Compressed air is essential for the operation of coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), but it can also be a significant source of energy consumption. In many facilities, CMMs remain supplied with compressed air even when they are not actively measuring parts, leading to unnecessary operating costs.
EcoAir addresses this challenge by automatically shutting off the air supply to a CMM during periods of inactivity while keeping the machine ready for rapid restart when required.
Reducing Compressed Air Consumption
Connected to the machine’s air filter system, EcoAir automatically interrupts the supply of compressed air to the CMM’s air bearings when the machine is idle.
Benefits include:
- Up to 95% reduction in compressed air consumption during idle periods
- Lower energy costs
- Reduced environmental impact
- Improved sustainability performance
The period of inactivity before shutdown can be adjusted, with activation possible after as little as one minute.
When measurement activity resumes, either in manual or CNC mode, compressed air is automatically restored.
Supporting Sustainability and Cost Reduction Goals
Many manufacturers are working to reduce energy consumption while meeting sustainability objectives and regulatory requirements.
By reducing unnecessary compressed air usage, EcoAir helps organisations:
- Reduce operating costs
- Improve energy efficiency
- Support environmental initiatives
- Lower the carbon footprint of metrology operations
The technology can be incorporated into new CMM installations or retrofitted to existing systems.
Available for New and Existing CMMs
EcoAir can be supplied on newly built CMMs or installed on machines already in operation.
The system can be applied to:
- Quality control laboratories
- Production inspection environments
- Metrology service providers
- Manufacturing facilities
Any CMM equipped with an NMC300 controller can benefit from the upgrade, including retrofit installations.
Additional Energy-Efficient CMM Design Features
Reducing compressed air consumption is one element of a broader approach to improving CMM efficiency.
Additional features include:
Advanced Air Bearing Design
A reduced air film thickness lowers air consumption during operation while maintaining smooth machine movement.
The wrap-around air bearing design also provides:
- Up to 3.5 times greater stiffness than conventional air bearings
- Improved resistance to dynamic forces
- Enhanced measurement performance during scanning
- Better accuracy when using long styli
Intelligent Power Management
Drive motors automatically power down when axis movement is not required, reducing unnecessary energy use without impacting measurement performance.
Lightweight Machine Construction
The use of lightweight materials in moving machine elements reduces the energy required for acceleration and positioning.
Benefits include:
- Lower power consumption
- Efficient machine motion
- Reduced operating costs
- Improved overall system efficiency
Improving Efficiency Across Metrology Operations
Energy consumption is becoming an increasingly important consideration in manufacturing and quality control environments. By automatically managing compressed air usage and supporting efficient machine operation, EcoAir helps organisations reduce operational costs while maintaining the performance required for precision measurement.
The result is a practical approach to achieving CMM energy savings without compromising inspection capability, measurement accuracy or machine availability.
