Tech Briefs Magazine - April 2021 - MD-12

Electropneumatic Control
Optimizes Pressure
Regulation
Web Browser
Dashboard

IIoT Information
Valve System

Calculations
& Analytics

Data

Pressure
Sensor
Proximity
Sensor

Air
Preparation

Emerson's IIoT Wireless ARM Dashboard.

This evolved into a more practical
solution with the creation of plug-in
valves and manifolds. All the solenoid
valve connections to the PLC input/output (I/O) cards could be achieved with
a single cable.
As automation systems became more
sophisticated, fieldbus (industrial network) communications connectivity became more prevalent. This meant that
the PLC could not only control valves
but also monitor sensors and devices,
exchanging I/O data via one communication cable without needing local I/O
cards. Pneumatic valve manifolds naturally began incorporating both fieldbus
interfaces and I/O capability to provide
complete pneumatic valve packages that
were more versatile and engineered to
be integrated easily with smarter, more
sophisticated automation platforms.

Advances in valve technology, performance, and versatility took a major step
forward with the integration of electropneumatic control capabilities into the
valve manifold. As seen with valve manifolds, strides were also made with proportional regulators. New technologies allowed these devices to be controlled more
accurately using digital signals and also
allowed the integration of fieldbus connectivity, optimizing force and pressure
requirements for the production system.
This advanced level of combining
both directional and pressure control
elevates the value and versatility of pneumatics for a wide range of automation
applications and allows for greater, more
precise, and optimized control in the
manufacturing process.
For example, Emerson's AVENTICS™
electropneumatic control is used in welding systems for automated manufacturing
of engine starters. Here, a pre-mounted
armature is transported on workpiece
pallets, aligned for position detection,
and brought into position for welding by
pneumatically driven grippers. After welding, additional grippers return the armatures to workpiece pallets that transport
them to the next production step.
Electropneumatic pressure regulators, combined with an advanced valve
manifold with integrated fieldbus communication, optimize the diffusion welding processes with dynamically controlled pressure that can be precisely tailored to the application. At the same
time, intelligence built into the manifold monitors and documents all the
valve's functions, controlling the grippers for an enhanced level of quality
control and process tracking.

Enhanced Process Monitoring
and Control Offer New
Opportunities

The new Wireless Auto Recovery Module (ARM) from
Emerson protects the AVENTICS G3 fieldbus platform's configuration information from a critical failure including all settable node and attached I/O
module parameters. The device provides easy access
to the AVENTICS G3 fieldbus platform's diagnostic
and commissioning capabilities via an internal Wi-Fi
access point and mobile website, offering the visual
benefits of a hardwired human machine interface
(HMI) at lower cost and with higher flexibility.

One of the key goals of digital transformation in manufacturing is to gather
actionable information that allows for
more sophisticated and optimized control of every single step in a production
process. The intelligence built into pneumatic valve systems provides new opportunities for that kind of monitoring and
control. For a valve rated to provide a
proper operating life of 120 million cycles, at 100 million cycles, a well-designed
Motion Design, April 2021

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Tech Briefs Magazine - April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tech Briefs Magazine - April 2021