Cleverly controlled using Controlled Pneumatics

The new technology is pushing the boundaries of pneumatics

In Controlled Pneumatics, Festo combines proportional technology, sensors and control algorithms to form a control loop. This technology opens up completely new application areas for the pneumatic control of pressure, flow and motion – and also makes conventional production more efficient. Last but not least, the compressed air can be perfectly dosed and its consumption reduced by up to 50% by using high-precision piezo valves. This is very easy to do: after entering just a few parameters, the closed-loop control is up and running thanks to the sophisticated algorithms from Festo.

Watch our controlled pneumatics webinar on demand

This webinar on demand looks at the topic of controlled proportional pneumatics and how this technology can be used to increase machine flexibility or achieve a more sustainable process.

This webinar covers:

  • What is controlled proportional pneumatics and what operating principles are available?
  • Flow or pressure control – how to choose the right approach?
  • Application examples – applying controlled pneumatics for flexibility and energy saving
  • Combining pressure and flow control for a new motion control approach
  • Comparing proportional control technologies; Piezo, voicecoil and PWM

Click here to download

The benefits to you at a glance

Increased competitiveness thanks to maximum process reliability

  • Accurate and repeatable control of production processes in terms of pressure, flow and movement – all this is supported by the traceability of data.
  • Fast and flexible control is combined with highly dynamic, position-dependent force and motion characteristics.
  • Protection against manipulation thanks to digitised pneumatic functions.
  • Increased process reliability and quality when machining workpieces, whether in new or existing production processes.

Easy commissioning and operation

  • What was once complicated is now very simple. For example, with the apps for the Motion Terminal VTEM multiple channels can be controlled by one piece of hardware.
  • Best results during commissioning and operation thanks to the closed-loop control.
  • Guarantees immediate adjustments to the specified setpoint value during operation thanks to the permanently monitored application parameters.
  • Fast format change-over is made possible by presets.

Economical and sustainable production

  • Great potential for energy savings through targeted metering of compressed air right from the start.
  • Maximum performance with minimised energy consumption by determining how much compressed air is absolutely necessary for each work step.
  • Positive energy footprint thanks to analyses of the components' condition, predictive maintenance and early leakage detection.

Simpler, faster, more reliable, more precise, more efficient – all in all, more economical!

Typical application areas for Controlled Pneumatics

Uniform web tension for reliable processes

Whether yarns and threads, film or paper, Controlled Pneumatics ensures uniform web tension with high dynamics and precision. The extremely sensitive pressure control compensates for fluctuations and takes kinetic energy into account. Your process reliability will be significantly improved. See for yourself how it works!

High-precision surface processing

Thanks to the dynamic and flexible surface pressure throughout the entire grinding, brushing or polishing process, you get an optimum result, even with different workpieces or material combinations. The precisely adjustable pressure makes high-precision surface processing possible, even for wafer polishing applications. With software and presets that can be duplicated, set-up times are short – and there is just one piece of hardware.

Flexible gripping without retooling

More time for production: Controlled Pneumatics makes gripper changes superfluous, while pre-sets ensure fast commissioning, and pre-positioning with the Motion Terminal allows higher packing density. The digital gripping force control allows the gripper to be adapted quickly, easily and flexibly to a wide range of requirements, whether for inside/outside gripping or according to weight and material. Also ideal for end-of-arm solutions for robots.

Accurate dispensing or pumping using pressure

Whether ink, adhesives or liquids for testing and analysis, with Controlled Pneumatics, liquids can be dispensed extremely precisely and according to an individual recipe. This is not possible with either electric automation or standard pneumatics.

Precisely timed blowing of PET bottles

An elastomer is placed in a mould at high pressure. To ensure the form is correct, the blowing process must take place quickly, otherwise the material will cool down. The precise pressure control and the high repeat accuracy with Controlled Pneumatics ensure a very economical and safe process.

Precisely controlling diaphragm pumps

When liquids need to be controlled in line with requirements, high control dynamics and good control characteristics are needed, even in the low pressure range. The moving coil actuator in the proportional pressure regulator VPPI is particularly well-suited to this application.

Economical use of inert gas

Inert gases are used to protect products such as food or wafers from oxidation, but also to ensure clean contours during laser cutting. This requires very precise, stable and linear flow behaviour without hysteresis, as well as a high repeat accuracy of the setpoint value.