Four new products are joining the Proportion-Air hazardous location series of regulators. These new Factory Mutual-approved devices meet the precision pneumatic pressure control needs of professionals working in environments where flammable gases, combustible dust or fibers/flyings and filings may be present. Two new intrinsically safe products offer higher accuracy and flow rates for hazardous locations. […]
Equipment
Cutting compressed-air costs at the point of use
Energy efficiency has become a hot topic. There are worldwide initiatives to rein in CO2 emissions and limit climate change. Consumers are becoming critical and demand products that are produced in a sustainable way. Furthermore, many production plants are more aware of the huge cost reductions involved with energy savings. As a result, firms are […]
Unique SmartValve is fast and precise
The SmartValve from KTW Technology, Wehr, Germany, is a new type of flow-control valve that relies on a magnetized ball as the fluid-control element. This ultrafast switching valve is designed for high-speed pulsing of airflow, making it well suited for compressed-air blow-off, cooling, cleaning and drying applications where it reportedly brings higher efficiency and performance. […]
Functional safety with pneumatic rod locks
Functional safety features in pneumatic machines and systems are critical in reducing the risk of injury without impacting operational efficiency and productivity. Designers of functionally safe pneumatic systems have put in fail-safe mechanisms to detect potentially dangerous conditions and to activate a protective or corrective device, such as a pneumatic rod lock, that will prevent […]
Vacuum-based soft gripper handles delicate objects
Piab has introduced the new soft gripping tool piSOFTGRIP, developed especially with food industry automation in mind. The vacuum-based soft gripper will grip sensitive and lightweight objects of odd geometries and/or an unusual surface. Bin-picking of small irregularly shaped objects, such as toys, is another potential application. piSOFTGRIP has three gripping fingers and a vacuum […]
NITRA Pneumatic Automation Link field I/O system and valves
The NITRA Pneumatic Automation Link (PAL) series of components from AutomationDirect is a versatile field I/O system that can include electrical I/O or pneumatic valves, or a combination of both. The system can be controlled either by an Ethernet/IP master or direct wiring (for exclusively pneumatic valves). All components are rated IP65, intended to be […]
Solenoid valves offer reduce power consumption in smaller footprint
Emerson has launched a range of two-way and three-way solenoid valves that support original equipment manufacturers’ need to develop more compact machines and equipment without compromising on fluid control performance. The optimized body design and internal flow path of the new ASCO series 256/356 not only provides a smaller footprint, but also reduced power consumption […]
Smart pneumatics: Gateway to higher efficiency, productivity
Open and flexible IIoT systems can pinpoint leaks and faults, reduce downtime, increase throughput and, ultimately, improve the bottom line. Contributed by Nils Beckmann, Product Marketing Manager IIoT Integration • Emerson From food and beverage processing to packaged goods and factory automation, manufacturing facilities are turning to smart pneumatics for improved energy efficiency. In compressed air […]
Productivity Master embodies digital manufacturing
Last year when it became clear that in-person trade shows were not possible, Festo built its own stand for organizing virtual exhibitions and virtual customer meetings. “One of the most valuable exhibits is the Productivity Master, which helps customers deal with the global challenges of today,” said company spokesman Christopher Haug. It will be at […]
How to turn data into useful information
In a preview of their offerings at this year’s digital Hannover Fair, scheduled for April 12 to 16, Emerson takes a pragmatic look at today’s IoT landscape and discusses a number of new edge computing and analytics products that help manufacturers turn data into actionable insights. “We are 30 years into the concept of ‘big […]
