Pneumatic engineering technician

The technician starts by measuring an existing system. The compressor, the receiver, the dryer, the pipework and the actuators are checked, leaks and pressure drops are traced, and test data are recorded. On that basis changes are recommended that raise efficiency: different bore sizes, a shorter run, a compressor matched to actual demand, heat recovery.

Design covers circuits and components. The technician reads engineering drawings and lays out the circuit: valves, cylinders, flow restrictors, position sensors and the order in which they act. Pneumatics and engineering principles both apply, with cylinder force calculated from pressure and piston area and cross-sections chosen so that a movement completes in the time allowed.

Keeping a system running is also part of the role. The technician carries out routine machine checks, replaces filter elements and seals, solves problems with cylinders sticking, and adjusts technical designs when a machine in service shows something other than the assumption. A technical qualification in mechatronics or mechanics is one route into the work.