compressed air
Brillopak re-engineers its UniPAKer compressed air pressure system and end- effector vacuum generators, saving at least 10 per cent in power usage.
pressUre oN To redUce compressed air
Although air is considered by most to be a free commodity, the reality is when air is being compressed to support manufacturing processes, it can be an inefficient and expensive process. Automation specialist Brillopak examines the sustainability challenges of compressed air and the steps it has taken to address this issue on its UniPAKer robotic crate packing series. creating sustainable value across the entire
convenient and abundantly available. However, the environmental impact of poorly maintained compressed air systems has been long debated. reviewing a facility's compressed air
T
system will undoubtedly reveal many opportunities for reducing energy consumption. all of which can result in considerable savings, improved operating costs, without large capital expenditures. Used to operate equipment such as
pneumatic controls, air tools, pumps, valve actuators, robotics, pistons and larger-scale processes, compressed air typically accounts for up to 40 per cent of a manufacturing facility’s total energy bill. additionally, leak rates can exceed 50 per cent on some compressed air systems. as well as being a direct source of wasted
energy, these leaks can cause major pressure system drops affecting output. This in turn makes the compressor work even harder, shortening the equipment’s lifespan and
he sustainability of compressed air as an industrial power source is a bit of an oxymoron. air itself is clean, safe,
causing excessive equipment wear and tear. Taking the lead to reduce automation carbon
emissions and meet the UK’s new 2050 Net Zero targets, Brillopak has re-engineered its UnipaKer’s compressed air pressure system and end-effector vacuum generators. Working collaboratively with the cartridge
manufacturer, Brillopak has successfully built the vacuum generators into the end- effector head. Now, rather than sitting external to the end-effector, air is drawn into the centre of the head and fed to each of the five generators, all of which are contained within a special internal casing. delivering more consistent, targeted and faster airflow. Tested against early-generation end-
effectors, Brillopak reports a 45 per cent reduction in air use when picking up and moving products of the same weight into retail crates. Brillopak director peter Newman explains. “When we examined the volume and flow rate data on the UnipaKer equipped with these new end effectors, we measured the compressed air system operating at a much lower stable pressure in shorter quicker bursts.”
packing cycle, by adopting this ‘whole system air flow approach’ and improved control and distribution of air, Brillopak reports a 10 per cent reduction in power usage compared to previous models in the series.
TArgeTing climATe neUTrAl servo drives are proven to be extremely efficient relative to power use in automated cells. By care-fully controlling all aspects of the work envelope, the acceleration and deceleration of the robotic arm is better controlled. striking the optimum balance of fast acceleration and gentle pick and placement, the movement of the UnipaKer’s arm is fluid. “There’s no wasted time. as an electri-cally-powered robot, energy is only used when the robot is in motion,” explains Newman. To help manufacturers meet the UK’s new
2050 Net Zero targets, Brillopak has expended a lot of energy re-examining all potential resource-intensive tasks, including the efficiency of every process and component to
46 ocToBer 2021 | FacTorY&HaNdLiNGsoLUTioNs
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74
