Pneumatic versus electric hoists

In short, the company says pneumatic hoists offer various advantages over their electric counterparts in areas such as duty cycle, variable speed control, weatherproofing, installation and operation, maintenance, robustness, investment costs, lifetime costs, and safety.

JDN says that, while electric drives can only be used for intermittent operations (S2 duty), pneumatic hoists have no downtime and have a 100% duty cycle rating. JDN's pneumatic hoists can work constantly without causing excessive temperatures thanks to a special self-cooling gearbox, where decompressed air flows through channels within the gearbox to cool the gear train. This means hoists can be in uninterrupted use over multiple shifts. 

With regard to variable speed, a pneumatically operated hoist is able to offer easy, accurate and wide-ranging speed control at low cost, enabling simple, sensitive and accurate positioning of loads in all environmental conditions. In comparison, JDN says an electric hoist will require a frequency converter (also known as a VFD) and shielded wires to prevent radio interference, while the motor will need thermo-elements to avoid increased heating at the windings.

Safety becomes an issue for electric hoists in potentially explosive environments such as oil rigs, mines and paint shops. By using compressed air as the driving media, hoists are suitable for use within dust laden atmospheres, including areas at risk of explosion and even where organically flammable chemicals are in use.

Of course, if the hoist is intended for outdoor use, the issue of weatherproofing arises. Using an electric hoist for such an application means careful selection based on its IP protection class rating, which denotes its ability to resist the ingress of solids and moisture. JDN’s pneumatic hoists, as non-electric equipment, are not subject to the IP rating system. Any contaminants such as dirt or water are simply blown out by air without any compromise to functionality. This is crucial in areas where hoists need to be cleaned at regular intervals or within humid environments, such as the food industry.

JDN comments that, while pneumatic hoists are low in weight compared with their electric counterparts, this does not compromise operational strength, as air hoists are suitable for performing large lifting heights, providing true vertical lift without any limitation in the number of starts/stops per hour. The simplicity of pneumatic hoist technology also lends itself to easier installation. 

Pneumatic hoists contain relatively few mechanical components compared to electric hoists, and JDN’s modular design provides simple access to all parts for maintenance.

Finally, when comparing the cost of pneumatic and electric hoists, many factors must be considered beyond the price tag, including installation, operation, inspection and maintenance costs. Upon performing this TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) calculation, JDN believes the economic advantages of pneumatic hoists quickly become apparent.