1. Why is it important to regulate pressure or flow optimally?
Ulrich Sixt: Efficient automation requires precise coordination of both variables. In pneumatic systems, pressure and flow are inextricably linked. A cylinder does not only move because there is pressure – air must also flow to enable the movement. Purely static pressure control is therefore not sufficient.
A well-coordinated control system has several advantages. Energy efficiency plays a central role, as an excessive compressed air supply leads to unnecessary consumption and rising costs. Proportional pressure control valves can help to precisely control the air flow and provide only the required quantity. Last but not least, precise control increases the service life of the components, as it avoids sudden pressure fluctuations which accelerate the wear on valves and actuators.
2. What further developments are there in pressure or flow control, and how do they differ from conventional systems?
Ulrich Sixt: Proportional technology, sensors, and intelligent algorithms in modern automated systems significantly optimize precision and efficiency. One of these further developments are regulators that are pneumatically or electrically controlled. These adjust the flow and pressure to a setpoint value or to an external signal – interesting if different pressures are required in the process. Proportional pressure regulators keep the system pressure constant in real time, regardless of fluctuations.
In many applications, pressure and flow are still controlled manually or with simple regulators. These are tried and tested, but often insufficient for greater precision and efficiency. Manual valves, for example, require regular readjustments, as they do not react automatically to pressure fluctuations.
3. What advantages do modern proportional valves offer for automation?
Ulrich Sixt: The intelligent combination of highly dynamic actuators, sensors, and control algorithms enables high-precision control of pressure, flow, and movement: automated, efficient, and adaptable to a wide range of process requirements. Festo has successfully implemented precisely this principle with Controlled Pneumatics.
Modern proportional valves operate in a dynamic, closed control loop, which enables continuous adaptation to changing conditions. Sensors continuously measure the current pressure and transmit the values to the control electronics. This compares the measured actual value with the specified target value, and immediately detects deviations. The valve reacts in real time and automatically adapts by increasing or reducing the pressure in order to precisely maintain the desired value (flow control). Flow regulators play a decisive role in this control loop. They ensure that the volume flow is precisely dosed in order to optimize energy consumption, while at the same time guaranteeing constant performance. This intelligent control system ensures stable process conditions, reduces energy losses, and increases the efficiency of the entire system.
4. What are the benefits of intelligent pressure or flow control?
Ulrich Sixt: Intelligent pressure and flow control increases efficiency, process stability, and system availability. Precise control without fluctuations optimizes energy consumption and improves product quality. Constant pressure protects pneumatic components from excessive stress and wear. This increases process reliability. The automated adjustment also enables flexible control for different materials and processes. This countersinking operating costs without compromising performance.
5. How does intelligent pressure or flow control improve process reliability and quality assurance?
Ulrich Sixt: In practice, I see time and again how pressure or flow fluctuations lead to faulty products. Especially in sensitive sectors such as the automotive industry, medical technology, food and packaging, stable processes are crucial in order to avoid rejects and rework.
A common problem: Different pressures at different production stations, which can lead to a cylinder not positioning components exactly or a seal not being pressed with the correct force. Proportional valves with closed-loop control can make a big difference here. They keep the pressure at the required level – regardless of load changes, fluctuating inlet pressure, or leaks. In practice, this means: Inconsistent processes can result in high reject rates – these can be significantly reduced through intelligent control.
My conclusion: If you want to improve process reliability and quality, there is no getting around precise, automated pressure or flow. They not only reduce errors, but also ensure consistent product quality, less downtime, and greater overall system efficiency.
6. What potential do you see in terms of energy efficiency?
Ulrich Sixt: Compressed air is one of the most expensive forms of energy in industry, as its production by compressors consumes 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.
Intelligent pressure or flow control ensures that only as much compressed air is supplied as is actually needed. While conventional systems are often operated at maximum system pressure, modern proportional valves with sensor feedback dynamically adjust the pressure to the actual demand. This minimizes leakage losses, which can account for up to 20% of compressed air consumption in many companies. In addition, demand-based control can optimize the use of compressors and reduce their running times. 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.
7. What role does digitalization play in pressure or flow control?
Ulrich Sixt: A key advantage of digital systems is the transparent availability of data. Pressure or flow values can be called up and optimized at any time via IO-Link® or other fieldbus interfaces. This enables companies to detect pressure losses or leaks at an early stage before they lead to failures. In practice, we see that companies with networked systems can significantly reduce their unplanned downtimes.
Process customization is also becoming more flexible. In modern production lines, pressure or flow values can be adjusted automatically depending on the material or product without the need for a technician to intervene manually on site.
In a nutshell: Digitalized pressure or flow controllers ensure greater process reliability, lower maintenance costs and flexible, future-proof production. Those who rely on networked systems benefit from greater efficiency, transparency, and control throughout the entire production process.
8. Where is the development in pressure or flow control heading?
Ulrich Sixt: Essentially, I see three requirements for the further development of pressure and flow control: more precision, greater energy efficiency, and increased digitalization. The integration of sensors directly into regulators combines measurement and control technology in one component. This saves space, simplifies installations, and improves response times.
Sensitive industries such as semiconductor production or medical technology rely on advanced valve technologies. Piezo or plunger coil technologies, for example, enable faster, more precise, and more efficient control. The third further development is adaptive pressure and flow control with AI. In the future, AI-supported algorithms could automatically optimize processes and adapt them to changing production requirements.
9. What is your recommendation for companies that want to optimize their pressure or flow control?
Ulrich Sixt: If you want to improve efficiency, process stability, and energy savings in production, you should look into intelligent control concepts. With Controlled Pneumatics, Festo offers a solution that combines proportional technology, sensors, and digital control to regulate pressure and flow with precision, energy-efficiency, and flexibility.
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 e-book offers insights into how intelligent pressure and flow control reduces costs, stabilizes processes – and optimally positions companies for future requirements.
10. What role does predictive servicing play in pressure or flow control, and what advantages does it offer?
Ulrich Sixt: Predictive servicing plays a crucial role in stable and efficient pressure and flow control. Continuous sensor measurements of pressure, flow, and temperature allow even the smallest deviations to be detected at an early stage. This allows wear and tear or impending malfunctions to be identified and rectified at an early stage before failures occur. Instead of rigid maintenance intervals, intervention takes place exactly when it is necessary – this counters unplanned downtime and maintenance costs while extending the service life of the components.
Of course, the integration of such systems into existing plants poses a challenge, especially when it comes to data processing and analysis. But with modern digital solutions, predictive servicing is increasingly becoming the norm. This makes an important contribution to greater efficiency, sustainability, and process reliability in automation.
We would like to thank Ulrich Sixt for the exciting insights into the world of pressure and flow control. His expertise shows how smart technologies not only stabilize processes, but also save energy and improve production quality. Companies that rely on digital proportional valves and networked control technology benefit from greater efficiency, predictive servicing, and maximum flexibility – the future of pneumatics is smarter than ever before.
