Made in Italy components for pneumatic automation

Bonesi Pneumatik Srl company, headquartered at Legnano (MI), has a distant origin in time, at the dawn of pneumatics in Italy: its foundation dates back to 1953!

For decades, it has produced pneumatic cylinders, from directional control valves to cylinders and FRL, all exclusively designed and manufactured by its Production Unit at Legnano (MI), proud of its policy and strategy to highlight the value of the made in Italy.

Pneumatic automation for all requirements

The company can produce components for all requirements of industrial pneumatic automation and in detail its range can be summarized as follows:

• ISO 6432 micro-cylinders from 8 to 25 mm bore
• ISO 15552 cylinders from 32 to 320 mm bore, they can be supplied in kits, too
• UNITOP and ISO 21287 compact cylinders, from 12 to 100 mm bore
• CNOMO cylinders, from 32 to 200 mm bore, they can be supplied in kits, too
• Rotary actuators, from 32 to 125 mm bore
• Pneumo-hydraulic control units, from 50 to 200 mm bore
• Power pneumo-hydraulic units
• Manually and mechanically controlled valves from 1/8″ G to 1/2″ G
• Direction control valves, both poppet and spool, available depending on the version from 1/8” G to 1” G, in the functions 2/2NA, 2/2NC, 3/2NA, 3/2NC and 5/2
• ISO valves, size 1 and 2, and Namur valves
• F.R.L. groups from 1/8” G to 1” G
• circuit accessories

Constant focus on component quality

The in-house design activity allows meeting all market requirements in short times and at competitive costs. This is made possible also by Bonesi Pneumatik production department, standing out for extreme automation including around 20 CNC.

The constant care of the quality of components and of fully verticalized machining, in a covered area taking up around 4,000 sq. m., confers reliability and high performances, durable in time and in the harshest environments, to Bonesi Pneumatik products.

The complete series of pneumatic poppet valves

In order of time, the first feather in the cap of Bonesi Pneumatik was its complete range of poppet valves from 1/8” G to 1” G.

Pneumatic poppet valves were developed in Europe in the Fifties as alternative to spool valves, at that time widely used overseas.

Significant evolutions were achieved also in Italy, still appreciated and up-to-date for the integration into pneumatic plants.

The advantages of poppet operation

The operation with poppet, compared to the spool one, features some advantages: more compact valve sizes, bigger flow rates, faster switching times and, especially, these valves are less affected by the impurities contained in the managed fluid (typically compressed air) if not adequately filtered.

In this scenario, Bonesi Pneumatik Srl at Legnano (MI) has been active protagonist since the pneumatics dawn in Italy and it still includes, in its range of pneumatic components for automation, high flow rate poppet valves with 1/8”, 1/4”, 1/2″, 3/4” and 1” GAS connections, for both compressed air and vacuum.

Pneumo-hydraulic power units

The latest series released by Bonesi Pneumatik consists in pneumo-hydraulic power units, range integration occurred through the takeover of Kratospack brand and relative know-how, necessary step to widen the offer, so become complete, of solutions to satisfy the manifold requirements in the industrial automation market.

The power unit is the synthesis of two technologies applied: the fast and cost-effective pneumatic motion, used for the approach to/return from the working area and the hydraulic force intensification, obtained through a mixed compressed air-hydraulic oil system, assuring the rigid indispensable separation between the two motor fluids. The hydraulic force development is directly proportional to the pneumatic pressure used. The power units initially proposed by the company are in 50, 63, 80, 100 and 125 mm. bores.

Pneumo-hydraulic control units

Another innovative product proposed by Bonesi Pneumatik Srl is the series of pneumo-hydraulic control units that represent the technological evolution of the patent registered in the Seventies by Generalmeccanica company in Milan, developed with the aim of combining the advantages of pneumatic cylinders’ user-friendliness with the possibility of precise motion control assured by an integrated hydraulic circuit inside the unit itself.

The use of pneumo-hydraulic control units allows implementing efficaciously functions of fast approach to the workpiece, fine regulation during the machining phase and fast return with hydraulic deceleration.

[su_box title=”The floor to Christian Candiani”]In the light of the current situation, what point of view about markets’ and competence fields’ soundness? How is the company facing this period and how is it planning the recovery? We asked these questions to the Sales & Business Manager Christian Candiani, asking about eventual novelties, too.

«The market, concerning our sectors of more specific competence – Candiani commented – suffered from a neat widespread order slowdown and, with it, a consequent relevant reduction of the production and of the imports of industrial pneumatic automation products. Referring to our most “fidelized” customers, during last year the sectors specifically damaged were machines and plants for textile and footwear, automotive, even if we appreciate the signals of a sparkling recovery, and the Oil & Gas sector in general». To contrast this slowdown, the company has instead tried strengthening its ranking in the sectors operationally linked with the contingent situation, therefore boosting the relationships with customers committed to manufacturing food packaging plants, machines for non-woven and pharmaceutics, supplying custom made solutions that have allowed them to optimize and to streamline both production and provisioning processes, often supplying ready solutions for installation, and/or integrating components coming from the customer’s other suppliers into the supply of the technical solution. «Contrary to diffused expectations – Candiani adds – we could then assess a diffused financial soundness among our customers. In my opinion, this has avoided noticing very critical survival situations owing to the difficult historical time lived. To use a quite fashionable word, we appreciated our customers’ resilience». To deal with the contingent period and to be ready for the recovery, forecast in the second half of 2021, Bonesi Pneumatik has undertaken several activities. «First of all – Candiani specifies and confirms – we have intensified our presence in the sectors most affected by the pandemic. But not only. At the end of 2020 we took over Kratospack Srl, company that designs, manufactures and sells pneumo-hydraulic power units. Through such operation we integrated and completed the current range, so uniquely standing out on the market by offering standard pneumatic automation products, special products designed and manufactured upon specific requirements, pneumo-hydraulic units for the complete motion control, pneumo-hydraulic units for the force development and control in press applications, deformation, and for all assemblies needing a precise process control». Moreover, to assure a more diffused technical presence on the Italian territory, Bonesi Pneumatik has signed new commercial agreements with companies specialized in the resale of products for pneumatic automation. «These new collaborations – Candiani underlines and ends – although of still brief duration, have allowed us to enter sectors that until some time ago were exclusive prerogative of the most world-renowned pneumatics producers. Last but not least, we have invested in new more performing machine tools that will allow us to decrease further the costs of our fully made in Italy products, so never running the risk of damaging their high reliability». After the renewal of the ISO9001 certification, the company has finally undertaken a technical commercial course to acquire specific product certifications for some series in the range: SIL (Safety Integrity Level) for pneumatic poppet valves (Series A) and EAC (conformity certification for Eurasian Countries) for pneumatic actuators (Series CX – ISO15552).[/su_box]

(by Gianandrea Mazzola)