A tire shop was having problems with its small 15-hp air compressor. It had served the shop well over many years, but it was failing due to its ageβand it needed to be replaced. Because it was a single stage reciprocating compressor, the plant employees were not sad to see it go. It had always […]
Featured
Latching solenoid valves for limited power applications
Humphrey Products, Kalamazoo, Mich., introduced itsΒ L310 Latching Solenoid Valve Series, which is basedΒ on its balanced-poppet, direct-acting 310 solenoid valve design. It offers Β low power consumption and low heat generation, for potentially tremendous energy savings over traditional solenoid valves applications where power is limited or coil heating is unwanted. Standard single solenoid valves require electrical power […]
Thoughts from Day 1 of MD&M West 2014
It was a good first day for MD&M West at the Anaheim Convention Center. Attendance seemed a bit sparse compared to last year’s show, but I’m hoping for a busier day tomorrow. There were some pretty interesting projects to see and a lot of new products that are about to be announced–which I can’t talk […]
NFPA’s 2014 Conference gives attendees a lot to mull over
The 2014 NFPA Conference at the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, held on the sunny southeast coast of Florida this week, has been an excellent educational event, in addition to the always-excellent networking opportunities. I found one of the most interesting talks to be from Peter Zeihan of Zeihan on Geopolitics. His talk, “Powers […]
The benefits of pneumatics
By Josh Cosford Most people donβt consider that air is also a fluid and rests within the boundaries of fluid power motion control. Hydraulics and pneumatics are similar in principleβmerely different in execution. Hydraulic actuators have high power density; that is, they produce a lot of force from a small package. However, hydraulic fluid is […]
Compressed air fail: When in doubt, measure!
A large transit bus manufacturer was directed to make a change to improve the health and safety of the workers welding the metal vehicle frames. The materials they are using emit gasses that are hazardous to workers and can cause long term negative health effects. To counteract this, the Health and Safety department settled on […]
Compressed air fail: The quick tool test
A fiberglass parts manufacturer was having problems with its tools. Despite repeated replacements, its grinding and cutting tools just werenβt performing well; they lacked power and were causing reduced productivity. The tool supplier was contacted to reach an acceptable solution. He, in turn, contacted a compressed air auditor to see if anything could be done. […]
2014 is coming fastβand so is the NFPA Annual Conference!
I decided to get out ahead of the curve this morning and I registered for the upcoming NFPA Annual Conference. This important annual event is scheduled for February 2-5, 2014 at the Eau Palm Beach, Manalapan, Florida (just south of Palm Beach). Registration just opened up this week, and you can check it out for […]
Compressed air fail: Taking the cheap and easy route
A large automobile auction house on the outskirts of a city was having problems with its small reciprocating air compressor. The 15-hp compressor was used to feed the compressed air tools used in the automotive repair shops within the facility, which previously required about 7 cfm of average flow. At one time, the compressor was […]
Compressed air fail: A little bit of luck goes a long way
A metal foundry was struggling for years with their compressed air system. Dirty water was fouling the air compressor cooling systems. Prying fingers were altering compressor set points. Units were shutting down so often that the plant was forced to rent three expensive diesel unitsβfor two years!βjust to keep their plant pressure from falling like […]
