Ulrich Sixt: For automation to be efficient, both variables need to be precisely controlled. In pneumatic systems, pressure and flow rate are inextricably linked. A cylinder does not only move because there is pressure,air must also flow to enable movement. That means purely static pressure control is not sufficient.
A well-coordinated closed-loop control system has several advantages. Energy efficiency plays a big role, as an excessive compressed air supply leads to unnecessary consumption and rising costs. Proportional-pressure regulators can help to precisely control the air flow and supply only the required amount. Last but not least, when using precise closed-loop control, sudden pressure fluctuations are avoided and the service life of the components is increased, as fluctuations accelerate the wear of valves and actuators.
Ulrich Sixt: Intelligent pressure and flow control increases efficiency, process stability and plant and system availability. Precise closed-loop control without fluctuations optimises energy consumption and improves product quality. Constant pressure protects pneumatic components from excessive stress and wear. This increases process reliability. The automated adjustment also means that different materials and processes can be flexibly controlled. This reduces operating costs without compromising performance.
Ulrich Sixt: Compressed air is one of the most expensive forms of energy in industry, as the compressors used to produce it consume a lot of electricity. However, many systems operate at a higher pressure than necessary, which leads to unnecessary energy consumption. Even reducing the system pressure by 1 bar can significantly reduce energy consumption.
By intelligently controlling the pressure or flow, only as much compressed air is supplied as is actually needed. While conventional systems are often operated at maximum system pressure, modern proportional pneumatic valves with sensor feedback dynamically adjust the pressure to the actual demand. This minimises leakage losses, which can account for up to 20 % of compressed air consumption in many companies. In addition, with demand-based control the operation of compressors can be optimised and their running times reduced. This is directly reflected in lower energy costs. In large systems, this leads to savings in the five-digit euro range per year. Companies that rely on intelligent pressure and flow regulators not only reduce their energy consumption, but also increase sustainability and operating efficiency at the same time.
Ulrich Sixt: Essentially, I see three requirements for the further development of pressure and flow control: greater precision, greater energy efficiency and greater digitalisation. By integrating sensors directly into regulators, measurement and closed-loop control technology can be combined in one component. This saves space, simplifies installations and improves reaction times.
Sensitive industries such as semiconductor production or medical technology rely on advanced valve technologies. Piezo or plunger coil technologies, for example, provide faster, more precise and more efficient closed-loop control. The third development is adaptive pressure and flow control with AI. In the future, AI-supported algorithms could automatically optimise processes and adapt them to changing production requirements.
Ulrich Sixt: If you want to improve efficiency and process stability and save energy in production, you should certainly consider intelligent control concepts. With Controlled Pneumatics, Festo offers a solution that combines proportional technology, sensors and digital closed-loop control to regulate pressure and flow rate precisely, energy-efficiently and flexibly.
In contrast to conventional systems with fixed settings, Controlled Pneumatics dynamically adjusts the values in real time. This increases production quality, reduces air consumption and extends the service life of components. For anyone who wants to delve deeper into the topic, our eBook offers insights into how intelligent pressure and flow control reduces costs, stabilises processesand optimally positions companiesfor future requirements.
A big thank-you to Ulrich Sixt for his fascinating insights into the world of pressure and flow control. His expertise shows how smart technologies not only stabilise processes, but also save energy and improve production quality. Companies that rely on digital proportional pneumatic valves and networked closed-loop control technology benefit from greater efficiency, predictive maintenance and maximum flexibility. The future of pneumatics is smarter than ever before.