The growth in plant floor automation and integrated communications is at a pivotal junction; new technology is available and adoption is underway, said Donna Ritson, President of DDR Communications, regarding her keynote presentation at this year’s Fluid Power Technology Conference (FPTC) at the Milwaukee School of Engineering May 13-15. With a deeper focus on pneumatics […]
PMMI releases newly revised B155.1-2016 packaging machinery standard
PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, is pleased to announce the approval of its ANSI/B155.1-2016 Safety Requirements for Packaging and Processing Machinery standard as an American National Standard by the American National Standards Institute by the Board of Standards Review. The objective of the ANSI/PMMI B155.1-2016 standard is to improve the safety of […]
Digital positioners for fluid-power actuators
Pneumatic and hydraulic actuators routinely operate damper drives, flow valves, vacuum controls and other devices in countless process applications. However, there can be a sizeable performance gap between conventional open-loop positioners and closed-loop digital positioners used in such tasks. The problem, explained Ed Steutermann, president of KyTronics, Prospect, Ky., is that open-loop controllers apply a […]
Firestone Industrial Products team to compete in Annual Engine Challenge
Five students from Sequoyah High School in Soddy Daisy, Tenn., are raring to rev their engines at the national Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge. Their team sponsor—Firestone Industrial Products (FSIP)—will be cheering the young auto enthusiasts on as they battle it out at PRI 2016 in Indianapolis this December 8-10. At stake? Millions in […]
Comparing the real costs of vacuum generators
Mike Guelker Product Manager – Pneumatic Actuators Festo Corp. • Hauppauge, N.Y. Vacuum generators come in an extensive array of types, sizes, designs and efficiencies to suit widely ranging applications. And while maximizing performance for a given task is important, anyone using a vacuum system should also take a close look at overall costs before […]
LVIT inductive linear sensor for cylinder position feedback requires no magnet
Alliance Sensors Group is pleased to announce the MR Series of Linear Position Sensors for use in measuring the ram position of hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders. The MR Series is designed to be a drop-in form, fit, and function replacement for magnetostrictive sensors but with much more robust construction and a lower cost of ownership, […]
Humphrey Products introduces new proportional valve driver
Humphrey Products has introduced the latest product within the company’s ProControl family, the PCD proportional valve driver. The PCD produces the appropriate current control, either constant current or PWM, to effectively drive any ProControl proportional valve upon receiving signal from a variety of data acquisition sources (ie PLCs, IoT, closed loop sensors, etc). Suitable for product development, […]
Custom gripper system for removing hot parts
When ZEIBINA Kunststoff-Technik GmbH sought to upgrade its manual demolding process for automotive lighting reflectors, it went to FIPA to correct the problem. Previously, to ensure part removal…
Festo brings the German apprenticeship model to the U.S.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the need for a revolution in this country in post-secondary education, particularly related to STEM education. We should not be pushing…
Compressed air fail: Draining profits
A food products company suffered a failure of one of their compressors that caused production outages due to low pressure. They were forced to rent a portable compressor…
New air spring product line for industrial applications
ITT Inc. has announced that it is introducing a new Compact Automation and Turn-Act Air Springs product line that provides air actuation for linear motion control. These air-tight…
Rotary hand valve has new price and features
Rotary hand valves are simple and economical devices well-suited for manual directional flow control in a wide range of applications. The redesigned VHLA rotary hand valve from IMI…
Piab offering specialized vacuum equipment to automakers
Through an extended and dedicated sales network, Piab is going global with its market leading range of vacuum generation products for the automotive industry. Car manufacturers in the…
Can fluid power play a role in wearable exoskeletons?
Popular movies have long imagined robotic assist type machinery, from the Power Loader exoskeleton that Ripley wore in Aliens to the military weaponry showcased in Starship Troopers and…
Motion Industries acquires Braas Co.
Motion Industries Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Co., announced that it has acquired Braas Company. Execution of the transaction was effective October 3, 2016. Braas…
Looking to the future of AI … in 2026
In celebration of our parent company’s 10th anniversary, our entire editorial staff authored forward-thinking columns, examining how we think the world and the manufacturing industry will be different in…
Piab extends line of gripping tools for packaging and palletizing
Piab is extending its program of advanced packaging and palletizing products with the Kenos range of suction pad/foam grippers. The gripping systems—Kenos Vacuum Gripper (KVG), Kenos Sack Gripper…
Clippard unveils precision diaphragm regulators
When Clippard invented miniature regulators in 1962, the MAR Series became very popular as a simple, robust, and cost-effective regulator in a small package with exceptionally long life. As regulator…
It’s just lunch—check out NFPA’s regional meetings
I’m a big fan of the National Fluid Power Association’s series of regional meetings. The association has done a nice job in recent years holding these free luncheons…
Lightweight decentralized vacuum generators
piINLINE plus is Piab’s new configurable platform for decentralized vacuum generation for automotive manufacturers and other industries. The lightweight vacuum ejectors have an integrated automatic release mechanism and…
Fabco-Air releases new 3-way, lock-out/tag-out valve line
Fabco-Air Inc., Gainesville, Fla., is pleased to announce the launch of the new RLT Series Lock-Out/Tag-Out Valve product line. The 3-way, rotary turn, lock-out/tag-out valve product line is…
Bellows vacuum cups for short-cycle automated plastics applications
FIPA Inc., a manufacturer of vacuum technology, gripper systems, air nippers, tube lifters, and end-of-arm-tooling has announced its SP-BX Series Varioflex bellows vacuum cups for short-cycle automation applications…
Aventics participates in Pack Expo 2016
“Hygienic design and Washdown”, “Machine Safety” and “Industry 4.0 (IOT)” are three areas that Aventics will emphasize in their booth at Pack Expo 2016. In the first area,…
FPDA/ISD Joint Industry Summit includes look at future of distribution
Frank Hurtte, of River Heights Consulting, spoke at this week’s FPDA/ISD Joint Industry Summit at the Westin Savannah on the state of the world of fluid power distribution—and…
Pneumatic safety for truck-mounted forklifts
Picture this. A truck driver has to load and unload construction materials at twenty stations. The driver repeatedly parks, exits the vehicle and climbs underneath the truck-mounted forklift…