Is it the device or is it the cylinder; whichever, it’s costing you a lot of money?

May 20, 2013 robot Uncategorized

Reducing air leaks within your plant can save a large number of dollars annually. Compressed air is one of-the most costly kinds of power you should use in your plant, obviously, it is one of-the most flexible, quick and powerful too.

Walk around the equipment, when it is “quiet time” within the plant and hear. You will usually hear the gentle (or simply not-so gentle) hissing of air escaping from the exhaust port of the air valves.

The sound of compressed air as it wafts to atmosphere “chewing up your dollars” can be moderate if your air valves have mufflers in the exhaust ports, but nevertheless, it can be heard.

Also, you will find commercially available ultra-sonic compressed air flow sensors on-the market. Investing in an ultrasonic leak detector may bring substantial compensation in energy savings, if your place doesn’t have a “quiet time”, which might enable you to actually hear the leaks yourself.

Generally you should have one air valve linked to one air cylinder. Generally that cylinder will be double acting – this means that it’ll have two air lines running to it, and air will instead flow to the cylinder through one point or another, as the air valve shifts back and forth. If it is flowing into one line to the cylinder, the other line is letting the air at the other end-of the cylinder to flow through the valve to exhaust.

While an air valve and cylinder are carrying out work naturally you will have air being exhausted continuously from the air valve exhaust ports.

When the machine is down, when it’s doing no useful – and ideally money generating meet your needs It’s – that air shouldn’t be escaping through the valve exhaust ports. At this time that loss of compressed air is merely that; loss – of earnings – of money.

Inside, the 2 ends of the cylinder are divided by a piston. The piston is what drives the rod out and back as the cylinder cycles.

Around that piston will soon be an seal that “crunches” between the within the cylinder barrel and the side of the piston, successfully preventing air from going by (bypassing) the piston.

Over time that seal will wear, and air will start skipping in to the other side. This ensures that this air now has an open way from the supply side down the other air line to the valve, and thence for the exhaust port. As your compressed air dollars exhaust to atmosphere and a gentle (or not-so gentle) hiss does occur.

Or….inside your air valve there’s, also, a number of seals air is normally prevented by that from getting from the air supply side into the exhaust side of the valve, and then out the exhaust port. And that air, as it gently (or not so….etc. ) is pouring your compressed air pounds from the plant air supply.

So, which could it be that is leaking; the seal around the piston in the cylinder, or the seal inside the valve that stops the incoming air from getting across to the exhaust port without increasing to the cylinder?

Take a glance at the cylinder. Air will soon be entering the air interface at the back of the tube, if the pole is out. The air is going to be entering the cylinder at the rod end, if the cylinder is in – retracted.

Take the air line that’s charged, that is, the air line that is providing air to the tube, and crimp it. Several air lines are made of polyethylene or polypropylene, and it’s rather easy to create a tiny bend in the air line, effectively shutting off air to the tube.

Listen at the valve. If the air has stopped avoiding the valve’s exhaust port, then it is the seal-in the cylinder that is to blame.

If, after ensuring that the air to the cylinder is completely stopped, air continues to exhaust from the exhaust port of the valve, then it’s the seal inside the air valve that’s at fault.

Regardless of which can be at fault, the air valve or the cylinder, have it fixed….fast! Compressed air costs a deal. You may not want to spend it.

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