RS improves the inherent inefficiency of compressed air systems

RS offers a vast selection of smart pneumatic automation and control products designed to reduce energy consumption by 20–50% while mitigating maintenance and costs and improving equipment uptime, reliability, and product quality.

FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- RS, a high-service global product and service solutions provider for industrial customers, offers a vast selection of smart pneumatic automation and control products designed to reduce the inherent inefficiency of compressed air systems.

Compressed air is a safe, reliable energy source that's been used to power industrial processes since the 1880s. Today, it's commonly used to power automated manufacturing and packaging processes — including transferring, packaging, box making, filling, mixing, cooling, and drying applications — in automotive, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, and pulp and paper manufacturing facilities and the cleanrooms within them.

And while it's long been common knowledge that compressed air systems are inherently inefficient — losing at least 80% of their electric input energy to heat and another 5–10% to leaks, artificial demand, and inappropriate use — their reputation as safe, flexible, durable, and low-maintenance frequently made up for that. Now, though, the sustained influence of Industry 4.0 megatrends, including efficiency and sustainability, has industrial professionals — ranging from maintenance engineers, plant managers, and reliability technicians to buyers in the manufacturing, utilities, and industrial maintenance sectors — reconsidering its employment. 

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Better Plants program recommends that new users limit the deployment of compressed air systems to processes that mandate it and otherwise opt for alternatives to improve energy efficiency. For users with existing compressed air systems, the program recommends proper management, which includes:

• Eliminating inappropriate uses
• Stabilizing system pressure
• Repairing and preventing compressed air leaks
• Decreasing demand-side air usage
• Using appropriate supply-side technology, including remote monitoring equipment and smart automation and control products designed to identify and either automatically correct or alert operators to correct measured setpoint deviations in system conditions

The combined effects of these efforts — and especially the implementation of smart automation and control products, including pneumatic control valves, air preparation systems, flow sensors, and pneumatic actuators — can reduce compressed air systems' energy consumption by 20–50% in addition to reducing maintenance needs and overall costs and improving equipment uptime, reliability, and product quality.

Popular selections from the RS portfolio of smart automation and control products include:

IMI Norgren's VR Series valve manifolds, which consolidate direct-ported directional control valves in a simple, compact manifold pre-populated with all the valves, fittings, and silencers needed to enable quicker and easier installation, maintenance, and replacement than series of single valves. These flexible, modular valve manifolds are robust and lightweight, support direct and DIN-rail mounting, and are available in 10mm- and 15mm-wide models with IP40 and IP65 sealing and up to 24 low-power solenoids with LED indicators. They also offer a wide range of configuration options and support plug-and-play size and functionality expansions and multiple communication protocols to ensure compatibility with both new and existing systems. They're optimized for industrial automation applications, including piloting applications and small actuators, and are rated for flow rates spanning 220–590L/min, up to 101psi (7bar), 12 or 24VDC, operating temperatures extending from -5°C to +50°C, and over 30 million cycles.

Festo's MS Series filter regulator lubricators (FRL units), which have a highly configurable modular design engineered for reliable filtration and precise pressure regulation in diverse applications, including food and beverage manufacturing and packaging and potentially explosive Zone 1, 2, 21, and 22 applications. They exhibit high flow rates with very good control characteristics and low hysteresis, feature integrated lockout/tagout functionality for operational safety, as well as three-stage filters, return flow functionality, and exhaust valves. They also comply with UL, FDA, and Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) guidelines. Options include four sizes, a mechanical pressure gauge or a pressure sensor with or without a display, and specialized variants designed to remove odor and moisture. The series can also be installed as service unit modules and enable the simultaneous control of independent pressure ranges.

Gems Sensors & Controls' FS-380 and FS380P Series flow switches are rugged inline flow switches designed to utilize 100µm filtration and reliably resist clogging. They can be used for controlling compressed air in pneumatic processes, as well as water, coolants, and other fluids in process control applications, and when used in compressed air applications should be paired with high-quality air filters to ensure proper operation.

Gems Sensors & Controls' FS-380 Series flow switches are compact, high-inline-pressure flow switches with rugged brass or 316 stainless steel housings. These SPST, 20VA switches are normally open at zero flow, available in multiple port sizes, and rated for 0.25–2.00GPM flow rates, up to 500 or 1,500psi, and operating temperatures spanning -28°C to +135°C. They're ideal for high-pressure industrial cleaning and semiconductor cooling applications that require simplicity and reliability. Gems Sensors & Controls' FS-380P Series flow switches are industrial-strength, SPST, 10VA plastic inline flow switches that provide the same superior clog-resistant performance as metal FS-380 switches. They have glass reinforced polypropylene housings with a simple, dependable ¼" quick-disconnect and low-pressure-drop design and are normally open at zero flow and equipped with fixed set points. They're available with a host of different snap-on mating adapters to fit most piping requirements and rated for 0.25 – 2.0GPM flow rates, up to 50 or 125psi, and operating temperatures spanning -18°C to +100°C. Ideal applications extend throughout the HVAC, semiconductor manufacturing, welding, medical, and beverage industries.

SMC's CP96 pneumatic actuators are designed for versatility, simplicity, reliability, repeatability, energy efficiency, and ease of integration and control in commercial and industrial applications. They're meticulously designed to meet ISO standards, ease of installation and integration, and maximize uptime. They have a lightweight aluminum construction designed to improve energy efficiency, magnetic pistons designed for easy position sensing and high control accuracy, enclosed tie rods designed to improve mounting accuracy and extend cylinder life, high-precision bushings and piston rods designed to reduce deflection, and durable seals that minimize leakage and maximize longevity. Options include six bore sizes spanning 32–125mm with standard stroke ranges extending from 25–800mm. Ideal applications include clean and harsh environment pneumatic systems that require consistent and robust actuation.

For more information about smart pneumatic automation and control products from RS — including RS PRO brand control valves, FRL units, flow sensors, and pneumatic actuators designed for safe, reliable performance, versatility, convenience, and cost savings without compromise — check out "Optimizing compressed air systems with smart automation and control products" by RS Product Portfolio Manager Danee Lackey and visit the links embedded here. For more information about pneumatic systems, check out relevant RS Expert Advice content. For assistance identifying, procuring, deploying, and maintaining smart pneumatic automation and control products for compressed air systems, please contact your local RS representative at 1.866.433.5722 or reach out to the RS technical support team.

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About RS 
RS is a high-service global product and service solutions provider for industrial customers, enabling them to operate efficiently and sustainably. 

We operate in 36 markets, stock over 830,000 industrial and specialist products, and list an additional five million relevant for our industrial customers, sourced from over 2,500 suppliers. This extensive range supports our customers across the industrial lifecycle of designing, building, and maintaining equipment and operations. We enhance their experience through a tailored service model, leveraging our efficient physical, digital, and process infrastructure sustainably. We combine a technically led and digitally enabled approach with an exceptional team of experts; ultimately, it's our people that make the difference. Our purpose, making amazing happen for a better world, reflects our focus on delivering results for people, planet, and profit. 

RS Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange with stock ticker RS1 and in the year ended 31 March 2025 reported revenue of £2,904 million. For more information, please visit https://www.rsgroup.com/ or connect with us on LinkedIn or X (Twitter).

About RS in the Americas 
In the Americas region, RS stocks more than 250,000 industrial and electronic products from more than 700 trusted suppliers. These solutions cover categories extending from automation and control equipment to interconnect, passive, active, and electromechanical components and include more than 90,000 high-quality, competitively priced RS PRO products. For more information, please visit https://us.rs-online.com or connect with us via social media on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Editorial Contact & Media Inquiries:
Erica Goode, RS Director of Marketing – U.S. and Canada
[email protected]

SOURCE RS