mine, that compressed air condensate was left to drain from stopcock at the bottom of piping low spots. The oily condensate pooled on the ground, creating a slippery mess that polluted the environment and caused a safety hazard. This mine had no air dryers […]

Did you know that garbage bags have a use in the compressed air industry? The use of garbage bags to determine compressed air leakage, is described in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (USDOE) MEASUR tool and is a straightforward and cost-effective method for roughly estimating air leaks in a compressed air system. This technique is […]

SMW Autoblok just launched a new line of quick-change, pneumatic robotic tool changers that can be combined with various pneumatic grippers and C40 inductive couplers for contactless, wear-free energy and signal transmission. With these new products, grippers, tools, and other end effectors can be changed quickly to increase cycle time and productivity and are effectively […]

Festo introduces a line of pre-configured, assembled, and tested compressed air preparation units that not only makes specification and ordering faster and easier, but also ensures clean air in food and beverage production. Right out of the box, the new units meet the Safe Quality Food (SQF) guidelines of final filtration stage 0.01 micron (µm) […]

Corrosion in steel pipes and storage receivers within compressed air systems is a common issue that can significantly impact system efficiency, safety, and longevity. This process is primarily driven by the presence of water and acid condensate, both of which are common byproducts in compressed air environments. Understanding how corrosion occurs can help in implementing […]

AutomationDirect has added NITRA CPS9E series cylinder position switches which are compact general-purpose switches designed to detect the position of a pneumatic cylinder’s magnetic piston. This feedback can be used by a control system to determine cylinder position, cycle count, and to confirm operation.   These switches are manufactured specifically to fit into extruded or […]

Dust collector reverse pulse cleaning is commonly deployed in any industry that creates powdered dust. Through the years, it is common to see expensive failures of these devices that consume excessive amounts of compressed air. Often times, these failures go undetected. Dust collector reverse pulse cleaning is a highly efficient method for removing accumulated dust […]

Electro-pneumatic pressure regulation and flow control manufacturer Proportion-Air recently celebrated the completion of its new facility in Gulf Breeze, Florida, with a grand opening event last month. The event brought visitors from the community to see the company’s new 12,000 square foot building, which houses research and development, marketing and sales, and administration functions. Attendees […]

Air-cooled air compressors are crucial to keeping the production process running in many industries; they work by turning power into usable energy. Their performance, however, depends heavily on their ability to stay cool. If dust and debris clog up a compressor, it can overheat, work less efficiently, and cost more to operate. Fig. 1 and […]

Emerson has launched its Aventics series XV pneumatic valves. Series XV valves are designed with interoperability in mind to provide machine builders across multiple industries and factory automation applications with a flexible and cost-effective valve platform. The new valves are ideal for machine builders  and end users that operate across the globe, with universal threads […]

Tom, a diligent plant engineer at a mid-sized manufacturing facility, faced persistent problems with his compressed air system powering his crucial production lines. Despite repeated attempts to fix various symptoms — frequent drops in pressure, excessive energy consumption, and sporadic equipment failures — the problems persisted, causing costly downtime and frustration on the factory floor. […]

Compressed air systems classed as “best practices” have permanent monitoring systems installed that can automatically track the performance of the system. In this way, problems can be easily detected and dealt with quickly. Important variables like pressure, power, flow, temperature, and dew point are measured and sent to a central database, to be stored for […]

Added to the nEDC 300 pumps from Edwards Vacuum are the nEDC 65-150 models that completes its range of robust dry claw vacuum pumps for the lower pumping speed classes. With features such as robustness, efficiency and easy handling of contaminants, the smaller pumps are also ideal for applications in the areas of water and […]

A plastic products producer was expanding its business and installed a few new machines. There already were five small compressors installed to feed the production machinery and the maintenance personnel were experiencing low pressure occurrences. These events would pull plant pressure down and cause product rejects and production shutdowns. The plant manager concluded that the […]

Piab has launched its highly anticipated OVM Pro 3D, a cutting-edge on-line tool designed to transform the way vacuum systems are configured, simulated and optimized. “OVM Pro 3D represents a major leap forward for the design of vacuum systems,” said Josef Karbassi, Acting President of the Vacuum Automation Division. Ever since Piab assumed its leading […]