Pneumatics is nowadays used mainly for control and automation technology. However, little is known about the exact functions. In science and technology, the application and use of compressed air is referred to as pneumatics. The term pneumatics comes from the ancient Greek word pneuma, meaning ‘air‘.
Pneumatics uses compressed air to carry out mechanical work, control components and transmit signals.
Using pneumatic power with compressed air systems
Compressed air systems are used to convert energy from compressed air into mechanical energy. A compressed air system generally consists of four subsystems:
- Compressed air generation
- Compressed air conditioning
- Compressed air distribution
- The task to be completed
The compressed air is generated by vacuuming and compressing ambient air in a compressor. Then after filtering and drying, it is fed to the application via a compressed air network in the form of a pope and hose lines.
Preparation of the air is therefore neccessary, as many dirt and dust particles are in the air, and the contained moisture can lead to corrosion damage on the machines. If the processing of the compressed air does not meet the appropriate quality standards, machines might not work and as a result, high additional costs can arise.
Use of special pneumatic components
The level of air pressure with which conventional compressed air systems operate is about six times the normal atmospheric pressure, named six bar overpressure.
High pressure networks, which are designed for pneumatic applications with high power requirements, such as gas lines, have a significantly higher-pressure level (up to 18 bar). For plants, such as plants for the production of PET bottles, the pressure in the compressed air network can be much higher, up to a level of 40 bar.
Important: When working with compressed air, special components such as hoses and connectors are required to withstand this high pressure. There is a comprehensive assortment of pneumatic components available, including drive elements and cylinders, components for air treatment, valves, hoses and other accessories.
