PNEUMATICS 30 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS September 2023 www.hpmag.co.uk Helping OEMs develop energy-efficient machines Roy Schep, Manager Energy Efficiency, SMC Netherlands, looks at how to help OEMs develop energy-efficient machines. OEMs traditionally design their pneumatic machinery and equipment for an operating pressure of 7 bar. However, by reducing this to 4 bar, I know from experience that end users can cut their energy costs by up to 29% in some instances, creating a powerful USP for the OEM. The shift to 4 bar standard operating pressure is already taking place at some large manufacturing companies. While not seeing mainstream adoption just yet, we believe it will become standard practice in the not-too-distant future as regulations tighten and public pressure for more energy-efficient industry grows. With this thought in mind, OEMs must begin preparing for a 4 bar landscape. By making the transition now they can become industry pioneers, not only helping to capture a larger share of a rapidly emerging market, but significantly boosting their corporate image. Sure enough, while this task may at first appear daunting, working with the right technology partner can help ensure a painless changeover. Although the vast majority of machine components will still perform at 4 bar, we should of course keep a close eye on some of them to ensure they operate as intended. Actuators: pushing ahead When designing a machine from scratch, it makes sense to start with the components that do the work: the actuators. In general terms, these are the elements that may not perform at their best, or sometimes not at all, using lower pressure. Two variables are key: force and speed. In my experience, actuators in the majority of horizontal applications operate at lower supply pressure because they are only acting against friction, not force. As a result, it’s normal to size actuators for use in horizontal orientations to perform at a certain speed. In vertical applications, however, the
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