Simplicity is the key to design and component selection for pneumatic control automation systems

Neil Saunders, General Manager at Bürkert Fluid Control Systems looks at the common components and processes involved; from the most basic design to a complete production line.

Pneumatic control has been in use for many years, especially in the pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries where hygienic conditions must be maintained to a very high standard. Pneumatics have many advantages, including a simplicity of design, low maintenance requirements and excellent reliability due in part to the use of compressed air as the power source, which is effectively inert and readily available. In addition, these systems are intrinsically safe and so can also be used in hazardous atmospheres, such as those in the petro-chemical industries