Pneumatic systems are undoubtedly big investments for various companies. And if you have one or few, you would want to make the most out of it for bigger benefits. The Festo cylinders, air preparation machines, filters, tracts and controls among other parts play key roles in your facility.
Last thing you’d want is having faulty or inefficient functioning because of avoidable factors. That’s why optimizing your pneumatic system is something valuable to learn.
How to Make the Most out of the Pneumatic System in your Facility
Optimizing a pneumatic system circles on keeping it on good condition as well as proper setup for efficient functioning. To achieve such objectives, there are three big tips to keep in mind:
- Proper Basic Setup
First, be sure to aim for the right pneumatic system setup in your facility. That includes proper specifications and integration among its parts. This is to achieve seamless function and movement all throughout the system, while giving better control to your staff.
For example, using smaller yet right necessary parts is always better than merely going for bigger ones. Using bigger yet unneeded parts pulls up energy usage in your system. This translates to bigger operation cost as well.
Hence, consider using pressure booster instead, so compressed air would be directed accurately while minimizing energy waste. Also, incorporating IO connectivity to your system makes various parts easier to control using a firmware.
- Predictive and Preventive Setup
This type of setup is vital in terms of pneumatic system maintenance. It aims to predict possible problem which may arise, hence incorporating preventive measures to deal with such issues. As the popular proverb goes, prevention is better than cure, so it’s best to keep your system on good shape instead of fixing it when damaged.
Basic preventive steps include regular cleaning and upkeeps. Think of regularly cleaning and maintaining your pneumatic system to keep contaminants away. Remember that a pneumatic system requires clean air to work, hence moisture, dust, oil and some microorganisms must be removed.
It also involves checking all parts of the system. Think of keeping lubricators from getting dry, avoiding build-up on filters and removing rust when present.
And to help you with preventive and predictive maintenance, you can incorporate alert systems in your facility. These are hardware and software platforms which detects any uncertainties in the pneumatic system. So, it would alert your staff even before problem occurs.
- Safety and Standardization
International standards are there for valuable reasons. It seeks to help companies build up high-performing pneumatic systems with enough safety features. The updated DIN ISO 8573-1, for example, details water, oil and particles that must be kept away from any pneumatic system. These particles and debris cause malfunction and low performance among pneumatic machines.
In terms of safety, different standards have been established as well. Popular example is the use of separate safety circuits for each zones or components of a pneumatic system. This allows efficient design and control for the machines.
On a side note, risk assessment is necessary when operating a pneumatic system. Third party platforms are available from manufacturers for you to conduct the process by your own. However, the best option is to connect with a reliable workplace assessment service in your local area.
You’d want to optimize your pneumatic system properly and make the most out of it. Hence, apply these tips in your facilities today.