Industrial Pneumatics

Name ______

DUE FRI, 1/20/17 (by noon)

Lab 1: Pilot Control of a Single-Acting Cylinder

In preparation for this lab you should read Exercise 1 in the FESTO Basic Pneumatics Workbook and Exercises 1 and 2 in the FESTO Electro-Pneumatics Workbook.

Problem Description

Part A: A sorting process involves transferring packaged goods from a main conveyor to a branch conveyor. The (manual) sorting process is initiated by operator pressing a pneumatic pushbutton.

When the pushbutton is pressed, a cylinder rod extends moving the package from the main conveyor onto the branch conveyor.

When the pushbutton is released, the cylinder rod returns automatically to the retracted position.

Parts List

(1) Compressed air source

(1) Pushbutton actuated, spring return normally non-passing, 3/2-way directional control valve (DCV).

(1) Single-acting pneumatic cylinder

In the space to the right, sketch out the pneumatic circuit.

Before starting your sketch, understand that convention dictates that power flows from the “bottom up” in pneumatic circuits.

That is, the air source is drawn low on the page, control elements (valves) above the source and the load (cylinder) high on the page and above the control element(s).

Air lines are then drawn to “connect” the components together.

Note: Air lines should be drawn only vertically or horizontally, never diagonally or “free form.”

Demonstrate that your circuit functions as requiredInitials: ______

Part B: The sorting system has been upgraded such that the pushbutton actuated 3/2-way valve has been replaced by a solenoid actuated 3/2-way valve coupled to an electrical pushbutton.

Parts List

(1) Electrical power source

(1) Compressed air source

(1) Normally open (NO) electrical pushbutton

(1) Solenoid actuated, spring return normally non-passing, 3/2-way DCV.

(1) Single-acting pneumatic cylinder


In the space below, sketch out both the electrical circuit andthe pneumatic circuits. The 24 VDC electrical circuit should take the form of a ladder diagram. Label the solenoid 'SOL_1' in bothcircuits; doing so indicates that the solenoid is one in the same.

Demonstrate that your circuit functions as requiredInitials: ______

Follow up Questions

  1. In this exercise, what is the purpose of the linear actuator?
  1. In Part Aof this exercise, how is the single-acting cylinder controlled? Be specific in naming the device.
  1. In Part Bof this exercise, how is the single-acting cylinder controlled? Hint, your answer need not include the word “pushbutton.” Be specific in naming the device.
  1. Generally speaking (not specific to this exercise), why isn’t the return stroke of a single-acting cylinder considered a working stroke?
  1. Generally speaking (not specific to this exercise), what physically causes a solenoid actuated 3/2-way directional control valve (DCV) to shift positions?
  1. Say that a cylinder was not pushing hard enough to move product from one conveyor to the other.Name two ways this problem could be remedied. Note: one way is more practical than the other.

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