What is a significant disadvantage of using pneumatic systems?

A significant disadvantage of using pneumatic systems is that they are generally less powerful than hydraulic systems. This is primarily due to the fundamental differences in how these two types of systems operate. Pneumatic systems use compressed air to transmit power, which inherently limits the amount of force and energy they can deliver. Air is less dense than hydraulic fluids and is more compressible, leading to less efficiency in transferring energy compared to hydraulic fluids that do not compress and can transmit larger amounts of force for similar applications.

Hydraulic systems, on the other hand, use liquids, which allow for greater power transmission and force generation. This makes hydraulic systems more suitable for tasks requiring high power, such as heavy lifting and industrial machinery operations. As a result, in applications where sheer force is crucial, pneumatic systems may fall short of performance expectations, which can limit their effectiveness in certain industrial and manufacturing environments. Understanding these performance limitations is essential when selecting a system for specific applications.