In the world today, saving energy is becoming more and more vital. Within factories or even small workshops, the intelligent use of energy sources, right sizing and selection of components can save time while substantially cutting cost and waste. Compressed air is a key energy source for industrial production and offers huge potential for cost-saving – from production to consumption.

Customer Challenges:

High energy prices, rising cost pressure and a growing awareness of climate protection have turned energy efficiency into a key business challenge for everyone. Pneumatic systems, too, offer attractive potential savings in this respect.

To expand capacities and increase the energy efficiency of the entire compressed air system, customers are looking for ways to use compressed air more efficiently and to reduce carbon emissions. However, in doing so, customers may encounter difficulties in identifying inefficient use of compressed air, locating leaks, and process optimization.

XD Solutions: Efficiency Boost Sustainability

Leading companies have already defined clear CO2 targets for their products. Implementing these requires machines that achieve significant energy savings compared to previous models. That is precisely why Festo offers the MSE6 series, a solution that is unique on the market and it demonstrates how products that are available immediately can create significant added value in digitalisation and energy efficiency.

Energy efficiency modules MSE6 can contribute to energy optimisation in virtually every industry that has a high degree of automation, whether it is integrated in or separate from an existing service air preparation unit.

The energy efficiency module MSE6-C2M combines pressure regulator, on/off valve, sensors, and fieldbus communication in one unit. It monitors the compressed air consumption, shuts off the compressed air after production has stopped for a certain amount of time and prevents the system pressure from falling below a specific stand-by pressure level.

With the modules -C2M and -E2M from the MSE6 series, condition monitoring takes place via fieldbuses or PROFINET and measured values such as pressure and flow rate are provided via the PLC or the cloud. The additional module MSE6-D2M is an efficient extension of the -C2M via a second supply string.

Being able to expand the MSE6-C2M with an MSE6-D2M or a CPX IO terminal saves fieldbus nodes. This enables control of sub-functions such as mounting plates for system power supply with only one fieldbus connection. The network topology of the system remains lean and clear.

All modules of the MSE6 series are connected to the machine control system. After the system has been shut off, these modules detect and report leakages that occur.

Benefits

Where previously condition monitoring and control in compressed air systems was limited to gathering and analysing measurement data, consumption can now be automatically reduced by actively intervening in the supply.

The savings potential when using compressed air in automation is enormous. Energy costs can be significantly lowered through a more efficient generation of compressed air, reduced compressed air consumption and avoidance of pressure drops.

A more energy efficient compressed air system brings about an increase in production capacity, lower unplanned production downtime, a more stable production process, and fewer rejects thanks to constant production quality and maintenance of an optimised machine status.

By ensuring that machines and systems consume fewer resources and lesser energy, we can reduce CO2 emissions as well as operating costs. This increases the sustainability of production processes and overall productivity.

It constantly monitors compressed air consumption, shuts off the compressed air supply after production has stopped for a certain amount of time, and it also prevents system pressure from falling below a specific stand-by pressure level. Two integrated digital inputs/outputs allow communication with other local devices.

It constantly monitors compressed air consumption and shuts off the compressed air supply after production has stopped for a certain amount of time. The device can be connected to an existing Festo CPX terminal or an MSE6-C2M.

It constantly monitors compressed air consumption and shuts off the compressed air supply after production has stopped for a certain amount of time. It can be integrated directly in PROFIBUS, PROFINET, EtherCAT®, Ethernet/IP via a fieldbus.