What is the air consumption of general automation equipment

Professional instructions on air consumption of automation equipment

Due to significant differences in equipment types, process parameters and operating modes, the air consumption of automated equipment needs to be scientifically evaluated based on specific scenarios. The following provides professional analysis from three dimensions: equipment type, calculation method and optimization strategy:

1. Typical equipment air consumption range

1. industrial robots
   • basic air consumption: The air consumption of conventional six-axis robots is usually ≥65L/min and is used to drive end effectors (such as jaws, suction cups).
   • Energy-saving models: The robot with lightweight cylinder design can reduce the air consumption by 29%, making it suitable for high-frequency and low-load scenarios.
2. CNC machine tools
   • typical cases: A certain type of CNC lathe works every 10 seconds, and consumes 7344 liters of air during a 12-hour processing period, equivalent to an average air consumption of about 10.2 L/min.
   • energy consumption characteristics: Short-term high-load air use (such as tool change and spindle cooling) and long-term low-load air use coexist, and an air tank needs to be configured to buffer pressure fluctuations.
3. automated assembly line
   • Cylinder drive equipment: The average air consumption of an assembly unit consisting of multiple cylinders is about 5.62 L/min. The specific value depends on the number of cylinders, cylinder diameter and action frequency.
   • beat influence: The production line beat will be accelerated by 20%, and the gas consumption may increase by 30%-50%. The pressure needs to be dynamically adjusted through a smart gas supply system.
4. packaging machinery
   • Punch type equipment: A single bag making machine punch consumes up to 508 liters (0.508 cubic meters) per hour, and the total gas consumption of 20 sets reaches 10.16 cubic meters per hour when operating at full load.
   • cylinder array: Multi-cylinder collaborative equipment needs to reduce pipeline pressure drop through distributed air supply to avoid action delay caused by insufficient air pressure.
5. printing machinery
   • standard operating condition: The standard air consumption of MPM printing machines is 114L/min, which increases to 708L/min in vacuum wiping mode.
   • multi-aircraft cooperative: The total air consumption when 9 printing machines are vacuum-wiped at the same time reaches 3402L/min. A special air compressor unit needs to be configured to ensure the stability of air supply.

2. Gas consumption calculation and selection method

1. Cylinder air consumption formula
   • average air consumption：Qp​=0.00157×N×D2×S×0.1p+0.1​
     （N: Number of reciprocations per minute;D: Cylinder diameter (cm);S: Travel distance (cm);p: Working pressure (MPa))
   • maximum air consumption: Cylinder volume ×6 (considering compressed air expansion), divided by action time, used to select air handling components and piping.
2. Equipment manufacturer data reference
   • Standard equipment such as industrial robots and mounters can directly obtain the air consumption parameters provided by manufacturers (such as JUKI mounter 225L/min).
   • Non-standard equipment needs to be calculated and accumulated through action decomposition (for example, the assembly line is divided into feeding, transportation, testing and other stations).
3. Air compressor selection principles
   • abundance coefficient: The actual air consumption needs to be multiplied by 1.2 times, taking into account the pipeline pressure loss (usually reserved 0.1-0.2MPa).
   • Gas storage tank configuration: According to formula V=ΔPQ×t​ Calculate the volume, where Q For the air compressor flow,t is the maximum continuous working time of gas equipment,ΔP The allowable pressure drop (usually 0.1MPa).

3. Energy efficiency optimization strategy

1. Frequency conversion gas supply system
   • The motor speed is automatically adjusted according to the gas consumption. The measured energy saving rate is 15%-30%, and the annual electricity saving can reach tens of thousands of kilowatt-hours (calculated based on 8,000 hours/year).
   • It is matched with a pressure sensor to achieve closed-loop control, and the pressure fluctuation is ≤±0.02MPa to ensure the accuracy of equipment action.
2. waste heat recovery technology
   • Compression heat is used to prepare process hot water at 60-65℃, replacing steam heating, with an energy saving rate of about 20%, and a payback period of usually 2-3 years.
3. Pipeline optimization design
   • An annular pipe network is used to reduce pressure drop, the main pipe diameter is selected according to the economic flow rate (6-8m/s), and the number of elbows and valves is reduced.
   • A pressure reducing valve is provided at the end gas point to adjust the pressure to the required value of the equipment (such as 0.4MPa) to avoid high pressure waste.

conclusion
The air consumption of automated equipment needs to be comprehensively evaluated based on equipment type, process parameters and operating mode. Companies can optimize their gas supply systems through the following measures:

1. Establish an equipment gas consumption database to record gas consumption data under different working conditions;
2. Entrust professional institutions to conduct energy consumption audits and identify loss points of high-energy-consuming equipment and pipelines;
3. Adopt intelligent air supply system to realize joint optimization and remote monitoring of pressure-flow.

This solution not only ensures production continuity, but also achieves economical and efficient operation of the compressed air system. If customized solutions are needed, it is recommended to carry out system simulation and optimization based on the specific equipment list and process flow.