Festo introduces a line of pre-configured, assembled, and tested compressed air preparation units that not only makes specification and ordering faster and easier, but also ensures clean air in food and beverage production. Right out of the box, the new units meet the Safe Quality Food (SQF) guidelines of final filtration stage 0.01 micron (µm) […]

Corrosion in steel pipes and storage receivers within compressed air systems is a common issue that can significantly impact system efficiency, safety, and longevity. This process is primarily driven by the presence of water and acid condensate, both of which are common byproducts in compressed air environments. Understanding how corrosion occurs can help in implementing […]

AutomationDirect has added NITRA CPS9E series cylinder position switches which are compact general-purpose switches designed to detect the position of a pneumatic cylinder’s magnetic piston. This feedback can be used by a control system to determine cylinder position, cycle count, and to confirm operation.   These switches are manufactured specifically to fit into extruded or […]

Dust collector reverse pulse cleaning is commonly deployed in any industry that creates powdered dust. Through the years, it is common to see expensive failures of these devices that consume excessive amounts of compressed air. Often times, these failures go undetected. Dust collector reverse pulse cleaning is a highly efficient method for removing accumulated dust […]

Electro-pneumatic pressure regulation and flow control manufacturer Proportion-Air recently celebrated the completion of its new facility in Gulf Breeze, Florida, with a grand opening event last month. The event brought visitors from the community to see the company’s new 12,000 square foot building, which houses research and development, marketing and sales, and administration functions. Attendees […]

Air-cooled air compressors are crucial to keeping the production process running in many industries; they work by turning power into usable energy. Their performance, however, depends heavily on their ability to stay cool. If dust and debris clog up a compressor, it can overheat, work less efficiently, and cost more to operate. Fig. 1 and […]

Emerson has launched its Aventics series XV pneumatic valves. Series XV valves are designed with interoperability in mind to provide machine builders across multiple industries and factory automation applications with a flexible and cost-effective valve platform. The new valves are ideal for machine builders  and end users that operate across the globe, with universal threads […]

Tom, a diligent plant engineer at a mid-sized manufacturing facility, faced persistent problems with his compressed air system powering his crucial production lines. Despite repeated attempts to fix various symptoms — frequent drops in pressure, excessive energy consumption, and sporadic equipment failures — the problems persisted, causing costly downtime and frustration on the factory floor. […]

Compressed air systems classed as “best practices” have permanent monitoring systems installed that can automatically track the performance of the system. In this way, problems can be easily detected and dealt with quickly. Important variables like pressure, power, flow, temperature, and dew point are measured and sent to a central database, to be stored for […]

Added to the nEDC 300 pumps from Edwards Vacuum are the nEDC 65-150 models that completes its range of robust dry claw vacuum pumps for the lower pumping speed classes. With features such as robustness, efficiency and easy handling of contaminants, the smaller pumps are also ideal for applications in the areas of water and […]

A plastic products producer was expanding its business and installed a few new machines. There already were five small compressors installed to feed the production machinery and the maintenance personnel were experiencing low pressure occurrences. These events would pull plant pressure down and cause product rejects and production shutdowns. The plant manager concluded that the […]

Piab has launched its highly anticipated OVM Pro 3D, a cutting-edge on-line tool designed to transform the way vacuum systems are configured, simulated and optimized. “OVM Pro 3D represents a major leap forward for the design of vacuum systems,” said Josef Karbassi, Acting President of the Vacuum Automation Division. Ever since Piab assumed its leading […]

A good exercise for any compressed air system is to find and fix compressed air leaks. And if the system compressors are well controlled, some significant energy savings can be gained by doing leak audits and repairs on a regular basis; this is generally recommended quarterly. Some excellent tools to use in the process are […]

In 2019, COVAL launched its first CVGC carbon vacuum gripper, designed for collaborative robots, when the market was just beginning to exist. Today, in a market that is constantly expanding, COVAL is launching a second generation, optimizing its modularity and compatibility while simultaneously enhancing its performance. More than a simple update, COVAL has redesigned the […]

The CSG series air compressor boasts up to 16% more flow and as much as a 19% improvement in specific performance over the previous models, with a maximum operating pressure increased to 160 psig. The CSG series is available in five fixed speed models from 50 to 125 hp delivering flows from 184 to 563 […]

A wood products company had an aging heatless 1,000 cfm desiccant air dryer, being used to condition the compressed air produced by two 100-hp compressors in their processing facility. After working for many years, the dryer controller failed and had to be replaced. Replacement parts could not be found, so the local electricians came up […]

Sometimes, the smallest change makes the biggest impact. Here’s why one machine builder no longer adjusts proximity switches on pneumatic actuators. Proximity switches are used to monitor and control the position of pneumatic actuators. They include sensors that detect the presence or absence of an object within a specified range without making physical contact with […]

System efficiency is crucial in modern compressed air designs, which is why many compressed air management companies are developing tools to provide more insight into system operation. Smart technologies are in abundance in this regard, allowing factories and plants to capitalize on IoT data. To this end, Kaeser Compressors recently launched the new Kaeser Measurement […]

Vacuum specialist Leybold has added a new model to its proven ClawVac dry claw vacuum pump series — the ClawVac CP B. This innovative rough vacuum pump, designed for robust processes including food processing, materials handling and environmental industries, is powerful, energy efficient and easy to clean. Precise and trouble-free operation under harsh conditions The […]

piSAFE has for some years been a highly appreciated member of Piab’s assortment of products with elevated safety functions. As the reliable vacuum pump is now upgraded, the safety focus remains. However, versatility and sustainability have been added to the mix as new healthy prerequisites. Since its introduction in 2021, piSAFE has clearly been the […]

From time to time, compressed air auditors find air-cooled air compressors located in small rooms where the ventilation is inadequate. Most of the time, in properly designed rooms, the heat the compressors produce is ducted out of the room through metals ducting — often, it will be directed to cool areas of the plant in […]

A mining complex was experiencing low pressure events — even though its 14 large compressors were all running. The pressure was adequate during most of the day, but during peak demand times, the pressure sagged to unacceptable levels. This, of course, caused complaints from the workers. The pressure settings of the compressors were already set […]

ELGi Compressors USA has introduced the EQ Series, a new range of oil-lubricated, direct drive rotary screw air compressors, designed to provide superior performance and reliability to small and medium-sized operations that traditionally use belt-driven air compressors. In line with ELGi’s customer-centric approach, the EQ ‘ELGi Quest’ Series is built for customers requiring reliable compressed […]

Industry 4.0 aims to increase efficiency, productivity, quality, and sustainability while optimizing supply chains and workforces. It sounds like a tall order, but as more manufacturers adopt the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), edge devices, and cloud-based technologies, the more such efforts are realized. Of course, one of the fundamental challenges is extracting and leveraging […]

When doing a compressed air audit, it is always recommended to measure the important parameters of the system and analyze the data carefully. Typically, pressure and power (or amps) are monitored, but in some cases measurement of flow comes in handy. In the case of a large plumbing component manufacturer, the installation of flow meters […]