AirTac Pneumatic Product Selection Guide: Parameter Matching, Industry Adaptation, and Risk Avoidance (Part 2)

(c) Air Preparation Units (FRLs): Ensuring System Longevity Through "Filtration - Regulation - Lubrication"

The FRL unit (Filter + Regulator + + Lubricator) is the "guardian" of a pneumatic system. Its selection must match the system's flow rate and purification needs.

• Filtration Rating and Flow Rate

  • Filtration Rating: For general applications, a 5μm filter element (like the Airtac AF series) is sufficient. For precision equipment (e.g., semiconductor lithography), choose a 0.3μm high-precision filter element (like the Airtac AF-H series).

  • Flow Rate: The FRL's flow rate must be at least 1.2 times the system's maximum air consumption to avoid pressure fluctuations. For a system with a total air consumption of 1000 L/min, select an FRL with a flow rate of ≥1200 L/min (e.g., the Airtac AC4000 series, with a flow rate of 1600 L/min).

• Pressure Regulation Range and Stability

  • Regulation Range: For low-pressure systems (0.1-0.5 MPa, e.g., medical ventilators), choose a low-pressure regulator (e.g., the Airtac AR2000 series, with a range of 0.05-0.8 MPa). For high-pressure systems (0.8-1.6 MPa, e.g., heavy machinery), choose a high-pressure regulator (e.g., the Airtac AR5000 series, with a range of 0.1-1.6 MPa).

  • Regulation Stability: Precision equipment (e.g., electronic component inspection) requires a pressure stability of ≤±0.02 MPa (e.g., the Airtac AR3000 series), while a stability of ≤±0.05 MPa is sufficient for general applications.

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2. Airtac Product Adaptation Solutions by Industry

 

Different industries have vastly different operating environments and precision requirements, so you need to choose customized series based on industry-specific characteristics. Here are some examples for typical industries.

(a) 3C Electronics Industry: High Precision, Miniaturization Needs

• Core Needs: Small installation space, high-frequency operation, clean environment.

• Recommended Products:

  • Solenoid Valves: CPV15 series ($Cv$ 0.08, response time ≤5ms, suitable for vacuum circuits in chip sorting machines).

  • Cylinders: MI6-MI20 series miniature cylinders (bore size 6-20mm, with magnetic rings, suitable for positioning on PCB drilling machines).

  • FRLs: AC2000 series (5μm filtration, compact size, suitable for internal equipment air preparation).

  • Special Requirement: Use oil-free lubrication components (e.g., Airtac OSP series cylinders) to avoid oil contamination of electronic components.

(b) Automotive Manufacturing Industry: High Load, Impact Resistance Needs

• Core Needs: Heavy-duty drive, vibration resistance, high-temperature tolerance.

• Recommended Products:

  • Solenoid Valves: 7V series ($Cv$ 5.0, high flow rate, suitable for parallel circuits with multiple cylinders on car body welding lines).

  • Cylinders: SC160-SC320 series heavy-duty cylinders (bore sizes 160-320mm, with hydraulic cushioning, suitable for press-fitting car doors).

  • Vacuum Components: ZV series vacuum generators (negative pressure ≤-90kPa, suitable for suction and handling of sheet metal parts).

  • Special Requirement: The cylinder piston rod should be hard chrome-plated (hardness ≥HV800) to resist wear from welding spatter.

(c) Food and Pharmaceutical Industry: Cleanliness, Corrosion Resistance Needs

• Core Needs: Food-grade materials, easy to clean, no secondary contamination.

• Recommended Products:

  • Solenoid Valves: 4V200-F series (304 stainless steel body, food-grade silicone rubber seals, suitable for filling equipment).

  • Cylinders: SS series all-stainless-steel cylinders (316 stainless steel barrels/end caps, polished surface $Ra$ ≤0.8μm, easy to clean).

  • FRLs: AF-H series (0.3μm high-precision filtration, used with an oil-free lubricator to prevent oil mist from entering food contact areas).

  • Special Requirement: Components must comply with FDA 21 CFR Part 177 standards to prevent material leaching from contaminating food.

(d) New Energy Industry (Lithium-Ion Batteries/Photovoltaics): Anti-Static, Low-Dust Needs

• Core Needs: Anti-static, no dust shedding, high-precision positioning.

• Recommended Products:

  • Solenoid Valves: 4V300-ES series (anti-static shell treatment, surface resistance 106-109 Ω, suitable for handling lithium battery electrodes).

  • Cylinders: SE-M series (with magnetic ring + high-precision sensor, positioning accuracy ±0.05mm, suitable for positioning photovoltaic silicon wafers for cutting).

  • Air Preparation: AF-E series (efficient oil and water removal, oil mist residue ≤0.01mg/m³, to avoid contaminating lithium battery electrolytes).

  • Special Requirement: Component surfaces should have an anti-static coating to prevent static electricity from attracting dust and affecting product yield.

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3. Common Selection Mistakes and Technical Risk Avoidance

 

When selecting Airtac products, it's easy to make mistakes due to misinterpreting parameters or not fully considering operating conditions. You must actively avoid the following issues.

(a) Mistake 1: Selecting only based on "Bore/Valve Port Size" and ignoring flow rate matching.

• Risk: Using a 4V200 series solenoid valve ($Cv=0.5$) with an SC100 cylinder (100mm bore, 0.6 MPa working pressure, which needs a theoretical flow of 1.2 m3/min). The insufficient flow rate will cause the cylinder to move slowly.

• Correction: First, calculate the required $Cv$ value for the system, then match it to the solenoid valve series. If necessary, use multiple valves in parallel or a high-flow series (like the 6V series).

(b) Mistake 2: Ignoring the effect of ambient temperature on seals.

• Risk: Using a standard nitrile rubber seal (temperature tolerance ≤80℃) in an environment above 80℃. This will cause the seal to age and leak, shortening the component's lifespan.

• Correction: Choose the correct seal material based on the actual temperature (FKM withstands -20-200℃, silicone rubber withstands -60-250℃). Prioritize Airtac's high-temperature custom series.

(c) Mistake 3: The FRL's flow rate is less than the system's total air consumption.

• Risk: A system consumes 1500 L/min, but an AC3000 series FRL (1200 L/min flow rate) is used. This causes the regulator's outlet pressure to fluctuate, leading to unstable cylinder movement.

• Correction: The FRL's flow rate must be ≥1.2 times the system's total air consumption. If multiple branches are supplied at the same time, you must add up the flow rates of each branch.

(d) Mistake 4: Ignoring voltage fluctuations' effect on solenoid valves.

• Risk: Using a standard solenoid valve in a workshop with voltage fluctuations of ±20% (e.g., in a machine tool workshop) can cause the coil to burn out or the valve to fail.

• Correction: Choose a wide-voltage tolerance series (e.g., Airtac's 4V series solenoid valves have an AC tolerance of ±15% and DC ±10%) or install a voltage regulator module.

 

4. Advice on Selection Validation and Technical Support

 

• Parameter Validation: Use Airtac's official website's "product selection tools" (e.g., cylinder thrust calculator, solenoid valve $Cv$ value lookup system) to input your working conditions and get recommended models.

• Sample Testing: For critical conditions (e.g., high-precision positioning, high-frequency operation), get samples and conduct over 1,000 life cycle tests to verify that the parameters meet your real-world needs.

• Technical Consultation: Contact an Airtac industry technical engineer, provide drawings of your working conditions (e.g., load distribution diagrams, air pressure curves), and get a customized selection plan to avoid risks from "experience-based" selection.

In summary, selecting Airtac products requires a focus on core working parameters, industry-specific characteristics, and risk avoidance as a baseline. By precisely matching technical specifications to your actual needs, you can maximize the stability and cost-effectiveness of your pneumatic system and provide reliable power for your industrial automation equipment.