Custom Pneumatic Backplate Upgrade for Improved Safety and Efficiency
Engineers Mate® and Camozzi Automation UK upgraded outdated pneumatic backplates with custom built solutions for a leading kitchen manufacturer, improving safety, reducing compressed air leaks and boosting efficiency across the production line.
Your motion and fluid control solutions partner.
Case Study Overview
Sector: industrial manufacturing
Challenge: outdated pneumatic backplates causing air leaks, difficult fault-finding and potential operator safety concerns.
Solution: custom UK built pneumatic backplate redesign featuring colour coded pipework, new valves and integrated safety components.
Products / technology used: Series Safemax MX valves, colour coded tubing and custom UK manufactured pneumatic cylinders.
Result: a plug & play pneumatic solution that reduced air leaks, improved energy efficiency and simplified installation.
Situation: Outdated Pneumatic Backplates Causing Maintenance and Safety Issues
A leading kitchen manufacturer was struggling with a series of outdated pneumatic backplates which controlled their production lines of kitchen cupboard assemblies.
Maintenance and pneumatic fault finding were challenging due to the absence of colour-coded pneumatic pipework and a monitoring system.
Health and safety were also a concern, as the original pneumatic control system had retrofitted safety components and lacked several key safety features.
One of Camozzi’s premium distributors, Engineers Mate®, part of the IADA group, approached Camozzi Automation UK for support with a bespoke pneumatic backplate upgrade.
The initial requirement covered three backplates: one air preparation set and two valve control backplates.
Representatives from Camozzi Automation UK, including the technical application team, along with the distributor, visited the site to understand the operational issues, safety concerns and exact requirements for the replacement pneumatic panels.
The customer required three complete backplate replacements, including new valves, colour coded pipework to support faster fault finding, and as many new safety features as could be recommended.
The application team at Camozzi Automation UK suggested the creation of a comprehensive operating circuit and full schematic drawings with clearly labelled valves to support easier machinery maintenance and future pneumatic troubleshooting.
Solution: Bespoke Camozzi UK Backplate Redesign with Safemax MX Valves
The Camozzi technical application team began re-designing the backplates using the original machine manufacturer's documentation, incorporating the new safety and performance features discussed. The team had to work within a compact space and were provided with dimensions that the new compact pneumatic backplate design needed to fit, including the positions of the mounting holes to ensure ease of installation.
Enhancements included:
* Colour coded pneumatic tubing to the customer’s specifications.
* Dual Safemax MX monitored safety dump valves, compliant with ISO 13849-1 Performance Level e, to control rod lock devices on selected cylinders.
* Updated valve control backplates designed to improve layout, serviceability and pneumatic system visibility.
* Full schematic drawings with clearly labelled valves to support maintenance teams during future fault finding.
Camozzi also produced bespoke, dimensionally equivalent UK manufactured pneumatic cylinders as a special order. These were manufactured specifically for the application, offering the customer a better value alternative to the original manufacturer’s components.
Once the design was approved, production commenced at the Camozzi Automation Centre.
Result: Reduced Air Leaks, Improved Efficiency and Easier Installation
The new Camozzi backplates were successfully installed, tested, and commissioned by the customer. The upgraded panels and cylinders reduced compressed air leaks, resulting in improved pneumatic system efficiency and associated cost savings.
The system was delivered as a plug and play pneumatic solution and featured special cylinders to match the customer’s existing non ISO models, helping support a smooth and disruption free upgrade.
The compact, well labelled layout also made the pneumatic control system easier to understand, helping maintenance teams identify components and carry out future fault finding more efficiently.
Following the successful implementation, discussions are now underway to replace the remaining nine pneumatic backplates across other machines and production lines, as well as additional pneumatic equipment.
Customer Feedback
“The whole engineering team were very pleased with the quality of manufacture and the ease of installation. Transitioning from the old, large panels to compact, well-laid-out new ones has been a great improvement.”
Rob Beech Director Engineers Mate®
If you’re looking for a fast, reliable solution tailored to your application, our team is ready to help.
📧Email: sales@camozzi.co.uk
📞Call: +44 (0)24 7637 4114
Need a Bespoke Pneumatic Backplate Upgrade?
Speak to Camozzi Automation UK about custom pneumatic panel design, safety focused valve integration and practical upgrades for ageing pneumatic machinery.
If your site is dealing with compressed air leaks, difficult fault finding, outdated pneumatic panels or hard to source replacement components, our technical team can help review the application and discuss a suitable upgrade route.