After spending a week at the recent Hannover Fair, one comes to the inescapable conclusion that most everyone with a stake in the future of fluid power is either embracing the concepts of IoT, or is at least watching as the changes unfold. We’ve all heard the hype surrounding what’s called the fourth industrial revolution—the […]
Servopneumatics embraces Cinema 4.0
Experiencing films with all the senses is what cinema audiences can expect in one of the world’s 18,000 MediaMation cinema seats. With this concept, the whole body senses the movie, thanks to movements controlled by Festo’s servopneumatics and VTEM motion terminals. In essence, this provides a unique way of combining the digital world with pneumatics. […]
Predictive maintenance at the forefront at Hannover
Moving beyond simple preventive maintenance for fluid-power systems, more than a dozen companies are looking to the future in a special Predictive Maintenance 4.0 exhibit at the Hannover Fair. The goal is not only to monitor the condition of machines and note anomalies, but also to use analytics and cloud-based systems to determine the remaining […]
Hyperloop is coming to Conexpo/IFPE
Much of the mobile equipment on display at Conexpo/IFPE, and their underlying fluid-power systems, revolve around building and maintaining things like housing, roads and bridges. But an unusual—some call it outlandish— infrastructure project that’s under development is Hyperloop. This novel passenger transportation system will be the focus of several Tech Talks at the Tech Experience […]
Pneumatics powers soft hands
Conventional robotic grippers with rigid “fingers” tend to be expensive, have limited capabilities and aren’t particularly suited for safely handling delicate objects. To overcome such hurdles, researchers at the Robotics and Biology Laboratory (RBO Lab) at the Technical University Berlin are developing soft robotic grippers that are adaptive, simple and inexpensive. The ultimate goal is […]
Polyactuator packs large force in small package
Firestone Industrial Products, based in Indianapolis, has expanded its line of Airomatic polyactuators to include a new 120 mm option. It’s the largest pneumatic polyactuator on the market, according to the company. The line also includes 50 mm and 70 mm versions. Airomatic polyactuators are constructed of two polyurethane sections welded together to form a […]
Digital positioners for fluid-power actuators
Pneumatic and hydraulic actuators routinely operate damper drives, flow valves, vacuum controls and other devices in countless process applications. However, there can be a sizeable performance gap between conventional open-loop positioners and closed-loop digital positioners used in such tasks. The problem, explained Ed Steutermann, president of KyTronics, Prospect, Ky., is that open-loop controllers apply a […]
Rotary hand valve has new price and features
Rotary hand valves are simple and economical devices well-suited for manual directional flow control in a wide range of applications. The redesigned VHLA rotary hand valve from IMI Norgren, Littleton, Colo., reportedly offers users a significant upgrade, compared with previous versions. It includes more options and a lower price—up to 50% lower for some sizes. […]
Harvard researchers build pneumatic octopus
In a departure from the engineering behind typical rigid industrial robots, a team of Harvard University researchers have built what’s reportedly the first autonomous, untethered, entirely soft robot. The device, a pneumatic octopus nicknamed the octobot, is based on 3D printing and microfluidics, and potentially could pave the way for a new generation of completely soft, […]
Where do you use pneumatic hose and tubing?
THE basic function of pneumatic tubing and hose is to convey pressurized air to actuators, valves, tools and other devices. But there are countless types and sizes of tubing and hose on the market, so engineers should consider a number of important factors to select the right one for a given task. Start with construction. Tubing […]