Three Drill, All Pneumatic Drill Press

Impetus to Invent

Occasionally, some clients have special needs that require an all pneumatic system. This was one such case. And the pneumatic logic required to make this work was specialized. The primary task though was to minimize operator fatigue and decrease cycle time. Using a series of pneumatic limit switches, the operator would simply load and clamp a part in place and press the start button. The three spindles would then drill three holes at once. The current specialized equipment only drilled one hole at a time and was prone to breaking down. Subtle complications included the need for dwell timers, pneumatic sensors, and the incorporation of a safety shield that lowered to protect the operator. All of this was powered by a lubricated air system with a very efficient exhaust air capture filtration system to keep the system clean in this harsh environment. Further extending the life of the system was a large reservoir for air lubrication and a large collection vessel for collecting exhaust oil.

Problem Solved

Increased throughput 3x!

Lessons Learned

Logic on all Pneumatic systems are very complex, but to be able to run with no electricity was 100% worth it!

What Was Unique 

Pneumatic logic elements, including sensors, NOT, AND, OR, TIMER and FLIP-FLOP Boolean logic components.

What Was Challenging

When dealing with these kinds of systems it’s good to have trusted contacts in the industry who you can run things by. Sometimes its not what you know, but who you know!