Piab offers a range of robotic end-effectors intended to support automation cells in manufacturing and logistics. The portfolio includes modular end-of-arm tooling, vacuum grippers, magnetic grippers, foam area grippers and soft grippers for applications such as picking, packing, palletizing and handling packaged goods. Flexible end-effectors for different applications Cobot picking, packing and palletizing – piCOBOT […]
Components
VSD compressors: Put your system on cruise control
When Dana took over as production manager at a packaging plant, she quickly learned that compressed air pressure was a constant source of frustration. Operators often complained about pressure swings, too low during peak demand and too high during quieter shifts. The compressors seemed to be either racing at full throttle or idling wastefully. Energy […]
Keeping compressed air filters efficient
By Ron Marshall Compressed air filters are often forgotten components in industrial plants, but their role is critical. They not only protect downstream equipment and processes from contaminants but also affect the efficiency of the air compressor system itself. Neglecting filters can lead to poor air quality, rising energy costs, and unnecessary wear on equipment. […]
Do your workers care about compressed air?
By Ron Marshall When Sarah took over as operations manager at a mid-sized food processing plant, she assumed compressed air was just another utility, important, but hardly worth much attention. Her team kept the machines running, and as long as production targets were met, she didn’t think twice about it. But when a compressed air […]
How an air receiver transformed a plant
When Jorge walked through the compressor room at his manufacturing plant, the big machines caught his eye, the humming compressors, the dryers, the filters. But tucked away in the corner stood a piece of equipment he hardly noticed: a tall, steel air receiver tank. It didn’t have power cables, flashing lights, or gauges that demanded […]
Festo introduces the HPSX Universal Adaptive Gripper
The Festo HPSX universal adaptive gripper is a groundbreaking hygienic soft gripper engineered to handle delicate, irregularly shaped, and hygienically sensitive products. Gripper fingers are produced from soft silicone-based material, making them ideal for moving items that are easily damaged. HPSX can perform multiple picks per second. The design of this pneumatic gripper is a […]
How does moisture affect pneumatic systems and how do we mitigate it?
By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Desiccant, membrane, deliquescent, centrifugal and refrigerated air dryers are all technologies used to dry our compressed air systems. They are installed in various locations throughout the plant, although downstream of the compressor is the most critical location. Compressing air collects the volume of moisture found in a cubic foot of […]
Show me the money: A story of hidden compressed air costs
By Ron Marshall Mark ran a busy plastics plant where compressors hummed day and night. For years, the system seemed to work just fine — air pressure was steady, production lines ran without interruption, and maintenance crews only dealt with the occasional leak. On the surface, nothing looked wrong. But as the monthly power bills […]
Air compressor failures — fix or replace?
By Ron Marshall When the main compressor at Bill’s machine shop suddenly failed, the entire plant seemed to grind to a halt. Operators stood idle, production schedules slipped, and the pressure was on to make a quick decision. Bill gathered his maintenance crew in the break room, where they weighed their options: repair the aging […]
What’s really going on in your compressor room?
By Ron Marshal When a compressed air auditor arrived at a midsize manufacturing plant, the operators were confident their system was running just fine. The compressors switched on every morning, the gauges read pressure, and the machines on the floor kept humming along. To them, that was all that mattered. But the auditor had a […]
