Not that fancy but fancy none the less ...

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuH97_LYIv4

A little pneumatic system I built today in my Control class for my Mechatronics class project. Its a semi-automatic system for clamping (top cylinder), moving of the table (lower 2 cylinders) and unclamping of the parts.

I simplified it with my partner quite abit compared to the original circuit that my prof had shown us.

Hope You enjoy.

Dimitri

Suzanne

That looks like fun! What do you use for an air source? How much pressure? How much clamping/pushing force are the cylinders putting out. I want one on my router table...yeah hot-rod it up!

Pneumatic
Suz

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

We are running about 90 PSI, but its just for experimental work anyways on that system.

You can buy better systems that will make short work of router work. But sometimes the costs involved are not worth it. Good Pneumatic components are not all that cheap.

The specific cylinders in the lab, I have pushed them closed as they had air in them, sure it was difficult but I still managed to do it.

Dimitri

Pumpkinslinger

D, looks like all pneumatic logic? If you ever have to trouble shoot that much you'll learn to hate it... Are they teaching you guys anything about PLCs?

Our whole plant runs on about 90-100 psi and that's pretty much an industrial standard in my experience. You get your operating forces by varying the cylinder bore diameters. Force = pressure X bore area. For example with a 2" bore:

Force = 90 psi X (pi X 1"^2) = 283 pounds

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

Yup all Pneumatic logic, I do believe we do PLC's in my program but its a "introduction" mainly, I wish in my later 2 years to take a proper course in Allan Bradley PLC classes.

After this Mechanical Design program I am thinking that I'd like to work as a system designer, so I am more into learning about automation and the like at this point. Verses designing consumer products.

Yes 90 to 100 seems standard. However our lab is far from the compressors, and the pressure seems to drop down to 90 quick once a few groups are working on the boards.

As for trouble shooting, I know the best method to trouble shoot .... tear something apart and redesign it from scratch. My video is actually one of those jobs, the way the prof shows us to do it has a lot of conflicts and we are to use Logic valves to eliminate the conflicts. Myself? I worked out another way of doing things. Laughing

Dimitri

Pumpkinslinger

AB PLCs are a standard, although certainly not my choice. They aren't as user friendly as others and are a LOT more expensive! If you would like some free PLC programming software, and a really inexpensive one to play with, go here:

www.automationdirect.c...-a-_Cables

I haven't tried the CLICK yet but I've used their other stuff for 20 years.

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

Thank you!

Dimitri