By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge A metal foundry had a compressed air audit done thatΒ showed their three load/unload compressors were running inefficiently. Even though the units were controlled by a sequencerβwhich was supposed to coordinate the compressors according to the plant flowβthe compressors were running inefficiently. Data logging showed significant pressure differential […]
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When extremely clean production is critical
Strict hygiene standards apply to production systems in the food and pharmaceutical industries β after all, machine parts and components can come into contact with the products. No one wants to take lubricating oil with their aspirins or spread bacteria on their toast along with strawberry jam. Functional (as well as intuitive to handle) are […]
ΊΪΑΟ³ΤΉΟs is playing a Mythbuster role
ΊΪΑΟ³ΤΉΟs has its share of fun applicationsβwith Halloween coming up this week, I’m reminded of the many uses of the technology in haunted houses that I’ve seen over the years. The simple, robust, easy-to-incorporate systems scare a lot of adventure seekers each Fall. And what can be a more fun application than helping out on […]
Guest blog: Saving energy with compressed air systems
Compressed air is often assumed to be a cheap or even free source of power. Yet, a typical 1,000-cfm installation consumes about $65,000 of electricity each year. In fact, energy represents about 75% of the total cost of buying and operating a compressor over its lifetime. To make matters worse, numerous independent studies confirm that […]
Piezo valves improve breathing apparatus
For people with chronic respiratory ailments, ventilators and oxygen apparatus are an essential everyday companion. Inside the machines, which are often portable, pneumatic automation components ensure a smooth ventilation processβthey generate the required pressure and correct mix of oxygen. Piezo valves from Festo are used in modern ventilators to supply the oxygen, and they provide […]
Compressed air fail: Negative artificial demand
By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge A rice, grain and oil seed processor was having pressure problems in the various facilities at their manufacturing complex. The site had a central compressed air system that fed air through a network of pipes supplying six separate buildings. As the complex expanded, the compressed air load […]
CCEFP’s annual conference opens in Nashville
The Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) opened its annual Fluid Power Innovation & Research Conference (FPIRC) at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University today (Vanderbilt’s own Professor Eric Barth is shown at right, opening the conference). The event, which runs through Thursday, has about 200 registered attendees, about double that of past conferences. Attending the […]
Compressed air fail: Donβt shoot yourself in the foot with air guns
A cabinet manufacturer was concerned about the efficiency of the many hundreds of compressed air guns used on the production line to clean sawdust and debris from cabinet pieces before they are sent for further processing and assembly. A sales representative had sent him some free samples of some optimized compressed air guns that used […]
Compressed Air Fail: Look beyond the symptom for the cure
[A special Guest ΊΪΑΟ³ΤΉΟ from Van Air Systems.] It was the only time a customer has threatened to sue me. His expensive new compressed air dryer wasnβt working correctly. βGet out here now and fix the problem or I call in the lawyers,β he said. Several days later, I sat in his office at the […]
Compressed air fail: Can the compressor βsee?β
A seed cleaning and distribution center had installed a small 20-hp lubricated screw compressor, a desiccant dryer and a large 1060-gal storage receiver installed in their facility. Even though the storage receiver was more than sufficient to reduce the compressor load/unload cycles down to a low frequency, the compressors continued to load and unload rapidly, […]
