noticeable change in how control is approached. Traditional electro-pneumatic circuits relied on fairly rigid logic, whether hardwired or PLC-based. That structure still exists, but it is now supplemented by layers of data analysis. What is interesting is that the industry has not rushed headlong into complexity. Instead, there is a gradual adoption of tools that allow engineers to make better decisions without losing the clarity that made pneumatics attractive in the first place. Predictive maintenance Predictive maintenance is a good example. In theory, the idea of predicting valve failure or seal wear using data is appealing. In practice, UK manufacturers have been cautious. The uptake has been INTEGRATED SYSTEMS 26 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2026 www.hpmag.co.uk energy costs have forced a more forensic approach to compressed air usage, and electro-pneumatic systems sit directly in that line of scrutiny. There is a growing recognition that compressed air is one of the most expensive forms of energy used on site. That realisation has moved electropneumatics out of the shadows. Engineers are now expected to justify air consumption in the same way they would justify electrical load or material waste. The result has been a shift towards tighter control of pressure levels, more selective actuation, and a willingness to question long-standing design habits. Oversized cylinders and generously set regulators, once considered safe practice, are being reconsidered. Alongside this, there has been a Changing expectations for electro pneumatic systems Electro pneumatic systems continue to play a central role on the factory floor, but they are no longer left to run unnoticed. Rising energy costs, tighter performance demands and the need for better visibility are pushing systems to be monitored, measured and used more efficiently than before. H&P reports. The fundamental role of electropneumatics has not changed all that much over the past few years, but expectations around it have. Systems that were once valued for their simplicity and robustness are now expected to be transparent, efficient, and increasingly intelligent. Walk through any UK manufacturing facility and the first thing that stands out is not a radical shift in hardware, but a shift in visibility. Compressed air systems, long treated as a background utility, are now being monitored in a way that would have seemed excessive a decade ago. Flow sensors, pressure sensors and distributed I/O are feeding continuous streams of data into plant networks. This is not simply a case of adding instrumentation for the sake of it. Rising
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=