Competency based Training in Pneumatics - targets

• Physical fundamentals of pneumatics

• Function and application of pneumatic components
• Designation and drawing of pneumatic symbols
• Drawing of pneumatic circuits according international standards
• Direct and indirect stroke-dependent controls
• Basic digital logic functions (AND, OR, NOT, RS-Flip-Flop)
• Time-dependent control system with time-delay valve
• Pressure-dependent control system with pressure sequence valve

© Festo Didactic Competency based Training in Pneumatics - review 26.09.2007 No. 1

 Introduction – Advantages of Pneumatics
• Availibility Air is practically available everywhere in unlimited quantities
• Transport Compressed air can be easily transported over long distances
• Storage Compressed air can be stored, transported, removed in/from
• Temperature reservoirs
• Explosion proof Compressed air is relatively uncritical to temperature fluctuations
• Cleanliness No risk of explosion or fire
• Components Unlubricated compressed air is clean
• Speed Operating components are simple in design and construction
• Overload safe Compressed air actuators are very fast
Operating components are overload safe

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 Introduction – Disadvantages of Pneumatics
• Preparation Good preparation of compressed air, remove of dirt and condensate
• Compression It is not always possible to achieve constant actuators speed
• Force requirement Compressed air is only economical until a certain level of force. Based
on the standard pressure level of 6 -7 bar (600 – 700 kPa) the
maximum force is between 40.000 and 50.000 N depending on air
• Noise level travel and speed
The compressed air preparation (compressor) is loud as well as the
exhaust air at the components

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 Pneumatics in review
Pneumatics has long since played an important role as a technology
in the performance of mechanical work. It is also used in the
development of partly and fully automation solutions.

In the majority of applications compressed air is used for one or

more of
Introduction to Pneumatics
01
the following functions:

• To determine the status of processors (sensors)

• Information processing (processors)
• Switching of actuators by means of final control elements
• Carrying out work (actuators)

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 Pneumatics in review
To be able to control machinery logic interaction of sensors,
processors, control elements and actuators is necessary.

The technological progress made in material, design and production

process has improved the quality and diversity of pneumatic
components and increased the possibility to use them in automated
Introduction to Pneumatics production.
02

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 Pneumatics in review
Pneumatic components have a significant role due to its:

• relatively low cost

• ease of installation
• simple and robust construction and
• ready availability in various sizes and stroke lengths

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 Pneumatics actuators
In general, pneumatic actuators can provide the following
movements:

• Linear
• Swivel
• Rotary

As one of the mostly used pneumatic actuator the pneumatic linear

cylinder has the following general characteristics:

• Diameters 2.5 to 320 mm

• Stroke lengths 1 to 2000 mm
• Available forces 2 to 45000 N at 6 bar
• Piston speed 0.1 to 1.5 m/s

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 Material handling
Many industrial applications use pneumatics. The general methods of
material handling are:

• Clamping
• Shifting
• Positioning
• Orienting
• Branching of material flow
and many more

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 Pneumatic applications
The use of pneumatic actuators in the industry is endless:

• Packaging
• Filling
• Metering
• Locking
• Driving of axes
• Door or chute control
• Transfer of materials
• Turning and inverting of parts
• Sorting of parts
• Stacking of components
• Stamping of components

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 How fast is the air flow
Air flow at 20 °C/0 bar is 343 m/s which is equal to 1234,8 km/h (velocity of sound). At
working pressure of 6 bar = 30 – 40 m/s

A
V

Homogeneous stream

from approximately 5 bar the movement of cylinders

will be slower (full turbulent)

Q=AxV
(Quantum: latin: How much, how big)
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 Velocity of air
For example the velocity of air:

• Dentists drilling machines 120,000 – 130,000 rpm (revolutions per minute)

• Rotary drives up to 5000 rpm depends on the motor for rotation movements
• Standard linear movements 1 m/s
• The speed of the air flow at 6 bar working pressure is between 30 and 40 m/s (compare to
signal transmission in electrical/electronic devices 299 790 km/s)

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 Velocity

Pneumatic

5-10 ms 5-10ms 5-10ms

30-40 m/s 30-40 m/s

SI SP SO
30-40 m/s 30-40 m/s

5-10 ms 5-10ms 5-20ms

Electromechanic

PLC 1 ms 5-10ms 5-20ms

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 Reponse time of control

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 Control media

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 Fundamentals of Pneumatics
Air is an abundant gas mixture with the following composition:

• Nitrogen approx. 78 vol. %

• Oxygen approx. 21 vol. %

It also contains traces of carbon dioxide, argon, hydrogen, neon, helium, krypton and xenon.

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 Fundamentals of Pneumatics
Basic units: Quantity Symbol Unit

Length l m (Meter)
Mass m kg (Kilogramm)
Time t s (Second)
Temperature T K (Kelvin)

Derived units: Quantity Symbol Unit

Force F N (Newton)
Area A m2 (Square meter)
Volume V m3 (Cubic meter)
Flow rate qv m3/s
Pressure p Pa (Pascal)

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 Fundamentals of Pneumatics
Basic conditions: The force in a pneumatic system can be calculated by:

F = p * A with p (pressure) in Pa = N/m2 and A (Area) in m2

F in N (Newton)

or

F = m * a with m (Mass) in kg and a (Acceleration) with m/s2

F in kg*m/s2

The temperature K in Kelvin starts with 0 K = - 273 °C

The pressure p sometimes can be found in bar. The relation is:

1 bar = 105 Pa = 100 kPa (Kilo Pascal)

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 Fundamentals of Pneumatics
Newtons Law: Force = mass * acceleration

F=m*a

where a is replaced by the acceleration due to gravity

Fundamentals of pressure g = 9.81 m/s2

Pressure: 1 Pascal is equal to the constant pressure on a surface

area of 1 m2 with the vertical force of 1 N (Newton).

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 Fundamentals of Pneumatics
The pressure prevailing directly on the earth‘s surface is known as atmospheric pressure
(pamb). This pressure is also referred to as reference pressure. The range above this pressure
is known as excess pressure range (pe > 0), the range below is referred to as vacuum range
(pe < 0).
The atmospheric differential pressure pe is calculated according to the formula:
pe = pabs - pamb

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 Fundamentals of Pneumatics
Atmospheric pressure does not have a constant value. It varies with the geographical
location and the weather. The absolute pressure pabs is the value relative to pressure = 0
(vacuum).
It is equal to the sum of the atmospheric pressure and the excess pressure or vacuum. In
practice, pressure gauges which only indicate the excess pressure are generally used. The
absolute pressure value pabs is approximately 100 kPa (1 bar). Generally in pneumatics all
data concerning air quantity refers to the so called standard state. According to DIN 1343,
the standard state is the status of a solid, fluid or gaseous substance defined by standard
temperature and pressure.

• Standard temperature Tn = 273.15 K, tn = 0 °C

• Standard pressure pn = 101325 Pa = 1.01325 bar

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 Fundamentals of Pneumatics

Fundamentals Boyles law

P1 * V1 = P2 * V2 = constant (Boyle’s Law)

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 Fundamentals of Pneumatics

Continue with the first project

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