Two new managing directors strengthen the management team of the Sauer Compressors Group. The compressor manufacturer has appointed Nicole Fässler as CFO and Mladen Milcinovic as COO as of January 1. As CFO, business economist Nicole Fässler is responsible for the new management area of Finance, HR and IT. The Swiss national has extensive experience […]

It’s always frustrating to find water in a compressed air system, and especially so in locations where the air is supposed to be dry. During a recent compressed air audit, a survey of the piping found that poor dewpoints were being experienced in the system. Investigation found that significant amounts of free water mixed with […]

Most of the energy that goes into an air compressor comes out as heat, so it is always a good idea to direct the hot air produced to a location that needs heat — like into a plant in the winter season. The compressor in the photograph has a specially designed heat recovery system that […]

 Water-cooled compressors can have an advantage in locations where the ambient conditions are hot — and therefore using air cooled compressors would result in discharge temperatures that exceed the capacity of the air-drying systems. Overloading air dryers could result in free water entering the plant piping system. This would cause contamination of connected machines and […]

An air compressor at a metal processing plant had a troubled life. It started out as a VSD controlled machine, but a fire damaged the controls. Because of this, a new VSD was installed. It didn’t match the old drive, so wiring was altered to accommodate. Next, the drive failed due to dust contamination and […]

Like Clippard’s NIV and PIV lines of isolation valves, the AIV series features Clippard’s unique multi-functional valve stem design for longer life and minimal dead volume. The difference with the AIV series is that is that it also provides the added benefit of air operation, which is — by definition — intrinsically-safe. No solenoid means […]

Hycomp Inc.’s technology has become part of Atlas Copco Group. The company designs, produces, sells and services specialized high-pressure oil-free compressors and boosters for a variety of industries. This is the second such acquisition by Altas Copco, which announced the acquisition of industrial gear pump manufacturer Kracht on January 3. Hycomp is a privately owned […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Vacuum technology is the quintessential method for safe and careful material handling in various industries, from packaging to glass manufacturing. Vacuum cups and pads are gentle and soft, lifting even the largest material while barely contacting the surface. By creating a vacuum inside the cup, the pressure differential draws the […]

Piab’s clever end-of-arm-tool piCOBOT has so far had almost a decade of prosperity on the market for cobot equipment. The success relates to the unit’s compact yet user-friendly design, precision, and capacity. Despite its limited weight, only 1.5 lb (720 g), this EOAT is able to lift objects of up to 15.4 lb (7 kg). […]

A metal processing company had a laser cutter installed in its manufacturing plant to produce accurately fashioned pieces from metal sheets. This machine requires compressed air that is dried to about 35° F for general use but requires a small amount of air to keep the beam path clean —this avoids contaminating the expensive positioning […]

If you are carefully selecting your new compressors by looking at Compressed Air & Gas (CAGI) data sheets, you should be commended. Use of these sheets are a great way to compare compressor energy and flow characteristics between brands of compressors. In this way, you can choose the most efficient machine for your use and […]

From recently completed production lines, Festo introduces the DHPL, a new generation of competitively priced long-stroke grippers that offers a host of advantages for high load and torque applications. The DHPL is interchangeable with competitive long-stroke grippers. It provides the added benefits of lighter weight, higher precision, and no maintenance. The new long-stroke gripper is […]

With its lifting capability of up to 35 lb, the piCOBOT L is particularly attractive for e-commerce, logistics, and warehouse applications as well as for assisting with the lifting of heavier items in production. It builds on the same technology platform as the original version, for example, it consists of a vacuum pump unit and […]

A power utility had a 100-psi station service compressed air system that was used infrequently for maintenance. Two 50-hp water-cooled compressors were installed to maintain system pressure during the high flows, but these were overkill for normal times when the compressed air flow was only about 10 cfm. To reduce the number of starts and […]

As the fall semester for Purdue Polytechnic Institute rolled to a close earlier in December, students in the school’s capstone programs reached the half-way point on their efforts. Proportion-Air is sponsoring two capstone teams this school year. Both teams visited the company’s Indiana manufacturing facility in the fall semester, learning about manufacturing processes and asking […]

An industrial compressed air user was having a difficult time with their high pressure compressed air system. The compressed air demand required instrument quality air, so a heatless desiccant air dryer was installed. The dryer uses activated alumina within its chambers to strip off the moisture from the compressed air flow using an adsorption process […]

One little button click can save thousands of dollars in wasted electrical and maintenance costs on air compressors. Recently, a compressed air auditor encountered the same problem in two different plants; operators had failed to select “Auto Mode” on their compressors. Both units were 150-hp lubricated screw compressor installed in a system of multiple compressors. […]

In August 2022, Piab acquired AVAC, adding innovative products for sealed applications to their automation components business. After months of preparation, a selection of AVAC’s product assortment, which includes some of the company’s most trusted bestsellers, is now available under the Piab brand. The new sub-range includes the Multi-Functional Ejector (MFE), a compact, stackable design […]

Manufacturing experts seeking precise pressure regulation for high-flow applications need look no further than the Proportion-Air QB3 proportional electro-pneumatic pressure regulator — a single device engineered for accuracy and customizable for an application’s specific needs. The QB3 pressure control valve is a complete electronic pressure regulating package consisting of a pilot unit with two solenoid […]

AutomationDirect has added Metal Work Regtronic series electro-pneumatic transducers that utilize two internal solenoid valves to convert an electronic signal from a PLC or other controller to a regulated precision linear pneumatic output pressure. This dual solenoid design eliminates continuous supply air consumption, reducing operational costs. Regtronic transducers feature a maximum output pressure range up […]

Packaging machine manufacturer Coesia and its sister companies rely on system integration for efficient, precise and fast operations. With a focus on streamlined systems that reduce pouch or carton handoffs and offer the ability to move non-standard sized materials, Coesia companies R.A. Jones and MGS turn to modern motion control systems married with precision pneumatics […]

From recently completed production lines, Festo introduces the HPPF, an innovative flat parallel gripper that ranges in height from 19 to 41 mm among its four sizes: 8, 12, 16, and 20. The stroke ranges from a narrow 8 mm to a wide 80 mm, and gripping forces span from 60 to 377 N. HPPF […]

A compressed air auditor was hired to have a close look at the main compressed air system at a farm implement manufacturing plant. Data collection instruments were placed on the system to measure pressure, flow, and power. The auditor also placed a dewpoint meter at the discharge of the compressor room, after the main air […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Pneumatic cylinders are essential in various industrial applications, providing the mechanical force needed to move loads, automate equipment, and perform countless other tasks. However, pneumatic cylinders encounter issues that impede their performance like other machine components. When your pneumatic cylinder isn’t working as expected, it can lead to downtime, reduced […]

One important item discussed in Compressed Air Challenge’s Fundamentals of Compressed Air Systems seminars is leakage. The most common waste category is compressed air. When studies are done looking at leakage rates compared to the total amount of compressed air produced, on average somewhere between 20% and 30% is found at manufacturing facilities (Fig. 1). […]