SMC · Industrial Digitalization
Compressed air is the fourth utility in manufacturing. In most plants it is still managed reactively: visual inspections, fault-driven maintenance, no real visibility into consumption. Integrating digital technologies into existing pneumatic systems changes this logic.
The most affected sectors include automotive assembly lines, electronic component manufacturing and any industrial process using rotary tables or robotic systems — contexts where cable routing has historically been one of the main operational bottlenecks.
What Is Digitalization Applied to Compressed Air?
Compressed air digitalization consists of integrating smart sensors, digital actuators, fieldbus systems and wireless connectivity into existing pneumatic processes, transforming physical parameters — pressure, flow, temperature, humidity — into readable, recordable and actionable data in real time.
The process follows three distinct phases: monitoring (real-time data acquisition and visualisation), control (parameter adjustment via KPI feedback loops), optimisation (historical analysis, predictive maintenance, energy efficiency and CO₂ footprint reduction).
The most affected sectors include automotive assembly lines, electronic component manufacturing and any industrial process using rotary tables or robotic systems — contexts where cable routing has historically been one of the main operational bottlenecks.
Key Benefits
→ Data-driven operational decisions
→ Reduced operational costs
→ Structured predictive maintenance
→ Measurable energy efficiency gains
→ Scalable and autonomous operations
→ Lower CO₂ footprint
Three Levels of Digitalization: Where Does Your Plant Stand?
Compressed air digitalization does not require a single, disruptive technology overhaul: SMC has identified three digitalization maturity levels, each with a defined upgrade path and measurable results.
01 – Minimal or No Digitalization
Manual pressure and flow control. Visual monitoring only. No IO-Link, no fieldbus.
Recommended upgrades →
- ISE20/ZSE20 · Series ITV
- Main line filter Series AFF
02 – Intermediate Digitalization
Active digital pressure and flow control, IO-Link, fieldbus. Wireless and cloud not yet in place.
Next steps →
- Fieldbus unit EX600
- Position sensor D-MH1
03 – Advanced Digitalization
Wireless, cloud, OPC UA for vendor-agnostic data exchange. Full plant visibility including remote sites.
Key technologies →
- EXW1 wireless + OPC UA
- AMS20/30/40/60 · VPX400
Data Instead of Inspections: What You Can Monitor
SMC IO-Link products enable accurate real-time data collection from every point of the pneumatic circuit.
Pressure
Real-time monitoring and remote regulation
Remote detection of excessive pressure drops, parameter configuration without manual intervention, electronic out-of-range signalling.
ISE20/ZSE20 · ITV · PSE
Actuator Position
Wear detected before unplanned stoppage
Continuous monitoring of actuator speed and positional variation to schedule maintenance intervention before failure.
Series D-MH1
Flow & Temperature
Flow anomaly detection and consumption benchmarking
Real-time leakage detection, machine-to-machine air consumption benchmarking, adaptive flow regulation per individual process.
PF3A · PFCA7
Cycle Counting
Scheduled maintenance, not reactive repair
Automatic cycle counting via the EX600 built-in function. Wear-part replacement scheduled before failure, not after.
Series EX600
Humidity & Condensate
Dryer protection and air quality assurance
Continuous dew point and condensate level monitoring. Early warning of dryer malfunctions before downstream damage occurs.
Series PSH
Leakage Detection
Localised monitoring on critical components
Localised air consumption in actuators monitored and flagged before reaching critical levels, with continuous comparison against commissioning benchmarks.
PF2M7 · PF3AmH
From Standalone to System: SMC Digital Architecture
The SMC digital architecture is an integrated environment where all pneumatic systems and processes are connected — with real-time data collection, analysis and management, including across multiple sites. Wireless connectivity and OPC UA data exchange extend the architecture further, with an open, vendor-agnostic design.
The EXW1 Series — a compact wireless system with an integrated OPC UA server — and the Air Management System (AMS) are the key components for reaching this level of integration.
OPC UA: the open standard for Industry 4.0
- Vendor and software platform independent
- Data access and sharing across global sites
- Closed network or Internet with built-in security
- Easily expandable architecture
- Scalable machine-to-machine communication (M2M)
What Changes for Your Technical Team
Fewer unplanned stoppages, lower energy waste, greater process control — for maintenance managers, facility managers and plant operators.
Predictive Maintenance
Automatic cycle counting, operational data history, actuator wear monitoring. Planned interventions, not fault-driven repair.
Process Optimisation
Historical data analysis surfaces slowdowns and inefficiencies. Localised pressure drops and flow anomalies become visible and actionable.
Energy Management
Maps energy consumption across the entire plant. Isolates or reduces pressure in non-productive areas. Supports CO₂ reduction initiatives.
Quality Control
Monitoring temperature, pressure and actuator speed enables early detection of anomalies before they impact finished product quality.
Assess Your Plant’s Digitalization Level
Technology BSA is an authorised SMC distributor in Italy. Our technical team can support you in assessing your pneumatic system’s current digitalization level and defining the most suitable upgrade path.
Contact our experts for a personalised technical assessment.
