New high-accuracy pressure regulators use piezo technology

Originally, the characteristics of piezo valves made them an excellent choice for medical applications, as Paul Kendall, MedLab sector specialist for Festo UK, explains: "Piezo valve technology has low energy consumption, does not generate heat and is silent in operation, so that it will not disturb patients under treatment. Critically, the technology is also non-magnetic and so will not interfere with any other medical equipment."

Festo's VEAA and VEAB family of regulators mean these properties can also be applied to precision industrial applications, such as small part assembly, printing and electronics production. Examples include pressure-over-liquid for precision dispensing, controlling the contact pressure applied by pneumatic actuators, and low-pressure regulation for wafer production.

The VEAA/VEAB family has been specifically designed to offer high-precision pressure control with maximum flow rates of either 7 litres/min or 20 litres/min. The range provides regulators offering a pressure range spanning from -1 to 0 bar up to 0.06 bar to 6 bar.

Proportional, stepless and accurate

The regulators are built around an innovative piezo bender. The proportional characteristics ensure stable and reliable regulation and stepless pressure changes. This control is coupled with low hysteresis, high repeat accuracy and low energy consumption.

Compared to pressure regulators using traditional on/off valve technology, VEAA and VEAB valves offer precise, silent and stable regulation to a preset value without fluctuations in the output pressure - even with varying air consumption. They can reliably regulate very small volumes, as well as vacuum and overpressure. These piezo-based regulators are therefore particularly suited to applications with low to micro air consumption with cylinders, grippers and rotary actuators, as well as for applications requiring highly dynamic response characteristics.

Since the piezo component is virtually immune to mechanical wear and does not abrade, the valves offer a very high number of switching cycles (over 300 million) or setpoint changes. For use individually or in combinations of up to eight modules on one valve terminal, VEAA and VEAB valves are supplied ready to connect without the need to set any parameters.

VEAA and VEAB regulators are certified in accordance with EN ISO 13485 for use in medical devices. They also hold CE and UL certifications.

Follow the link for more information about VEAA/BEAB piezo valve-based pressure regulators.