Product Release
Pneumatics Provide Tight Position Control
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 Posted Sep 07 2008
Filed under: Application Story Pneumatic Pneumatic Valve Tech Article
by Andrew McCarty, Parker Hannifin Corporation
 Spinal cord injury (SCI) has potentially devastating consequences. As of June 2006, over 253,000 people in the U.S. had structural or functional issues related to spinal cord injuries. Evaluation of spinal implant devices requires testing systems that can replicate the complex motions and loads human joints commonly undergo. Continually improving equipment that can perform tests of strength, range-of-motion, and endurance contributes to breakthroughs in the treatment of SCI patients. The Datum Spinal Joint Endurance Testing Machine - recently designed and built by Datum Industrial Design, Inc., North Bergen, New Jersey - evaluates how spinal joints will function in human bodies. The machine can be programmed for specific operating parameters so that it can test a variety of spinal joints in a range of scenarios.
(The Datum spinal joint testing machine uses an undulating drive and rotate system. A variable DC drive motor generates wave motion at 0.5 Hz (30 rpm) and 3.0 Hz (180 rpm). An undulating platform, or disc, sets the operating angle of the tank that holds the test specimens. It is controlled with a small electric drive that allows angle adjustments to six degrees.)
(A triple-sectioned, double-hinged arm - mounted on the frame's upper section - extends outward above the platform's centerline to syncopate upper and lower tank specimens as they undulate, rotate, and ripple.) 
(A 6-in. diameter test tank controls tank rotation motion during test cycles. It is mounted on a titanium base with a roller finger extending from the base plate. Each component is networked to a computer for data acquisition and analysis.)
The machine demanded tight force or position control, but its loads did not justify hydraulics. Typically, the alternative would be to use an electromechanical solution, such as servomotors, to set-up and change parameters for different tests. However, Datum needed a system that could be designed and manufactured quickly and easily, and that would require minimal maintenance. What's more, the machine itself had to easily and quickly set-up and change testing parameters. Datum's engineering team decided that cylinders and valves were the most suitable choice for the job.
The main requirement was to vary the air pressure of the cylinder to control pressure placed on the spinal implant joints during testing. Control had to be easy to establish and maintain without a large degree of fluctuation, so Datum contacted Progressive Hydraulics, Inc., and the company recommended a variable-pressure output valve controlled with an input voltage.
"The centerpiece of the system is the Parker P3P-R Series Regulator," said Chris Shatteman, an engineer with PHI. Parker 050 inlet regulators control maximum input air pressure to the testing machine at 100 PSI. Electropneumatic regulators or input-to-pressure (I/P) valves use variable-voltage input signals, from 0 to 10 VDC, to set pressure. In this application, the P3P-R regulators control the air cylinder pressure from 7 to 100 PSI. For example, because inlet supply is set at 100 PSI, if a 5 VDC signal is sent from the P3P-R, pressure will be 50 PSI at the valve's outlet.
The pressure is translated into downward force by the machine - in this case, 500 lb maximum and 25 lb minimum. An internal pressure transducer, mounted on the upper end of the push rod, controls the downward pressure. It generates a signal that combines with the input voltage signal to yield an appropriate drive voltage signal for the required pressure levels. "This closes the loop by producing excellent tolerance on valve outlet pressure," Shatteman said.
Datum's team further refined the spinal testing apparatus by deploying a load cell on the work piece itself. According to Shatteman, "The internal pressure transducer ensures accurate pressure control at the valve outlet, but that does not account for frictional forces, which can skew work piece accuracy." Datum technicians installed a load cell with a range of 0 to 10 VDC (depending on load cell compression) between the work piece and cylinder rod end. The Parker P3P-R has an optional input sensor that accepts a signal from the load cell that does not completely depend upon the pressure transducer on the internal I/P interface. Because there is nothing in-between to generate additional error, extremely tight pressure tolerances on work piece load forces are possible. In addition, the downward-pushing cylinder is the only moving part, so the system requires little maintenance.
The pneumatic design used with the Joint Endurance Testing machine also eliminated the need to maintain ball-screw assemblies, and the air valves with electrical input for pressure control are user friendly and easy to program. In addition, the pneumatic products can be adjusted or changed quickly, with few problems, which eliminates downtime. (Electronically controlled DC air valves provide the proper pressure to the air cylinder above an articulating arm that moves the push rod up and down for testing joint specimens according to selected parameters.)
Parker Makes Air Control EZ with High Performance Valve
Posted Nov 21 2008
Filed under: Pneumatic Pneumatic Valve
 The Pneumatics Division of Parker Hannifin announces the release of its new EZ Inline Air Control Valve, a high flow, fast response 3- or 4-way valve that offers long cycle life and exceptional durability due to its balanced spool design and Parker's Wear Compensation System. The EZ Inline is a compact solution available in 16mm, 19mm and 26mm with flow from 0.8Cv to 2.4Cv. Parker streamlined the design of the EZ Inline and reduced costs by allowing customers to choose only the features and options they need for their application. "The EZ Inline is exactly what its name proclaims - easy for ordering, installation and maintenance," explains Anna Stjarnvy, Product Sales Manager for Parker Hannifin's Pneumatics Division. "OEMs with global sourcing and assembly needs, as well as clients in industrial markets require an air valve choice that is effortless and dependable.
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Posted Jul 18 2008
Filed under: Pneumatic
 The new 3MA and 4MA series of non-lube NFPA air cylinders from Parker's Pneumatic Division have evolved from the current 2MA series air cylinder, the backbone of the aluminum cylinder industry for the past 13 years.
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Sizing Pneumatic Cylinders and ISO valves
Posted Jun 24 2008
Filed under: Pneumatic Pneumatic Valve Tech Article
By Chris Landis, Valve/Vacuum Product Manager, Parker Hannifin Corporation Look at flow coefficient, cylinder bore, and rod speed to best match pneumatic actuators and valves.
In recent years, much discussion has centered on Cv ratings (also known as capacity coefficients or flow factors) and whether or not American, European, and Japanese pneumatic-valve manufacturers rate valves the same way. With ANSI/NFPA, ISO, and JIS organizations all specifying slightly different test methods and rating criteria, the confusion is understandable.
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Parker Hannifin Pneumatic Cylinders Help Increase Palletizer Speed by 26%
Posted Jun 24 2008
Filed under: Pneumatic
 St. Louis-based FKI Logistex, a leading supplier of palletizers and depalletizers to the material handling industry, needed to increase speed rates on the case turner component of some of its palletizer products in response to customer specifications. These high-speed case palletizers operate in warehouse and distribution, manufacturing, airports, and postal and parcel applications. The A-940 inline palletizer can reach speeds in excess of 200 cases per minute.
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Are You Taking Full Advantage of Pneumatic Valve Technology?
Posted May 02 2008
Filed under: Pneumatic Pneumatic Valve Tech Article
By Chris Landis Put advancements in pneumatic valves to work for your organizationPneumatic valves have come a long way since the development of the compressor over a century ago. Starting with large manual and mechanical valves, they migrated to individually wired electric solenoids and ultimately ended up with plug-into-the-base electronics allowing for a single multi-pin connector or fieldbus installation. Today's valves are smaller, faster and more advanced than their predecessors and offer many advantages that can be easily overlooked. With advancements in ISO valve standardization, collective wiring solutions and diagnostic capabilities, both end users and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are seeing significant cost reductions resulting from multi-vendor support, wiring simplification and decreased machine downtime.
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The Low-Hanging Fruit in Pneumatic Systems
Posted Apr 28 2008
Filed under: Pneumatic Tech Article
 Compressed air has been used in industry and manufacturing processes for well over a hundred years. Virtually every plant has a compressor and uses compressed air in the manufacturing process. The supply of the raw material (the air in the atmosphere) is abundant, and compressed air is easily transported from the compressor to the point of use at the machine. It is easily understood by most people who use it and it is safe around most processes because air is generally considered to be benign in nature. It can be easily adjusted to vary the manufacturing process. So, it is easy to understand why its use in industrial manufacturing is so pervasive.
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2-Color Panel Mount MPS-32 Pressure Sensor from Parker Hannifin Automation Pneumatic Division
Posted Apr 24 2008
Filed under: Pneumatic Sensors
 2-Color Panel Mount (Red-Green Display), Pressure Sensor (MPS-32) from Parker Hannifin / Automation / Pneumatic Division The MPS-32-2 Color Panel Mount Pressure Sensor from Parker Hannifin Automation / Pneumatic Division offers a number of very desirable features demanded by our clients. MPS-32 features include Pressure Ranges: Vacuum Pressure: 0 to -30 in HG, Positive Pressure: 0 to 145 PSI
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XM Series Direct Acting Valve Rated for Mobile Voltage Operation Available from Parker Pneumatic
Posted Apr 24 2008
Filed under: Pneumatic Valve
 Parker Hannifin Corporation offers the XM Series Inline Valve for multiple industrial applications in a variety of pneumatic markets. XM Series direct acting valves are available in both 3-way and 4-way versions. The XM Inline Valve is a 1/8", 2-position, single solenoid, spring return 3-way or 4-way valve with AC or DC operating voltages. The 12 and 24 VDC coils are rated for mobile voltage operation.
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P5TT and P5TD Series Twin Rod Cylinders by Parker Pneumatics Division
Posted Apr 21 2008
Filed under: Linear Motion Pneumatic
 Designed and built at our Wadsworth plant, the Twin Rod Cylinder provides an economical Parker solution to light duty, non-rotate and bearing-guided linear motion applications. The P5TT and P5TD Twin Rod products feature non-rotational, light duty performance in a smaller footprint and at a more economical price point than current higher capacity guided cylinder and thruster products. This design fills a product gap for Pneumatic Division and satisfies an application need for non-rotate, light-duty, and economical thrusters and slides.
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Parker’s 3MA and 4MA Non-Lube NFPA Air Cylinders Deliver Superior Performance and Value
Posted Apr 17 2008
Filed under: Pneumatic
 Parker's 3MA and 4MA Non-Lube NFPA Air Cylinders Deliver Superior Performance and Value for the Packaging Market and More The new 3MA and 4MA series of non-lube NFPA air cylinders from Parker's Pneumatic Division have evolved from the current 2MA series air cylinder, the backbone of the aluminum cylinder industry for the past 13 years. This new, improved cylinder platform features three distinct versions: - 3MA - a general, all-purpose version designed to meet most market demands
- 4MA - a flexible construction version designed to complement the 3MA
- 3MAJ/4MAJ - rod-lock versions for load-holding and safety demands
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Parker Offers New Isys Valves and Isysnet Field Bus System
Posted Apr 11 2008
Filed under: Pneumatic Pneumatic Valve
 With the recent introduction of the Isysnet Field Bus System and the Isys family of plug-in valves, Parker Hannifin has developed one of the best system-linked pneumatic valve product lines available. Isysnet products feature enhanced environmental characteristics, as well as modular designs and plug-n-play electronic capabilities, increasing the speed of installation while reducing mistakes, and simplifying control applications
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Parker FRL Air Prep Units Extend Pneumatic Equipment Life and Reduce Energy Waste
Posted Apr 01 2008
Filed under: Pneumatic Pneumatic Valve
 General Line FRL Air Preparation Units protect pneumatic equipment and extend operating life, as well as reduce energy waste and safety hazards in pneumatic systems. General Line Parker filters, regulators, and lubricators provide clean and precise air control for demanding applications. F602 standard filters from Parker deliver excellent water removal efficiency in heavy-duty applications with minimum pressure drop requirement.
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Pneumatic - Parker Pneumatic Division eConfigurators
Filed under: Pneumatic
 Parker eConfiguratorsTM take the 'How To Order' page from the catalog and create an interactive webpage for you to build a complete part number. Parker divisions have created hundreds of eConfiguratorsTM in order for you to optimize the selection of Parker components. All of the Pneumatic Division's major product lines have eConfiguratorsTM.
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Parker Hannifin Offers Magnetically Coupled Rodless Pneumatic Cylinders
Filed under: Actuator
 The Actuator Division of Parker Hannifin Corporation offers the P1Z Series Magnetically Coupled Rodless Air Cylinders.
The magnetic rodless cylinder is a pneumatic cylinder featuring a mobile piston fitted with annular magnets. The mobile carriage is also equipped with magnets to provide magnetic coupling between the piston and the carriage. The cylinder is attached with jam nuts, flanges or foot mounts.
The basic version of the P1Z Series incorporates features a hard-anodized aluminum carriage that is free to rotate 360º around the cylinder axis. This feature allows various mounting arrangements. The basic version P1Z Series Cylinders are available in 3 bores sizes (16mm, 20mm, and 32mm) with stroke lengths up to 2000 mm. Adjustable air cushioning is available on all cylinders.
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