By Erl Campbell,Β Food and Beverage Key Account Manager,Β Aventics The widespread use of pneumatics technology for packaging machinesβto drive motion and actuate machine sequencesβhas garnered more interest by machine designers and end users as to how pneumatics can improve safety and safe operating functionality in their equipment. This increased interest is due, in part, to the […]
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ΊΪΑΟ³ΤΉΟ valve reduces compressed air waste
A new pneumatic valve on the market this month proposes to save users up to 30% in compressed air compared to traditional directional control valves. A unique spool configuration and on-board microelectronics help achieve this savings by recycling compressed air. (See a video about this valve here.) Launched by Nexmatix, based in St. Louis, the […]
Compressed air fail: Questionable weekend requirement
By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge An equipment parts fabricator was concerned with their high utility costs, so they decided to bring in a compressed air auditor to study their compressed air system. An industry downturn had reduced their production demand considerably, so plant management was looking to significantly reduce operating costs. The […]
How do you size a vacuum cup?
Vacuum cups grip a workpiece by evacuating air from the space inside the cup, creating a partial vacuum at a pressure below ambient. In simple terms one can size a vacuum cup based on the load, available vacuum and cup area. But engineers should consider several other factors when sizing vacuum cups for a given […]
Recycle that air to stop compressed air leaks!
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Vicki Gonzalez, CEO of Nexmatix, here in our Cleveland offices, to talk about her company’s newest product. TheirΒ innovative line of directional control valves minimize exhausting of airβthereby increasing efficiency of compressed air systems. Watch our video below, where Vicki talks about how the technology works and […]
Compressed air fail: Sheet metal firm learns that size matters
By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge A sheet metal processor went through a plant expansion that more than doubled the size of its facility. To be safe the plant engineer doubled the size of their air compressor to 50 hp from the original 25 hp. The original unit was installed with a 120-gal […]
Catching up with Rob Clippard on new products, outlook for 2016
Recently, I spoke with Rob Clippard, VP Sales and Marketing for Clippard Instrument Laboratory Inc. about the companyβs newest productsβas well as his outlook for the next year Rob explained that the companyβs new pinch valve is an exciting product for them, as this type of component is used in many machines where other Clippard […]
How do you select a vacuum cup?
When it comes to gripping and moving anything from cola cans to car fenders, vacuum cups on end-of-arm tooling are incredibly versatile devices in many automated handling systems. They come in countless types, sizes, constructions and materials to suit widely varying applications. Here are some general engineering considerations for choosing the right one for a […]
Vacuum cups: Key uses
Vacuum cups, or suction cups, are often used as grippers in manual or automated handling applications. They can secure and help move a wide range of productsβeverything from bottles and bags to bricks and wooden boards, and sheet metal, pipes and glass windows. In essence, theyβre the interface between a vacuum system and the workpiece. […]
A primer on pressure
We fluid power industry professionals probably take pressure for granted. If I asked any of you to define pressure, you would say force over a predetermined area. We all typically use similar units, such as pounds per square inch (psi) or Newtons per square metre (Pa), but pressure isnβt confined for use in the fluid […]
