Many decisions are made in keeping compressed air systems running smoothly, but one of the most important is equipment selection. From time to time, equipment failure forces us to choose to repair our old air compressor or select a new one. Often, for a major component failure, the cost of the repair of the compressor […]
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6 mistakes engineers make in mounting and specifying air cylinders
1. Inappropriate sizing When it comes to air cylinder sizing, bigger is not necessarily better. A cylinder that is larger than necessary will cost more to purchase and end up costing more money to operate, because oversized cylinders require more air capacity to function. On the other hand, a cylinder that is undersized will be […]
Manufacturing matters: Manufacturing in a new year
We’re safely into 2013, and with the election long-since settled and the Mayans’ predictions assigned to the trashcan of history, manufacturing news is hot. In fact, the Institute for Supply Management recently reported its index of manufacturing activity rose to 50.7 last month, up from 49.5 in November. Some highlights from the last couple of […]
Great training and resources from the Compressed Air Challenge
Last year, we became an official media partner of the Compressed Air Challenge (CAC), an incredible organization that has developed a rich portfolio of useful compressed air-related information resources, tools, and training seminars. Ron Marshall and other volunteers from the CAC will be contributing stories and blog posts to PneumaticTips, something I am very excited about. […]
Eight advances you’ll see in pneumatic cylinders by 2018
As 2012 draws to a close, let’s look forward to see what some fluid power manufacturers predict we’ll be seeing in the pneumatic cylinder marketplace over the next five years. Just because the technology is a mature one doesn’t mean that there aren’t some interesting developments on the proverbial horizon. The top three trends: 1. […]
Editorial roundtable — November 2012
Design World editors Paul Heney, Leslie Langnau, Miles Budimir and Natasha Townsend talk about the latest news in their respective industries: fluid power, 3D printing/additive manufacturing, motion control and electrical engineering. What’s hot in fluid power ? Heney discusses the recently released HNBR vacuum cups from PIAB in the video.
The 7 biggest mistakes engineers make in designing compressed air systems
1. Choosing line sizes that are too small for the desired air flow. This includes the interconnecting piping from compressor discharge to the header and the distribution lines conveying air to production areas and within the equipment found there. Undersized piping restricts the flow and reduces the discharge pressure, thereby robbing the user of expensive […]
Manufacturer insight: Humphrey Products
Founded more than 100 years ago in Kalamazoo, Mich., Humphrey Products has a long history of innovations, dating back to the commercialization of gaslight products in 1901. Several products came from the innovative inventions of the Humphrey family, including Radiantfire gas heaters, gas fired rotisseries and gas water heaters. By the 1930s, Humphrey expanded into […]
The death of logic
Being an engineer, I value logic a great deal. Give me a free body diagram any day over needless emotional drama. But in watching the continuous political debate unfolds on TV, I’ve grown increasingly concerned over the past few years with what seems to be a movement away from facts, logic and science. In years […]
Manufacturer insight: NewAge Industries
In 1954, Raymond Baker, a young salesman-turned-entrepreneur purchased a small company that manufactured and imported metal hardness testing equipment. The following year, while on a business trip in England, Baker found a revolutionary new product that he felt was just what was needed back in the U.S.—a clear, nylon braid reinforced, flexible PVC hose. It […]