The development of the variable speed drive screw compressors has had a large impact on the efficiency of compressed air systems worldwide. If properly applied, one or more variable speed controlled compressors installed in a system will save energy and may even help better control system pressure. Typical fixed speed compressors always run their main […]
Why are my compressed air lines freezing?
The water vapor contained compressed air will condense out if the temperature of the air in plant piping falls below the compressed air dew point. If the pipes are below the freezing point of water, such as in an outdoor installation in winter, then ice forms. The ice will build up and block the flow […]
Should I buy a bigger air compressor to supply my future growth?
A big question when buying an air compressor is “will it be big enough?” Having a larger compressor than you currently need reduces the possibility of pressure problems due to lack of capacity, but purchasing a compressor that is too large can significantly increase your operating costs—especially if you choose a fixed speed lubricated screw […]
Pneu-Connect allows seamless integration of grippers to Universal Robots
PHD has released new accessory for seamless integration of pneumatic grippers on collaborative robots. The PHD Pneu-Connect connects directly to the tool port on the robot arm making it easy to attach a PHD pneumatic gripper to a Universal Robot (UR) brand cobot. The Pneu-Connect incorporates a built-in pneumatic directional control valve for opening and […]
Compressed air fail: Forgotten dryer setting
By Ron Marshall A food processing plant purchased an energy saving externally heated purge type dryer to save compressed air system energy. This dryer is designed to consume only 7.5% purge flow, compared to 15% for a standard heatless dryer, and was purchased with an onboard energy management system (EMS). The internal dewpoint dependent switching […]
Why can’t you run an air cylinder at 3,000 psi, like a hydraulic cylinder?
We have the advantage of force density with hydraulics. The issue is the compressibility of air in this case. When it comes to pneumatic applications, the most inefficient part is actually creating the compressed air. Because of gas laws, the fact of compressing it creates so much heat, it’s really hard to get a high […]
Expanded piFLOWp offers wet-in-place function
Ensuring a safer working environment in food and pharmaceutical processing plants, Wet-In-Place (WIP) functionality has been added to Piab’s popular piFLOWp vacuum conveyors. WIP spray nozzles are now available for inclusion/retrofitting in new and existing piFLOWp conveying systems. The water sprayed by the WIP nozzles will wet any dust from food or pharmaceutical materials left […]
2018 NFPA Annual Conference to offer expanded program, networking
Industry leaders from across the fluid power supply chain will convene at the Four Seasons Resort – Orlando at Disney World on February 20-22 for the National Fluid Power Association’s 2018 Annual Conference. According to the NFPA, this year’s program features an extended general session as well as numerous networking opportunities. Conference attendees will be […]
Non marking, high temperature resistant vacuum pads
As most of the COVAL product, the SITON material was created due to clients’ request. The cosmetic industry needs non-marking suction pads, along with a capacity to resist high temperatures. Once the product is developed and tested, it was not by surprise that COVAL observed in addition to SITON’s high temperature resistance, it offered a high resistance […]
The 5 most read pneumatic stories of 2017
From IFPE to Hannover Fair to PackExpo Las Vegas, 2017 has been a busy year in the world of pneumatics! Here’s a look back at the most-read stories to appear on PneumaticTips.com during this past year … 5. Should I use a wet or dry storage receiver? Having both wet and dry receivers takes […]