Looking for the latest pneumatic actuator news? Look no further. Pneumatics Tips provides the most up to date news and information on pneumatic actuator products and pneumatic automation. For specific news and information on pneumatic actuator innovations, take a look at the articles below.

Actuator Improves Plant Safety & Valve Control

Oil and water don’t mix. Neither do oil leaks and EPA regulations. At Florida’s City of Cocoa Charles H. Dyal Water Treatment Facility, this posed a problem. The accumulator system used for the hydraulic actuators contained more than 100 gallons of hydraulic fluid which frequently leaked.

The plant had been in the process of replacing the electrical actuators on its butterfly valves with Rexa electrohydraulic (Electraulic) actuators from Koso America. Carrying out a similar replacement on the ball valves resolved the leakage issues as well as improved reliability.

The city of Cocoa on Florida’s Atlantic coast provides potable water to all of central Brevard County, including its own 16,000 residents as well as those in nine other cities, the Kennedy Space Center and all the cruise ships sailing out of Port Canaveral. The water comes from a mix of surface and ground sources.

The butterfly valves at the Dyal plant had been designed to use electromechanical actuators, but over time these had turned into a maintenance nightmare.

Looking for a long-term solution to these maintenance issues, the plant installed an Electraulic actuator on one valve as a trial in 2005. These self-contained actuators incorporate hydraulic, electronic and mechanical technologies. There are two main components – the Electraulic power module and a control enclosure. They do not require an external hydraulic pump or tubing, but operate by moving hydraulic fluid from one side of a double-acting cylinder to another.

The self-contained actuators incorporate hydraulic, electronic and mechanical technologies. There are two main components – the Electraulic power module and a control enclosure.

The power module contains a brushless DC motor, gear pump, flow match valve, and thermal expansion reservoir. Upon receipt of a control signal, the pump delivers oil at a nominal 2000 psi to one side or the other of a hydraulic cylinder, causing motion in the desired direction. Buyers can pick from four different sizes of motors depending on the pumping volume and maximum stroking speed desired. The two smaller units come with stepper motors, while the larger units use servo motors with faster frequency response. The hydraulic cylinders come in either linear or a rack and pinion rotary design. A position sensor is mounted within or adjacent to the cylinders and provides position feedback to the control electronics.

Within the control sub-assembly enclosure are the Central Processing Unit (CPU), power supply, and motor drivers. On the outside of the box (or inside it when conditions require) is a two-line display giving actuator status and a five button keypad used for set up and calibration of the actuator. The motor driver receives commands from the CPU and sends control signals to the motor – DC step pulses for a stepper motor or Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) DC voltage for a servo motor.

In operation, the CPU converts an incoming control signal to a target position and compares this with the current position as reported by the feedback assembly on the actuator. If the difference is outside the range preprogrammed by the user, the CPU will send a signal to start the motor. The motor then drives the reversible hydraulic pump to pressurize one side of the cylinder or the other, moving the piston in the desired direction. Once the desired position is reached, the pump shuts down and check valves close, locking the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder and maintaining the actuator position without having to keep the motor running.

Koso America makes a wide range of Electraulic actuators. The linear actuators come in sizes from 2000 lb thrust (8,896 N) to 600,000 lbs (2,668,933 N) with stroke lengths of .75″ to 120″ (2 to 305 cm). Rotary and drive actuators range from 600 lb/in torque (68 Nm) up to 800,000 lb/in (90,387 Nm).

Moving to a Standard Design

The City of Cocoa’s maintenance team installed the actuator, provided power and hooked it into the plant’s Intellution iFIX SCADA system. Bill Grabe, a sales engineer for Pro-Co, Inc. of Winter Springs, Florida, then came out to do the startup and calibration.

The Electraulic actuator passed its initial tests for performance and reliability, so the city decided to standardize on this design, installing new actuators on the rest of its butterfly valves, about 40 total, ranging in size from 16 inches to 36 inches.

Staff started replacing the actuators in 2008 and are now down to the last few small units. Some are two-position actuators while others are modulating. In most cases they were just installed on the existing valves. But, as can be expected at a 30-year-old plant, some valves needed replacement.

Rexa electrohydraulic (Electraulic) actuators from Koso America were installed at the City of Cocoa starting with a trial installation in 2005.

Eliminating Oil Leaks

With the butterfly valves under control, Childers next started looking at the ball valves on the high-service pumps. The city has four of the master pumps and normally only one operates at a time. The four pumps, however, shared a single hydraulic pump and accumulator system (HPU) operating four shut-off ball valves (one for at the outlet of each pump), so a failure would shut them all down. In addition, it would create a reportable environmental incident, such as in early 2009 when gallons of hydraulic fluid leaked into the room and into the plant’s drain system.

The existing 24″ Pratt ball valves had been in service for the last 25 years and the controls associated with the master pumps were fairly elaborate and outdated. It was crucial, therefore, to replace these actuators without affecting the existing controls. It was decided that, rather than replace the scotch yoke actuators with rotary actuators, a linear unit would be sized to replace the existing linear hydraulic cylinder. This allowed the plant to leave untouched all the existing switches and controls.

An accumulator system with food grade oil (Envirologic 3100) was provided for each Rexa linear unit (Model X2L20000-22-C-A) so that even if there is a leak it does not pose an environmental problem. Each unit only requires 1.5 gallons of oil or a total of 6 gallons for all 4 units, a significant reduction over the older 100 gallon system. Additionally, since the actuators use a sealed closed loop system, the oil does not degrade like it does in conventional systems. This eliminates the need for filters and oil changes, resulting in considerable savings in maintenance expense and oil disposal fees.

In August, the first of the four actuators was installed with the rest completed over the next few months. Like the actuators on the butterfly valves, these are performing as expected, Childers said.

www.waterworld.com

North American Pneumatic Actuators Markets Report Released

Research and Markets has announced the addition of Frost & Sullivan’s new report “North American Pneumatic Actuators Markets” to their offering.

This report titled North American Pneumatic Actuators Market provides the market dynamics of complete pneumatic product segment such as NFPA, non-repairable, mini/compact, rodless, rotary, slide, ISO VDMA type of actuators. In this research, Frost & Sullivan’s expert analysts thoroughly examine end-user analysis and distribution trends.

End-Users Prefer Innovation in Technology and Differentiation in Product Offering in the North American Actuators Market

With end-users cutting back on investments due to the economic slump, and demanding newer technologies and more product differentiation, participants in the North American actuators market are finding the going tough. The economy is expected to look up by the second quarter of 2010; till then, actuator manufacturers are focusing on high demand sectors such as food, packaging, and material handling to sustain growth. “While most end user segments are witnessing negative growth, manufacturers are targeting niche segments where demand is growing,” says the report. “Acceptance of standardized actuators such as National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) and ISO (International Standards Organization) and VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau) by end-user segments such as automotive has also helped in continuous production and revenue generation for the actuators market.”

Nonetheless, the economic crisis has resulted in a decline in pneumatic actuators sales for most manufacturers, and is compelling them to examine other market opportunities globally. Increased revenues are anticipated in the North American pneumatic actuators market as many companies continue to form alliances with overseas market participants to expand their customer base and provide more complete product lines. The unrelenting rise in the prices of raw materials has also facilitated the increase in product prices and hence revenues for the pneumatic actuators market, especially for NFPA products that find application in the food and packaging industries.

The growth of the pneumatic actuators market is aligned with the recovery of the U.S. economy. The development of value-added packages will attract potential clients toward manufacturers who have the capacity to offer complete solutions to end-users,” concludes the analyst. “The incorporation of control valves into sale of actuators is an example of this strategy in action.”

www.researchandmarkets.com

Double Eccentric Butterfly Valves Available in 14-16 in.

GF Piping Systems has announced expansion of its large diameter size range for the Type 567 Butterfly Valve to include sizes 14-16″. The new size range features a unique double eccentric off-center design and excellent chemical compatibility. Suitable applications include landfills where large size valves are required for drainage of underground leachate. Other applications include industrial water treatment, potable water treatment, swimming pools, water parks and waste water systems in such industries as chemical, chemical distribution, electroplating and power plants.

The 567 Valve’s unique double eccentric design features an off-center shaft that allows the disc to completely disengage from the disc seal, even when partially open. This results in reduced seal friction for longer service life and minimal maintenance compared to non-eccentric valve styles. The double eccentric design requires only about half the torque of a traditional boot design, which decreases wear on the disc seal to further enhance product life. Other advantages of this design include easier manual operation, compatibility with smaller actuators for reduced installation cost, and better protection against pressure surges.

The new large size valve features industry-standard ISO flange mount for easy electric or pneumatic actuation with most actuators. Other features include bi-directional capability, pressure rating of 90 psi at 70°F, and hand wheel. The valve is available with either EPDM or FPM seals, 304 or 316 Stainless Steel stem, and a Polypropylene body.

www.georgefischer.com

Hazardous Environments Actuator Reduces Costs

PneuMagnetic, a manufacturer of valve operating solutions and solenoid valve actuators, announced an actuator design that achieves dramatic cost reductions in the installation of valves used in hazardous environments. The patented PneuMagnetic Actuator reduces installation cost by almost 50% in intrinsically safe (IS) installations, and by almost 20% in explosion proof (EX) installations.

The PneuMagnetic Actuator, a pneumatic magnetic replacement for OEM coils on direct acting solenoid valves,  was designed by engineers because of the current of high costs, complexities and poor reliability of traditional valve actuators.

The PneuMagnetic Actuator’s U.S.-patented design is a complete, self-contained pneumatic magnetic device that provides the same powerful on/off magnetic field as the original coil. It is unique in five ways:

1) Unlike typical pneumatic actuators, its use is not restricted to factory-built pneumatic valves. Rather, it can be used as a direct drop-in replacement for the OEM coil on any direct acting solenoid valve. The PneuMagnetic Actuator is fully compatible with any original hermetically sealed valve.

2) The PneuMagnetic Actuator substantially reduces the cost of valve installations in hazardous environment. Valves converted to PneuMagnetic are operated by an inexpensive air pilot using a small diameter, flexible pneumatic line. No field wiring, conduit, or intrinsically safe (IS) barriers and no electricity at the valve are required.

3) The PneuMagnetic Actuator’s sealed design, combined with the fact that it works with hermetically sealed (packless) direct acting valves, allows it to offer extremely high reliability.

4) By essentially converting solenoid valves to pneumatic valves, PneuMagnetic technology dramatically expands the variety of valves available to the user.

5) The PneuMagnetic Actuator is less bulky than either pneumatic rotary actuators or pneumatic valves, reducing space requirements.

Speaking to the dramatic cost reduction inherent to PneuMagnetic’s solution, Altonji said “Direct acting solenoid valves require wiring and conduit installations that meet national and local codes. These requirements are typically several times the cost of the valve.”

Altonji noted that in hazardous installations including explosion proof (EX) and intrinsically safe (IS), this cost and complexity can be avoided if direct acting solenoid valves are converted to operate with the PneuMagnetic Actuator.

“Traditional electric installations require extensive material, labor, space, and time to install” said Altonji. “When compared with explosion proof (EX) or Intrinsic Barrier (IS) designs, the PneuMagnetic Actuator offers the lowest installed cost”.

The PneuMagnetic Actuator is available for use with a wide range of valves including ASCO, SMC USA and Parker-Skinner solenoid valves.

http://www.pneumagnetic.com/

2009 Single Axis Actuators Catalog from Misumi

Schaumburg, IL – Misumi USA, Inc. announces the imminent publication of its 2009 Single Axis Actuators Catalog, featuring new single axis products and components suitable for a wide range of motion control and assembly machinery and other automation devices.

Featured prominently in the catalog are:

•The new Single Axis Robot RS Series Actuators, which offer superior construction to improve product life span and allow units to be used in harsh industrial environments. All models offer constant load capacity regardless of speed. Clean Room Class 10 versions are also available for specialized applications.

•An expanded line of LX Series Actuators, to include high precision class actuators and actuators with motors. Misumi’s popular LX Series models are available in over 1000 possible configurations. They are also available in standard or cover types, as well as versions with brackets that allow a combination of two units on a different axis.

Those interested in ordering the new MISUMI 2009 Single Axis Actuator Catalog can complete an order form at Misumi’s booth #2817 at the Assembly Technology Expo during Design & Manufacturing Midwest. Or you can order it on line. Visit www.misumiusa.com

Misumi, USA, Inc.

www.misumiusa.com

::Design World::

Electric Servoactuator

An electric linear servoactuator is an alternative to hydraulic actuation. The design of the ball screw translates rotational motion to linear motion inside the servoactuator, extending its life.  Plus, it draws less power than hydraulic alternatives. 

Three versions are available. The Standard Electric Linear Servoactuator works with most linear actuation applications. Maximum force of 70 kN; rod speeds up to 640 mm/sec; and an absolute encoder transmits position and feedback data.

The Flexible Electric Linear Servoactuator is for higher forces, rod speeds and longer strokes. Maximum force of 115.59 kN; and, rod speeds up to 1,600 mm/sec.

The third version is a pre-engineered package option including the Standard Electric Linear Servoactuation Package and Flexible Electric Linear Servoactuation Package.  Each package includes servoactuator, servodrive and commissioning software.

Moog Industrial Group
http://info.moog.com/servoactuators

::Design World::

Misumi Expands LX Series Single Axis Actuator Line

Schaumburg, IL – Misumi USA, Inc. has further expanded its LX Series Single Axis Actuators with two new product lines: High Precision Class Actuators for use in ultra-precise positioning and indexing applications, and Motorized Actuators, which significantly reduce time and labor required to design, source and assemble actuators with motorized capabilities. Misumi’s LX Series Actuators are utilized across a wide range of industries for factory automation and motion control applications.

Here is an overview of the two new product lines:

–Misumi High Precision Class LX Actuators (LX20 and LX26) are available in standard or cover type versions and in a wide variety of combinations. Their compact size and incorporation of precision ground ball screw results in extremely precise positioning and indexing control, making them ideal for use in numerous factory automation machine applications. For example, they can be used in servo-driven insertion units, precision measurement units, pick and place tables, painting units, and other devices. LX Series High Precision Class Actuators typically ship in six (6) days and offer superior price/performance value over competitors’ high precision product offerings.

–Misumi LX Actuators with Motors (LX30 and LX45) are also available in standard or cover type versions and in a wide variety of combinations, with eight (8) types of stepper motors. The units come pre-assembled with the motor, driver, and user-defined peripheral parts (ball screws, sensor options and configurable cable length) already in place to save machine builders time and labor. Accessory options include jigs for motor -coupling alignment, mounting brackets and transition plates. The Motorized LX Actuators typically ship in 11 days.

Misumi’s LX Series models are available globally in over 1000 possible configurations and are covered in the New 2009 Single Axis Actuator Catalog. Specially designed brackets allow a combination of two units on a different axis. The single axis actuators are manufactured by Suruga Seiki Co., a MISUMI Group company widely known for its high quality positioning stages and rigorous quality and accuracy inspection processes. An inspection certificate is included with all LX Series products.

Misumi USA, Inc.

www.misumiusa.com

::Design World::

Rexroth CKK Ball Screw Actuators Raise Performance for Wind Turbine Builders

Wind turbine technology is an established sustainable, green technology. Many consider it a technology that will help define the energy future. But wind energy also depends, to a great extent, on more traditional manufacturing techniques, such as welding – vitally important for creating the massive towers.

One of the leaders in creating welding solutions for the energy industry – as well as many other applications – is Rexburg, ID-based machine builder AMET Inc. (www.ametinc.com). Recently, AMET called upon the Linear Motion and Assembly Technology specialists of Bosch Rexroth to help them create a new generation of custom welding systems for the increasingly important wind energy industry.

The design of AMET welding equipment – and the role of linear motion technologies – is largely dictated by the techniques required to create massive wind turbine towers that can be around 90 meters high (close to 300 feet). During a weld, while the bulk of the equipment remains stationary, the weld head constantly moves small distances along at least 2 axes, both along and across the seam. A linear control actuator mounted at the end of a horizontal arm determines the motion of the weld head.

The design of AMET welding equipment is largely dictated by the
techniques required to create massive wind turbine towers that can
be nearly 90 meters high.

AMET’s goal was to create a cost-effective, dependable welding system that could perform accurate longitudinal and circumferential submerged arc welding. One of the most important challenges, however, was to assure smooth and precise (within 1/100th of an inch) control of the weld head, to avoid improper welds that would need to be redone and ultimately result in wasted time and materials. And this precise control had to be maintained within a very demanding environment. “The tremendous amount of particulates, especially flux dust, generated by this form of welding can really cause problems for this machine’s finer controls, particularly with systems such as linear actuators,” said Craig Dees, AMET Engineering Manager.

AMET also wanted linear motion elements that offered good strength (dynamic loads in excess of 20,000 Newton) with light weight and compact size. Yet another challenge was to support smooth weld head acceleration of up to 3 meters per second squared (3m/s2), for a travel speed of 1.5 meters per minute.

To meet these needs, AMET turned to a familiar source for linear motion: Northwest Motion, Inc. (www.nwmotion.com), a distributor of Rexroth linear motion products. Rexroth precision-ground, hardened steel guide rails were to be specified for the guide rail that carries the suspended weld head for outside welding. With the CKK Compact Modules, however, AMET put Rexroth linear motion systems in a particularly crucial role.

The compact CKK design, light in weight but durable and strong, makes machine assembly smoother and easier. “We knew that other linear motion solutions couldn’t give us the reliability and protection against contamination and pitting that the CKK modules could,” Dees says.

Another important feature leading to better and faster machine production is the fact that CKK 20-145 modules are complete, prepackaged systems, with dual ball rails and a ball screw drive integrated into the module. This simplifies design, saves space, and removes the costs and effort of machining, assembly, bearing alignment and other application engineering tasks.

Download the complete case study from the Bosch Rexroth Case Studies & Technical Papers web page.

Bosch Rexroth

www.boschrexroth-us.com

::Design World::

SMAC Upgrades LAR31 Series of Linear and Rotary Electric Actuators

Carlsbad, CA – SMAC introduces upgraded LAR31 series of linear and rotary electric actuators. The actuator has the vacuum built in the shaft through the rotary motor. The vacuum assures that any external objects (e.g. dust) are ejected through the other end, which prevents dust build-up in the unit. This reduces maintenance down time and improves production efficiency. The actuator is reliable and has MTBF >100 million life cycle.

The SMAC LAR31 series electric linear and rotary actuator is equipped with a standard encoder resolution of 5µm, with options of 1µm, 0.5µm and 0.1µm resolutions, and repeatable positioning to +/- 2 encoder counts. Further to this, highly accurate placement with shaft run-out = 10um. The unit has no backlash, low repeatable friction and very low hysteresis. The LAR31 series actuator is compact measuring only 140mm x 77.25mm x 35mm with stroke length 30mm, and 180mm x 77.25mm x 35mm with stroke length 50mm. The actuator can easily be programmed to control force/torque, position and velocity in all axes at the same time. This enables the ability to press with specific force and measure displacement.

The unit offers multi-functionality with the ability to assemble and test components, with additional life test and measurement functions in one single unit. The system has the significant advantage of low repeatable friction.

The actuator also has SMAC’s unique “Soft-Land” function which enables the unit to gently land on a surface and then apply the specific force required to set the part. This is ideal for handling fragile components without damage.

SMAC

www.smac-mca.com

::Design World::

Electro-pneumatic Positioners

The Series 6A line of Intelligent Electro-Pneumatic Positioners offer precise flow control and digital communication. For use with either double or single acting pneumatic actuators, the positioners can accept an analog 4-20 mA input or BUS intelligent HART, FOUNDATION Fieldbus™ or PROFIBUS PA input. Both waterproof (NEMA 4, 4X/IP66) and explosion proof (NEMA 4, 4X, 7 and 9) enclosures are offered. A waterproof stainless steel enclosure is available upon request.

Piezo valve technology controls the air supply, producing zero bleed during steady state and minimal consumption during operation. An LCD display provides visual confirmation of valve position in precise one-degree increments. Auto Calibration quickly determines the position of the travel limit stops, then measures and records the parameters for both the open and closed positions. The settings are then stored. Online Adaptive Control continually optimizes control parameters and travel times in response to changes in line pressure.

Bray International, Inc.
www.bray.com

::Design World::

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