The Migration of Electronic Controls Down to the Device Level Decentralizes and Distributes Control Intelligence In Pneumatic Systems

This paper presents recent developments in control technology reflecting the migration of electronic controls down to pneumatic components in automated industrial control applications. Decentralizing and distributing intelligence throughout the system with ‘intelligent’ components provides the advantages of faster system response, improved diagnostics, and higher system performance.

The decreasing cost and size of electronic chips has made it possible to produce ‘smart’ devices. The newest innovation in electronic integration technology involves embedding the full functionality of a programmable controller into pneumatic valve manifolds, effectively forming a self-contained control system in the manifold itself, which can provide stand-alone and/or networked machine control.