(RS Group: London) -- RS, a high-service global product and service solutions provider for industrial customers, offers a vast selection of smart pneumatic automation and control products designed to reduce the inherent inefficiency of compressed air systems.

Compressed air is a safe, reliable energy source that’s been used to power industrial processes since the 1880s. Today, it’s commonly used to power automated manufacturing and packaging processes—including transferring, packaging, box making, filling, mixing, cooling, and drying applications—in automotive, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, and pulp and paper manufacturing facilities, and the cleanrooms within them.

Smart pneumatic automation and control products improve efficiency, maintenance, costs, uptime, reliability, and quality.

And while it’s long been common knowledge that compressed air systems are inherently inefficient—losing at least 80% of their electric input energy to heat, and another 5–10% to leaks, artificial demand, and inappropriate use—their reputation as safe, flexible, durable, and low-maintenance frequently made up for that. Now, though, the sustained influence of Industry 4.0 megatrends, including efficiency and sustainability, has industrial professionals—ranging from maintenance engineers, plant managers, and reliability technicians to buyers in the manufacturing, utilities, and industrial maintenance sectors—reconsidering its employment.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Plants program recommends that new users limit the deployment of compressed air systems to processes that mandate it, and otherwise opt for alternatives to improve energy efficiency. For users with existing compressed air systems, the program recommends proper management, which includes:
• Eliminating inappropriate uses
• Stabilizing system pressure
• Repairing and preventing compressed air leaks
• Decreasing demand-side air use
• Using appropriate supply-side technology, including remote monitoring equipment and smart automation and control products designed to identify and either automatically correct or alert operators to correct measured setpoint deviations in system conditions

The combined effects of these efforts—and especially the implementation of smart automation and control products, including pneumatic control valves, air preparation systems, flow sensors, and pneumatic actuators—can reduce compressed air systems’ energy consumption by 20–50% in addition to reducing maintenance needs and overall costs, and improving equipment uptime, reliability, and product quality.

Popular selections from the RS portfolio of smart automation and control products include:

IMI Norgren’s VR Series valve manifolds, which consolidate direct-ported directional control valves in a simple, compact manifold prepopulated with all the valves, fittings, and silencers needed to enable quicker and easier installation, maintenance, and replacement than a series of single valves. These flexible, modular valve manifolds are robust and lightweight, support direct and DIN-rail mounting, and are available in 10 mm- and 15 mm-wide models with IP40 and IP65 sealing, and up to 24 low-power solenoids with LED indicators. They also offer a wide range of configuration options and support plug-and-play size and functionality expansions, as well as multiple communication protocols to ensure compatibility with both new and existing systems. They’re optimized for industrial automation applications, including piloting applications and small actuators, and are rated for flow rates spanning 220–590 L/min, up to 101 psi (7 bar), 12- or 24-VDC, operating temperatures extending from -5°C to +50°C, and over 30 million cycles.

Festo’s MS Series filter regulator lubricators (FRL units), which have a highly configurable modular design engineered for reliable filtration and precise pressure regulation in diverse applications, including food and beverage manufacturing and packaging, and potentially explosive Zone 1, 2, 21, and 22 applications. They exhibit high flow rates with very good control characteristics and low hysteresis, feature integrated lockout/tagout functionality for operational safety, as well as three-stage filters, return flow functionality, and exhaust valves. They also comply with UL, FDA, and Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) guidelines. Options include four sizes, a mechanical pressure gauge or a pressure sensor with or without a display, and specialized variants designed to remove odor and moisture. The series can also be installed as service unit modules and enable the simultaneous control of independent pressure ranges.

Gems Sensors & Controls’ FS-380 and FS380P Series flow switches, rugged inline flow switches designed to use 100 µm filtration and reliably resist clogging. They can be used for controlling compressed air in pneumatic processes as well as water, coolants, and other fluids in process control applications, and when used in compressed air applications should be paired with high-quality air filters to ensure proper operation.

Gems Sensors & Controls’ FS-380 Series flow switches, compact, high-inline-pressure flow switches with rugged brass or 316 stainless steel housings. These SPST, 20-VA switches are normally open at zero flow, available in multiple port sizes, and rated for 0.25–2.00 GPM flow rates up to 500 or 1,500 psi, and operating temperatures spanning -28°C to +135°C. They’re ideal for high-pressure industrial cleaning and semiconductor cooling applications that require simplicity and reliability. Gems Sensors & Controls’ FS-380P Series flow switches are industrial-strength, SPST, 10 VA plastic inline flow switches that provide the same superior clog-resistant performance as metal FS-380 switches. They have glass-reinforced polypropylene housings with a simple, dependable ¼ in. quick-disconnect and low-pressure-drop design, and are normally open at zero flow and equipped with fixed setpoints. They’re available with a host of different snap-on mating adapters to fit most piping requirements, and rated for 0.25–2.0 GPM flow rates up to 50 or 125 psi, and operating temperatures spanning -18°C to +100°C. Ideal applications extend throughout the HVAC, semiconductor manufacturing, welding, medical, and beverage industries.

SMC’s CP96 pneumatic actuators, designed for versatility, simplicity, reliability, repeatability, energy efficiency, and ease of integration and control in commercial and industrial applications. They’re meticulously designed to meet ISO standards, be easy to install and integrate, and maximize uptime. They have a lightweight aluminum construction designed to improve energy efficiency, magnetic pistons designed for easy position sensing and high control accuracy, enclosed tie rods designed to improve mounting accuracy and extend cylinder life, high-precision bushings and piston rods designed to reduce deflection, and durable seals that minimize leakage and maximize longevity. Options include six bore sizes spanning 32–125 mm, with standard stroke ranges extending from 25–800 mm. Ideal applications include clean- and harsh-environment pneumatic systems that require consistent and robust actuation.

For more information about smart pneumatic automation and control products from RS—including RS PRO brand control valves, FRL units, flow sensors, and pneumatic actuators designed for safe, reliable performance, versatility, convenience, and cost savings without compromise—check out “Optimizing compressed air systems with smart automation and control products” by RS product portfolio manager Danee Lackey (and visit the links embedded here). For more information about pneumatic systems, check out relevant RS expert advice content. For assistance identifying, procuring, deploying, and maintaining smart pneumatic automation and control products for compressed air systems, contact your local RS representative at (866) 433–5722, or reach out to the RS technical support team.