How smart positioners make the process industry more efficient and sustainable

Despite political and regulatory uncertainties, sustainability has become an integral part of corporate management at many companies. (image source: AdobeStock / Surasak)

Sustainability has long been a central component of modern process control. The efficient use of resources not only determines a company's environmental balance sheet, but also its economic competitiveness. Compressed air consumption plays a particularly important role in this context: compressed air is one of the most expensive forms of energy in industry. New intelligent positioners ensure precision in the control of industrial valves and at the same time help to significantly reduce compressed air consumption.

Compressed air is indispensable in many branches of industry – but its production is one of the most energy-intensive and costly processes. Studies show that up to ten percent of total industrial energy costs are attributable to compressed air. Added to this are losses due to leaks and inefficient systems.

With rising energy prices and growing demands for sustainability, energy efficiency is becoming more important than ever in the process industry. This is putting control valves in a new light: they are not only essential control components, but also key building blocks for process optimization, cost savings, and predictive condition monitoring.

Save energy through intelligent compressed air usage

Systems that enable precise positioning and significantly reduce compressed air consumption during downtime—ideally even eliminating it completely—are the way forward. This allows energy costs to be reduced noticeably and sustainably. Equally important is IO-Link compatibility, which ensures smooth integration into modern industrial networks and supports reliable automation around predictive maintenance. Sound like a pipe dream? Quite the contrary – the right technologies are already available today.

Around 10% of total industrial energy costs are attributable to compressed air. (Image source: AdobeStock / Marvin)

It's obvious: the combination of modern technology, smart diagnostics, and a clear focus on efficiency makes control valves a key technology in industry. The EP3 electro-pneumatic positioner from EBRO ARMATUREN shows how innovative solutions are already meeting many of these requirements today. Three advantages stand out in particular:

Smart – Intelligent positioning algorithm with self-optimization: Since the positioning behaviour of a valve changes over its service life, a modern positioner continuously adjusts the algorithm, thus reliably preventing overshoot.

Robust – Less vulnerable pneumatic connections: While conventional systems must be individually connected to the actuator and valve pneumatically, direct mounting on the actuator significantly reduces potential leak points.

Efficient – No consumption in regulated state: Unlike conventional systems, which require a constant supply of compressed air even when idle, innovative solutions shut off the air flow completely as soon as the target position is reached.

In a typical chemical plant with hundreds of positioners, the use of the EP3 can save several thousand cubic meters of compressed air per year. At an average price of €0.06/m³, this results in cost savings in the four-digit range - per plant.

Precise control meets sustainable resource use

The precise positioning of valves is a key factor in the energy efficiency of industrial processes. In numerous applications—from food production and water treatment to the pharmaceutical industry—the accuracy of valve control has a direct impact on product quality and cost-effectiveness. Modern positioners make an important contribution to this:

Exact positioning: Precise control minimizes material losses.

Prevention of energy waste: Unnecessary overflow is reduced, and leakage losses are avoided.

Automatic adjustment to process requirements: Continuous monitoring enables optimal use of compressed air.

A practical example from the water treatment industry illustrates the advantages: Here, precise dosing of chemicals is crucial for water quality and process reliability. High-precision position control allows the valve to be adjusted exactly to actual requirements. Unnecessary air supply is prevented, while only minimal amounts of compressed air are required for corrective movements. This not only reduces the risk of overdosing, but also significantly reduces the overall energy consumption of the plant.

Digital solutions for tomorrow's production

Integrated energy monitoring within process control opens additional potential: it enables seamless recording of energy consumption and highlights optimization opportunities in real time. Intelligent evaluation of this data not only increases plant performance but also ensures verifiable energy savings.

With the ongoing digitalization of industrial processes, the need for networked, intelligent control systems are also growing. They continuously monitor energy use, immediately detect errors, problems, and efficiency potential, and thus create a transparent basis for optimization.

Especially in highly automated environments - such as semiconductor manufacturing or chemical reactors - this digital monitoring plays a crucial role in ensuring process reliability and preventing failures.

Predictive maintenance: Efficiency gains thanks to accurate data

The EP3 helps prevent unplanned downtime and reduce downtime with reliable and accurate sensor data for predictive maintenance. Its innovative system continuously records important operating parameters such as valve position, vibrations, and running times and transmits them

in real time to existing analysis and maintenance systems.

The EP3 electro-pneumatic positioner is used to control single-acting and double-acting pneumatic actuators. (Image source: EBRO ARMATUREN)

Operators benefit from high-quality data that reveals anomalies and wear patterns at an early stage. This creates a reliable basis for precise condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. Maintenance measures can be carried out in a targeted and timely manner—without unnecessary spare parts costs or unforeseen downtime.

Whether in semiconductor manufacturing, where even seconds of production downtime can cause enormous costs, or in safety-critical areas such as the chemical industry, a reliable predictive maintenance strategy increases process reliability, reduces downtime, and extends the service life of industrial equipment.

Increase efficiency with precise positioning

In automated production facilities, precise control of valves is a decisive factor for efficiency and process stability. Even small deviations from the setpoint can cause material losses, inefficient processes, or increased energy consumption. Modern positioners with high-precision control prevent such problems from arising in the first place.

An example from food production clearly illustrates this: to ensure consistent product quality, dosing must be exact. Precise position control minimizes material usage and prevents faulty batches—a significant advantage in sensitive areas with high-cost risks.

Accuracy also plays a key role in automotive production: in paint shops, for example, precisely controlled valves ensure even paint distribution and thus optimal results.

Modern valve control systems, often combined with robotics and sophisticated sensor systems, make it possible to adjust the paint supply in real time depending on factors such as coating thickness, speed of the painting robots, and conditions in the paint booth. This not only improves the quality of the end product but also optimizes material consumption and significantly reduces waste. Thanks to the precise control of the EP3, not only can material losses be minimized, but quality standards can also be met more easily.

Combining economic efficiency and environmental awareness

Sustainability and cost-effectiveness are not mutually exclusive—they can reinforce each other. Modern positioners prove that innovative technology advances companies in several ways:

Significantly lower compressed air consumption reduces energy costs.

Reduced mechanical stress extends the service life of the valves.

Lower CO₂ emissions make it easier to comply with environmental regulations.

Intelligent positioners are therefore exemplary of the trend towards efficient and sustainable production processes. Their ability to drastically reduce compressed air consumption while enabling precise control and smart networking makes them a worthwhile investment for companies that are serious about sustainability.