P N E U M AT I C A C T U ATO R S
PNEUMATIC ACTUATORS A FEW DECADES AGO, many were predicting the coming end of fluid power, eventually to be replaced by electrical products. But in a strange twist of fate, a lot of pneumatics actuation technology has actually prospered—thanks in large part to electronic controls that have allowed the famously squishy technology to become more precise and repeatable. According to Jon Revlett, Product Specialist, ElectroPneumatic Systems and Controls, for Aventics Corp., advancements in technology have paved the way for the expansion of electro-pneumatically controlled cylinder positioning systems, allowing them to substitute for servo drives in more applications today. “For example, the Aventics AES-PID Positioning System allows for very precise positioning of an actuator, by utilizing discrete electronics and multiple closed loop feedback circuits,” he said. “Accurate and repeatable positions can now be achieved with ease, while also sending out signals for present location to an IoT gateway, such as the Aventics Smart Pneumatic Monitor (SPM). This prevents extended downtime associated with repairs and allowing for the end user to maximize the performance of their pneumatically controlled equipment. None of this would be possible without smart pneumatic cylinders, capable of being controlled by electro-pneumatic systems.” Festo Corp. is another company that is in an interesting position, as it manufactures both electric and pneumatic solutions, along with some complementary technologies. “For example, industrial robotics is one of our core competencies,” said Tim Sharkey, Head of Electric Automation for Festo. “We design and build almost every component used in an industrial robotic application—sensors, machine vision, control platforms, HMIs, servo systems, pneumatics, grippers, belt and ball screw driven actuators, I/O, motion controllers, and complete turnkey control systems. As the manufacturer of these individual automation components, we can offer OEMs and end users a value engineered, single source solution for all their automation requirements.”
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Pneumatic Actuators — Motion Control Trends 03.18 V3 FINAL.indd 21
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Aventics’ Smart Pneumatic Monitor prevents extended downtime that is normally associated with repairs. This allows end users to maximize the performance of their pneumatically controlled equipment.
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