DairyGuy (Customer) asked a question.
I have a cheese press with a very basic circuit:
Air supply and regulator, connected to 5 port manual valve, connected to a double acting cylinder. Operate valve to downward position - press cheese; operate to upward - release cheese. There are 4 identical stations.
When in the downward position, some of the valves hiss and wet testing indicates the air is coming from the exhaust port on the valve. Is this normal? Seems like I should not hear leakage, but I am new at this and have not been able to find practical operation information.
There is no manual for the press as it was custom built for the person we bought if from.
I have replaced hoses and some fittings to eliminate all of the ones that leaked when I brushed on detergent water.
Can you share information on your 5 way valve an pneumatic components. Some pneumatics pass air through while others don’t. It’s likely your valve has a diagram on the side or back. Let’s see that and the equipments it’s running.
Sounds like the piston seals of your air cylinders are worn out, and likely need replacement.
So, for example, when the cylinder is in the up position, the air at the nose end (where the rod of the cylinder comes out) is pressurized, but air is getting past the seals of the piston, and escaping through the rear hose back to the valve and coming out the valve's exhaust port.
X2 on what Todd said, when you have the press down, pull the hose off the valve to rod end and you'll be able to tell if it's from the piston seals on cylinder.
Thanks for the responses. I will definitely do Todd's suggested check, especially since it is not all 4 valves that hiss. Makes a lot of sense. I have Bimba cylinders, and they are the "non-rebuildable" ones. Can they be disassembled and simple things like replace o-rings accomplished?
No, Bimba cylinders are throw away types. Automation Direct sells direct replacements for Bimba cylinders. What is the Bimba part#?
https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/shopping/catalog/pneumatic_components/pneumatic_air_cylinders/round_body_all_stainless_steel_air_cylinders_(f-series)#sort=undefined%20asc&start=0
Ya but automation's air cylinders are loud because they lack all the basic options every other company has. Throwing away a cylinder each time is easily worth being able to hear things when air cylinders are working IMO.
Could you give us an example of what you mean? From my experience, the comparable AD cylinder is pretty much an exact copy of the Bimba.
If I had to guess, Pouchesinc means urethane bumpers and air cushions, which reduce noise and increase air cylinder life. Personally, I use Norgren Roundline with ecology seals over Bimba since they come with built-in air cushions.
I think you are right, my logic is I only use Bimba or eqv. for basic movements where I need to do it cheap. We used to use them by the hundreds and they were treated as a commodity item. Anything that required control over the actual motion got a rebuildable, full monte cylinder.
Just how you look at things I guess.
When I read OP's post, they're compressing cheese. When I invision that, I see the cylinder being "cushioned" by the object, so end of stroke cushion "may not" be necessary. And if one has flow controls on both ports, the air cylinder could retract at such a speed to reduce noise and increase cylinder life. My guess is OP's application is such that AD'a round cylinders will be an OK choice.