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Air Actuators from ContiTech – Long Service Life for Pneumatics

ContiTech air actuators prove their versatility in the field of pneumatics. As single-acting pneumatic actuators, they are used in machine and systems engineering wherever force is required for lifting and pressing. The air actuators, which come in a range of different designs, are ideal for demanding applications. Heat-resistant convolution bellows, which withstand temperatures up to +130°C, have become established in the paper processing and chemical industry. By contrast, air actuators can also withstand subzero temperatures and can be used in temperatures as low as –60°C. “Air actuators will find new areas of application in the future too – and will undoubtedly play a decisive role in the development of new technologies,” says Dr. Olaf Kluth, Head of the Industry segment at ContiTech Air Spring Systems.

Photo by ContiTech AG

Friction- and maintenance-free

Particularly under harsh operating conditions with dirt, dust, particles or mud, air actuators often have a significant advantage over conventional pneumatic cylinders. They are ideal for wood processing, for example, which generates many coarse-grained particles. Metal cylinders, which generate a lift function by movement of a piston rod in a cylindrical tube, are susceptible to deposits, which can cause wearing of the seal. This is not the case with air actuators: “They generate movement by deforming the bellows wall, a method that does away with the need for sliding seals and articulated connections,” says Bernd Stöter, development engineer at ContiTech Air Spring Systems. With their low installation height, air actuators can also be used in compact constructions, once again demonstrating their versatility.

Uniform contact force for rail transport

Another example of ContiTech’s versatility in the field of pneumatics are pantographs, which are used to transfer energy to rail vehicles from a fixed overhead line. At high speeds and under variable weather conditions, the actuators guarantee uniform contact force. They provide reliable, frictionless service for years on end.

Full range with global supply program

Photo by ContiTec AG

ContiTech is not only a technological leader for air actuators, but also provides a full range of products for all sectors of machine engineering – from the construction industry, conveyor technology and wood processing to the glass industry, land maintenance and the food and paper industry. The company offers a range of catalog programs targeting the different
European, American and Asian markets. The pneumatic actuators are available in diameters ranging from 60 to 1,000 mm, lift of up to 450 mm and standard pressure of 8 bar. Versions are also available for specialist applications requiring operating pressures of up to 16 bar.

With the newly developed demountable air actuator (D type), ContiTech is also reorganizing the designation of its product range. The D type is a new addition to the tried and tested air actuators in the range with solidly mounted connecting parts (C type), air actuators with bead ring connectors (R line) and sleeve air spring actuators with plastic connecting parts
(S line). “The connecting parts for the D types are designed so that air actuators can also be used as a substitute for convolution bellows, as already seen in France with the Dunlop ‘Springride’,” says Dr. Kluth. “With this actuator, we are offering our customers a truly extensive range.”