Winning entries in the 2021 LEAP (Leadership in Engineering Achievement Program) Awards were announced by WTWH Media today in 12 categories, including Pneumatics. This year’s winners were chosen by an independent judging panel of 12 engineering and academic professionals. For each category, judges could award Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Honorable Mentions. The 2021 Pneumatics category winners are:

Gold
Emerson
Wireless Auto Recovery Module (ARM)

The judges commented: “Great product, which would really help in the setting up and diagnostics of pneumatic systems, without actually physically connecting up to the system. This makes maintenance easier and increases practicality.” Congratulations!

The wireless ARM improves AVENTICS Series G3 electronic fieldbus valve system’s capability by enabling wireless connectivity that is the first of its kind. The wireless ARM, paired with the Series G3 fieldbus valve system, replaces conventional hard-wired solutions to integrate communication interfaces and input/output capabilities to pneumatic valve manifolds.

The wireless ARM is engineered to be easily added as a clip into existing G3 fieldbus platforms. Compared to hard-wired solutions, the Series G3 fieldbus valve system simplifies commissioning, installation and integration of pneumatic valves into the overall automation system. This enables faster start-ups and enhanced diagnostics that help identify problems earlier and faster, contributing to increased equipment uptime and greater productivity. The wireless ARM provides real-time access to pneumatic component diagnostics and enables easy valve system commissioning and configuration wirelessly.

Sensor data from pneumatic devices networked through the G3 fieldbus platforms are sent via secured Wi-Fi connection to a web-based dashboard that can be accessed by a smart device. Using the wireless ARM allows the valve manifolds to be fully commissioned and monitored prior to machine start-up, which includes setting operational thresholds and alarm settings.

Silver
Festo
Pressure and vacuum generator PGVA

Many in-vitro diagnostic, pharmaceutical and other life science applications use air pressure and vacuum to reliably and safely accomplish critical liquid control tasks, from pipetting biological samples for clinical testing, to using precise air and vacuum to push samples and reagents through “lab on a chip” microfluidic applications.

Pressure and vacuum used in fluidic/microfluidic processes needs to be precisely controlled, frequently down to 10 millibars (mb) – much less than the air pressure changes inside a typical lab on any given day. The air must be free of particulate that might contaminate the system or clog fluid passages. Typical solutions require large tanks of compressed gas, or using industrial compressed air, which requires extensive treatment to meet the moisture and filtration requirements for lab use.

The Festo PGVA fills all the pressure and vacuum requirements required for low volume fluidic aspiration, dispensing, and flow control in a box not much larger than an abridged dictionary. Pressure is supplied by quiet 50db pump and stored in internal pressure and vacuum cells at 750 mb pressure and vacuum. It is then filtered to -.001um purity, and finally controlled by a silent servo controlled piezoelectric regulator providing precise, clean air in a single 200 x 200 x 75mm box.

Completing the package is software control via RS 232 or TCP/IP. With the single built in output, a designer can control a complete dispense system, using the simple GUI on PC in minutes. Modbus TCP allows control in more complex automated systems just as easily.

Bronze
PHD, Inc.
FLEXION

PHD FLEXION is an innovation in gripping technology inspired by the ultimate gripper: the human hand. The act of bending a finger — anatomically defined as flexion — gives the human hand a vast range of ability and adaptability. When actuated, FLEXION’s multiple joints perform as a human finger to conform and encapsulate a part or grip it by the fingertips. Adjustment of the operating pressure allows for a wide working range of usable force, providing industrial strength for demanding applications or a delicate touch for soft and sensitive product handling.

This uniquely configurable system consists of finger modules situated on either a parallel or radial gripper hub. Modules can be mounted in arrays of one to five fingers in each position for adaptability offering an unmatched level of versatility and fulfilling a wide range of application requirements. Additionally, each finger can be equipped with two switches to sense positions providing feedback to controls. The system supports ISO 9409 mounting standards, mounting directly to most robots on the market.