In fully automated coating systems, a safe and reproducible shut-off of the coating medium in the event of process faults is essential. For an industrial coating machine, a pneumatic safety solution was implemented that is designed for operational safety, modularity, and easy integration into different machine variants.
At a glance
Industry: Mechanical engineering / Automated coating technology
Application: Fully automatic coating system
Medium / Process: Liquid coating medium in continuous operation
Challenge: Safe media shut-off in the event of wire breakage and process interruption
STASTO solution: Pre-assembled, modular valve manifolds (valve manifolds) plus pneumatic cylinders for actuating safety-relevant functions
Result: Higher operational reliability, reduced installation and procurement effort, scalable for machine variants
The challenge
The application comes from mechanical engineering and concerns a fully automatic system for wire or surface coating. In the process, a liquid coating medium is used which must not be allowed to escape in an uncontrolled manner in the event of a wire break or an unplanned process interruption.
The central requirements for the solution were:
- Safe shut-off of the coating medium in the event of wire breakage
- Pneumatic actuation without additional electrical safety logic
- Reliable control of pneumatic cylinders at high cycle rates
- Adaptability to different machine sizes and expansion stages
- Compact design for limited installation space
- Reduction of assembly and commissioning effort
Standard solutions proved to be inadequate, as they were either not modular in design or would have caused a high effort in procurement, assembly, and assembly coordination. Therefore, a technically coordinated, pre-assembled solution for series use in mechanical engineering was required.
The STASTO solution
Together with the machine manufacturer, STASTO developed a pre-assembled pneumatic assembly, consisting of modular valve manifolds in combination with pneumatic linear actuators (cylinders).
The valve manifolds are designed as compact valve islands and can be equipped with 3 to 12 valve units, depending on the machine size. They provide central control of the pneumatic functions within the system.
The pneumatic cylinders used ensure the mechanical actuation of the safety-relevant system components, such as shut-off or switching functions in the coating process. They are designed for high switching cycles and ensure reproducible, reliable movement even in continuous operation.
By combining valve manifolds, cylinders and pre-assembled tubing, a fully tested pneumatic assembly is created that is delivered ready for connection. In this process, STASTO took over the technical design, the selection of suitable components, as well as the logistical provision of the assemblies from stock.
The result
The implemented solution enables a reliable and fast shut-off of the coating medium in the event of a malfunction. The pneumatic actuation responds immediately in the event of a wire break and prevents uncontrolled discharge of the medium.
There are clear advantages for machine builders and plant operators:
- Increased operational safety during process interruptions
- Stable and uniform actuation by robust pneumatic cylinders
- Reduced installation and commissioning effort
- Simplified material procurement through standardized assemblies
- High reliability in continuous plant operation
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easy scalability for future machine variants
Added value for machine manufacturers
Mechanical engineers benefit from a technically coordinated pneumatic solution that can be seamlessly integrated into different machine concepts. Thanks to the pre-assembled valve manifolds in combination with robustly designed pneumatic cylinders, the design and logistics effort is reduced already in the project planning phase.
The standardized design of the pneumatic assemblies facilitates variant creation, shortens assembly and commissioning times, and increases process reliability in both series production and special-purpose machine construction. At the same time, the clear separation of control and actuation functions ensures a clear and maintenance-friendly machine structure.
This solution is particularly suitable for
- Mechanical engineering company in the field of automated coating and surface processes
- Special-purpose machines with safety-related shutdown functions
- Systems with high cycle rates and continuous operation
- Applications with liquid or pasty media
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Projects with varying machine sizes and modular expansion stages
Contact
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