TechArchive

Original article date: July 1999 Alan Quinn takes a look at the KV Automation range of dry-operated solenoid valves in which the solenoid is isolated from the valve body and media. To enable solenoid valves to control the flow of aggressive or contaminating media KV Automation is offering a dry operator version as part of [...]

Original article date: April 1998 Corrosion within pneumatic circuits and its consequences – piston seizing, leakage, jamming of control valves, reduced efficiency – are due to the combined action of atmospheric and electrolytic corrosion, the latter being largely predominant in pneumatic systems. In the electrolytic process, the water contained on the ambient relative humidity of [...]

Original article date: July 1996 Norgren has developed a monitored pneumatic dump valve. This will help pneumatic system designers comply with the Machinery Directive. Whilst the majority of components are not designed to be safety components some are employed to perform safety-related functions. Although the Machinery Directive and its supporting European standards do not state [...]

Original article date: July 1999 The demands placed n machinery and equipment in the food industry are as varied as the products that are manufactured and are constantly increasing. New regulations indicate a trend towards higher quality materials and stricter hygienic design. Hygiene regulations materials and surface properties must be observed in the food processing [...]

Original article date: January 2000 Compressors are essential for pneumatic systems, but they are often incorrectly specified. NICK POOLE of Abac has some advice to help avoid the common pitfalls No pneumatic system would be complete without a supply of compressed air, but the specification of a new compressor, however, is often carried out urgently [...]

Original article date: October 1998 MARTIN EADON explains the options available to dissipate the energy within a pneumatic actuator and why the RHC cylinder from SMC Pneumatics is a major advance. The force generated by a pneumatic cylinder is determined by the air pressure applied to the cylinder and the effective area of the piston. [...]

Original article date: October 1997 Mannesmann Rexroth’s Pneumatic Trainer manual covers all aspects of pneumatic circuit design including this outline on pneumatic sensors. For contactless sensing of positions and for measuring purposes flow elements functioning on the “dynamic” principle can be used (fluidlogic). In these elements (sensors) the pressure conditions in the air flow are [...]

Original article date: April 1996 Using technological advances in electronics it’s possible to use pneumatic drives in complex control functions says Heinz Godert of Robert Bosch. Pneumatic drives in the past have been consigned to relatively simple functions because of their inability to hold position. But analogue valves combined with suitable control electronics and sensors [...]

Original article date: June 2000 Don’t overlook water hydraulics, even though they form just a small part of the total market. The BFPA has published a new technical guideline The hydraulics industry uses a wide range of fluids – mineral and vegetable oils, emulsions, polyglycol or chemical solutions and synthetic esters. Among these are water [...]

Original article date: January 1998 Many of problems of rodless cylinders are well known to users — leakage poor stiffness under load inadequate load capacity and service life. But could an oval piston from Vickers change all that? Outwardly the design of rodless pneumatic cylinders has changed little since the product was first introduced nearly [...]