Pneumatics has played an important role in the field of mechanics when it comes to technology. You also see the use of pneumatic systems being used for the development of automation solutions as well. These systems are quite similar to hydraulic systems but instead of oils or fluids compressed air is used in pneumatic systems.
In a pneumatic system, you have festo cylinders, rotatory actuators, and several air motors in order to control the energy that is being produced in the system. Since these systems work with compressed air you see these systems being used in various industries. The constant supply of compressed air is maintained and produced with the help of the air compressors that are installed in the system. There are received installed in which all the compressed air is stored with the help of air compressors and this compresses air supplied to the system with the help of pipes and tubes.
There are several advantages of using pneumatic systems such as:
- You get high effectiveness with these systems as you use compressed air as the power source to these systems. Moreover, as the air can be compressed and stored in large volumes without any problem you can easily get a constant supply of compressed air for the system. Additionally, it is really easy to transport the compressed air with the help of tubes and pipes as well. As you use compressed air in these systems as soon as the work is complete the air can be released directly to the atmosphere making it more effective than hydraulic systems.
- Since you get fewer motors and moving parts these pneumatic systems are highly durable and effective as compared to hydraulic and electromotive components.
- The design of these systems is really simple, which is why pneumatic systems are preferred in simple automatic control systems. You get to choose the movement and the operational speed for these systems.
- Pneumatic systems are highly adaptable as compressed air is not affected by the harsh climate conditions making them more suitable for harsh environments.
- The safety aspect of a pneumatic system is what makes it more appealing. Unlike other systems, you can work with pneumatic systems in highly flammable environments. Moreover, as these systems get overloaded there is no risk of damage to the components. This makes them more durable and versatile as well.
- With a few limitations, you can easily adjust and control the speed and pressure of the system with the help of regulators.
- These systems are eco-friendly as well since you use compressed air that you get from the atmosphere. Moreover, with these systems, there is no residual or pollutant that gets dispensed in the environment making them suitable for working environments where you need high levels of cleanliness such as the production lines of ICs.
- Lastly, with these systems, you can save a lot of money as they are quite cheap to install and because of their high durability, you save some money with the maintenance part as well.
Although you get a lot of benefits with pneumatic systems there are some limitations and disadvantages of using them.
- Since these systems are powered with the help of compressed air and gases their operation is related to the volume and amount of the compressed air. Since the volume of the air might get affected due to temperature or compression, the overall accuracy of the system can get affected due to that making the system inaccurate as well.
- Since there is a limitation to the size of the cylinders that are used in the pneumatic systems, these systems can not be used for heavier loads as well.
- There are certain needs before you can start with the system such as the compressed air has to be filtered so that there is no moisture or dust in it. Unfiltered air can damage the components quickly.
- Since compressed air is used in the systems you get an uneven speed of the moving pistons along with some noise that is produced as air is released from the components.
So these are the basic pro and cons of using a pneumatic system. There are several applications of pneumatic systems as well. You use these systems with pneumatic drills, pneumatic presses, for operations of system valves for water, air, or chemicals. You also see pneumatic systems for unloading of hoppers and bins, pneumatic rammers, machine tools, moving and lifting heavy objects, spray paintings, and many other daily objects and machines.