Inflatable Clamps & Actuators

Why Choose Inflatable Clamps and Actuators

Inflatable actuators are used to push a secondary compression seal (or fixture) into place, thereby creating a uniform, reliable seal. In a typical application, the inflatable actuator pushes a seal made of a harder material (e.g. PTFE) which then seals against a rotating piece of equipment. During shutdown, the air is removed from the inflatable actuator, making change out of the entire system much easier. Much like inflatable seals and clamps, an inflatable actuator will account for sealing gap variation which often occurs on larger equipment. Inflatable actuators have also been used to push trays holding medical tools against a mating compression seal during delicate cleaning operations. This ensures a quick and effective seal every time.

Inflatable clamps provide uniformed controlled pressure to firmly bond or laminate pieces together. They can also hold pieces in place during machining/cutting operations. Unlike standard piston-style clamps, an inflatable bladder clamp gives you more design flexibility and allows for:

Typical Inflatable Clamping Applications

Our inflatable bladder clamps are being used today in many unique applications, including:

• Airframe Component Bonding – Inflatable clamps, in series, are used to bond the skin of an aircraft wing together. Force generation and the ability to vary pressure are two key attributes used in this application.
• Conveyor Brakes or Stops – Inflatable bladder clamps are used to stop product as it travels along a conveyor and can be placed under the conveyor belt itself to stop the entire line. Our standardized Pneuma-Cel® line of inflatable bladder clamps are a particularly good choice here.
• Quick Clamps for Semiconductor Filtering Equipment – Inflatable clamps are used as both a seal and clamp to hold semicon filters in place. If the filters need to be changed, the inflatable clamps are deflated, the filters replaced, and the machine is back on-line within seconds.