Pneumatics looks at the use of compressed air to create a circuit. A pneumatic circuit is made up of an input, process, and output. Pneumatics are used in everyday life for example compressed air is used for airbrushes, dentist drills, lorry breaks and bicycle pumps.
Actuators
An actuator acts like a switch in a pneumatic circuit 鈥 it allows you to turn the circuit on and off. Valves can be actuated using different methods.
Types of actuator
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The methods of operation shown above are used to actuatecause a device to operate a 3/2 valve. This means they can be used to turn a circuit on or off.
3/2 valves
3/2 valves are the component used to control a single acting cylinder or piston. A 3/2 valve has three ports and has two states, either on or off which is how it got its name.
A 3/2 valve
- Port 1 鈥 This is where the main air supply connects.
- Port 2 鈥 Used to connect to the next component in the circuit.
E.g. Connecting to a single acting cylinder (Piston) - Port 3 鈥 Where the exhausted air escapes.
Symbols are used to represent the air supply (pressure source) and the exhaust in a circuit.
Exhaust and pressure symbols in a pneumatic circuit
Single acting cylinder
Single acting cylinders have two features which makes them easy to identify 鈥 they will only ever have one inlet port and they will always have a spring return.
Single acting cylinder
The piston is forced out when air is pushed through the inlet port. When the pressure source is removed the spring will drive the piston back into the cylinder.
Logic circuits
Logic circuits are made through joining valves together. The simplest type of logic circuit is an AND circuit.
AND circuits
Only when both valves A AND B are pressed will the single acting cylinder go positive.
One use for an AND logic of 2 valves is in situations where safety is important. For example, you can鈥檛 turn a saw on until you have pressed both buttons 鈥 this means you can鈥檛 accidentally turn it on.
OR circuits
The two 3/2 valves are connected in parallel. This means that either valve X OR Y can be pressed to make the piston go positive.
This type of circuit is used to allow a machine to be turned off from different positions. This can also be a safety feature as other people can turn the machine off in an emergency
OR circuits will always contain a shuttle valve. A shuttle valve allows air to be routed from either valve X or valve Y depending on which one has been actuated.
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