At the recent Hannover Fair, Rexroth unveiled a system that identifies pneumatic valves on valve terminal systems using RFID (radio frequency identification) technology. The system is designed to prevent confusion during the initial installation or subsequent exchange of valves, and to protect pneumatic components against counterfeiting.

Each valve is fitted with an RFID transponder containing information on the valve’s properties. An antenna in the valve terminal baseplate reads the data from the transponder and the data is evaluated by software via serial data link.

The valve terminal configuration is shown on a controller display that highlights any incorrect combinations. If, for example, a 5/3-way valve is replaced by a 5/2-way valve, this will be flagged. This prevents the wrong valves from being installed and increases system reliability once the production process has been restarted. As an option, the valve terminal configuration can be read to generate an electronic parts list.

The RFID chips can also be used to detect counterfeit valves. “The best antidote to product piracy is innovation at the highest level,” suggests Gerhard Pfeifer, sales and marketing director for Bosch Rexroth’s pneumatics business.

For more Hannover Fair news, see our in-depth report.