Advantages
- The forces and speeds of the cylinders are infinitely variable.
- High achievable working speeds (standard cylinder 1500 mm / s; high-performance cylinder 3000 mm / s, engines up to 100.000 min-1)
- Compressed air devices can be overloaded to a standstill without damage.
- Compressed air can be stored in pressure tanks.
- With pneumatics, waste heat is only generated centrally at the compressor, not at decentralized electric drive units.
- Air is free of charge and always available (however, energy consumption at the compressor is required to compress the air; the efficiency is comparatively low).
- Clean, environmentally friendly medium.
- The exhaust air can escape directly into the environment, return lines can be omitted.
- Explosion safety of the medium is guaranteed.
- Compressed air is insensitive to magnetic impulses.
- Sealing and throttling technology possible (sine cylinder).
Disadvantages
- Without fixed stops, precise positions are not possible due to the compressibility of the air.
- Compressed air escapes causing noise. Countermeasures are silencers.
- Compressed air treatment is required to remove dirt and moisture.
- Gases are compressible. Bursting pneumatic accumulators release large gas volumes. This can have a devastating effect, especially in closed rooms. For this reason, pneumatic containers are subject to regular inspection (costs) from a certain size.