Course Code: ME 421

Course Title: COMPUTER INTEGRATION MANUFACTING

Class Day: Thursday Timing: 03:00 pm to 04:30 pm

Lecture / Week No. : Lecture 9

Instructor Name: Sameen Fatima

Department of Software Engineering

Contents

1. Pneumatic System

2. The production and transportation of Pneumatic System

3. The consumption of Pneumatic System

4. Principles of pneumatic control

Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

Pneumatic systems
A pneumatic system is a system that uses compressed air to transmit and control energy.
Pneumatic systems are used in controlling train doors, automatic production lines, mechanical clamps, etc
(Fig. 1)

(a) Automobile production lines (b) Pneumatic system of an automatic machine

Fig. 1 Common pneumatic systems used in the industrial sector

 Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design
(a) The advantages of pneumatic systems
Pneumatic control systems are widely used in our society, especially in the industrial sectors for the driving
of automatic machines. Pneumatic systems have a lot of advantages.
(i) High effectiveness
Many factories have equipped their production lines with compressed air supplies and movable
compressors. There is an unlimited supply of air in our atmosphere to produce compressed air. Moreover, the
use of compressed air is not restricted by distance, as it can easily be transported through pipes. After use,
compressed air can be released directly into the atmosphere without the need of processing.

(ii) High durability and reliability

Pneumatic components are extremely durable and can not be damaged easily. Compared to electromotive
components, pneumatic components are more durable and reliable.
(iii) Simple design
The designs of pneumatic components are relatively simple. They are thus more suitable for use in simple
automatic control systems.
(iv) High adaptability to harsh environment
Compared to the elements of other systems, compressed air is less affected by high temperature, dust, corrosion, etc
 Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design
(v) Safety
Pneumatic systems are safer than electromotive systems because they can work in inflammable environment
without causing fire or explosion. Apart from that, overloading in pneumatic system will only lead to sliding or
cessation of operation. Unlike electromotive components, pneumatic components do not burn or get overheated
when overloaded.
(vi) Easy selection of speed and pressure
The speeds of rectilinear and oscillating movement of pneumatic systems are easy to adjust and subject to
few limitations. The pressure and the volume of air can easily be adjusted by a pressure regulator.
(vii) Environmental friendly
The operation of pneumatic systems do not produce pollutants. The air released is also processed in special
ways. Therefore, pneumatic systems can work in environments that demand high level of cleanliness. One
example is the production lines of integrated circuits.
(viii) Economical
As pneumatic components are not expensive, the costs of pneumatic systems are quite low.
Moreover, as pneumatic systems are very durable, the cost of repair is significantly lower than that of other
systems.
 Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

(b) Limitations of pneumatic systems

Although pneumatic systems possess a lot of advantages, they are also subject to many limitations.
(i) Relatively low accuracy
As pneumatic systems are powered by the force provided by compressed air, their operation is subject to
the volume of the compressed air. As the volume of air may change when compressed or heated, the supply of
air to the system may not be accurate, causing a decrease in the overall accuracy of the system.
(ii) Low loading
As the cylinders of pneumatic components are not very large, a pneumatic system cannot drive loads that
are too heavy.
(iii) Processing required before use
Compressed air must be processed before use to ensure the absence of water vapour or dust. Otherwise, the
moving parts of the pneumatic components may wear out quickly due to friction.
(iv) Uneven moving speed
As air can easily be compressed, the moving speeds of the pistons are relatively uneven.
(v) Noise
Noise will be produced when compressed air is released from the pneumatic components.
 Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

(c) Main pneumatic components

Pneumatic components can be divided into two categories:
1. Components that produce and transport compressed air.
2. Components that consume compressed air.
All main pneumatic components can be represented by simple pneumatic symbols. Each symbol shows only
the function of the component it represents, but not its structure. Pneumatic symbols can be combined to form
pneumatic diagrams. A pneumatic diagram describes the relations between each pneumatic component, that is,
the design of the system.
 Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

2 The production and transportation of compressed air

Examples of components that produce and transport compressed air include compressors and pressure
regulating components.
(a) Compressor
A compressor can compress air to the required pressures. It can convert the mechanical energy from motors and
engines into the potential energy in compressed air (Fig. 2). A single central compressor can supply various
pneumatic components with compressed air, which is transported through pipes from the cylinder to the
pneumatic components. Compressors can be divided into two classes: reciprocatory and rotary.

(a) Compressor used in schools (b) Compressor used in laboratories (c) Pneumatic symbol of a compressor
 Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

(b) Pressure regulating component

Pressure regulating components are formed by various components, each of which has its own pneumatic
symbol:
(i) Filter – can remove impurities from compressed air before it is fed to the pneumatic components.
(ii) Pressure regulator – to stabilize the pressure and regulate the operation of pneumatic components
(iii) Lubricator – To provide lubrication for pneumatic components

Fig. 3
(a) Pressure regulating component (b) Pneumatic symbols of the pneumatic components within
a pressure regulating component
Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

3 The consumption of compressed air

Examples of components that consume compressed air include execution components (cylinders), directional
control valves and assistant valves.
(a) Execution component
Pneumatic execution components provide rectilinear or rotary movement. Examples of pneumatic execution
components include cylinder pistons, pneumatic motors, etc. Rectilinear motion is produced by cylinder
pistons, while pneumatic motors provide continuous rotations.
There are many kinds of cylinders, such as single acting cylinders and double acting cylinders.

(i) Single acting cylinder

A single acting cylinder has only one entrance that allows compressed air to flow through.
Therefore, it can only produce thrust in one direction (Fig. 4). The piston rod is propelled in the opposite
direction by an internal spring, or by the external force provided by mechanical movement or weight of a load
(Fig. 5).
Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

Fig. 4 Cross section of a single acting cylinder

Fig. 5
(a) Single acting cylinder (b) Pneumatic symbol of a single acting cylinder
Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

The thrust from the piston rod is greatly lowered because it has to overcome the force from the spring.
Therefore, in order to provide the driving force for machines, the diameter of the cylinder should be increased.
In order to match the length of the spring, the length of the cylinder should also be increased, thus limiting the
length of the path. Single acting cylinders are used in stamping, printing, moving materials, etc.

(ii) Double acting cylinder

In a double acting cylinder, air pressure is applied alternately to the relative surface of the piston, producing
a propelling force and a retracting force (Fig. 6). As the effective area of the piston is small, the thrust
produced during retraction is relatively weak. The impeccable tubes of double acting cylinders are usually
made of steel. The working surfaces are also polished and coated with chromium to reduce friction.
Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

Fig. 6 Cross section of a double acting cylinder

Fig. 7
(a) Double acting cylinder (b) Pneumatic symbol of a double
acting cylinder
Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

4 Principles of pneumatic control

(a) Pneumatic circuit
Pneumatic control systems can be designed in the form of pneumatic circuits. A pneumatic circuit is
formed by various pneumatic components, such as cylinders, directional control valves, flow control valves,
etc. Pneumatic circuits have the following functions:
1. To control the injection and release of compressed air in the cylinders.
2. To use one valve to control another valve.
(b) Pneumatic circuit diagram
A pneumatic circuit diagram uses pneumatic symbols to describe its design. Some basic rules must be
followed when drawing pneumatic diagrams.

(i) Basic rules

1. A pneumatic circuit diagram represents the circuit in static form and assumes there is no
supply of pressure. The placement of the pneumatic components on the circuit also follows
this assumption.
Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

2. The pneumatic symbol of a directional control valve is formed by one or more squares. The inlet and
exhaust are drawn underneath the square, while the outlet is drawn on the top. Each function of the valve (the
position of the valve) shall be represented by a square. If there are two or more functions, the squares should
be arranged horizontally (Fig. 8).

Fig. 8 3/2 directional control valve Fig 9 3/2 directional control valve
(normally closed type) (normally closed type)

3. Arrows "↓↖" are used to indicate the flow direction of air current. If the external port is not connected to
the internal parts, the symbol “┬” is used. The symbol “⊙” underneath the square represents the air input,
while the symbol “▽” represents the exhaust. Fig. 17 shows an example of a typical pneumatic valve.
Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

4. The pneumatic symbols of operational components should be drawn on the outside of the squares. They can
be divided into two classes: mechanical and manual

(a) Vertical piston lever (b) Pulley lever (c) Unilateral pulley lever
Fig. Mechanically operated pneumatic components

(a) Standard (b) Lever (c) Button (d) Pull & push
Fig. Manually operated pneumatic components
5. Pneumatic operation signal pressure lines should be drawn on one side of the squares, while triangles are used to
represent the direction of air flow

Fig. Pneumatic operation signal pressure line

Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

(ii) Basic principles

Fig. shows some of the basic principles of drawing pneumatic circuit diagrams, the numbers in the diagram
correspond to the following points:

Fig. Basic principles of drawing pneumatic circuit diagrams

Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

1. When the manual switch is not operated, the spring will restore the valve to its original position.
2. From the position of the spring, one can deduce that the block is operating. The other block will not
operate until the switch is pushed.
3. Air pressure exists along this line because it is connected to the source of compressed air.
4. As this cylinder cavity and piston rod are under the influence of pressure, the piston rod is in its restored
position.
5. The rear cylinder cavity and this line are connected to the exhaust, where air is released.
Reference No. 1 Topic: Pneumatic System & Design

• https://resources.hkedcity.net/res_files/201101/20110128101153_259037.pdf