Combinations of energy saving measures in pneumatics

Within a production machine, various electromechanical and pneumatic structures can be used for drive tasks. As these drive technologies can often replace each other, the energy efficiency, performance and TCO of pneumatic drives must be permanently enhanced to remain competitive. There is a large number of known measures for the reducing their energy consumption, e.g. minimizing of filling volumes, energy saving circuits etc. However, these measures are mainly considered separately and the possible overall energy saving effect resulting from their combination is rarely taken into account. The main goal of this paper is therefore to explore the possible combinations of pneumatic energy saving measures and their cumulative saving effect. Due to the fact that some measures are mutually exclusive (e.g. a general pressure reduction in properly sized drive), each combination should be considered separately. To evaluate their efficiency plausibly, a comprehensive assessment is required that contains both the total cost of ownership analysis (TCO) and a mechanical properties assessment. The presented comprehensive approach of the task analysis can serve as example of how an optimal drive configuration for the specific task can be found, thus creating a basis for solving constructive challenges in designing of pneumatic automation systems.