The actuator of tomorrow will more than likely be lighter, more efficient, and have more of a rounded, aesthetically pleasing look. With such a great appreciation for aesthetics and continuity today, don’t be surprised if pneumatic actuators start looking as if they were specifically designed for OEM equipment. Continuity between components and equipment will add value to all parties involved. In addition to being sleeker and more efficient, the pneumatic actuator of tomorrow will include a whole host of additional features. Onboard actuator intelligence being in the near future will provide the benefits of actuator diagnostics and communication modules among others.

Position feedback is becoming fairly common in pneumatically actuated systems. Many pneumatic cylinders now come with a linear resistive transducer (LRT), which is typically located inside the actuator piston rod. LRTs are ideal for applications where traditional magnetic positioning is not acceptable and where variations in actuator stroke and speed are expected.

The booming baritones and stunning sopranos of a large pipe organ are established traditions in gothic cathedrals and symphony halls alike. However, it takes more than years of experience for a musician to create such tunes. Behind the wood and metal exterior, pneumatics plays a part in ultimately delivering the sound to the audience.


The basic design of a pipe organ is air delivered to individual pipes which produces sound. Mechanical systems were originally used, but soon proved to be cost prohibitive to smaller groups. Pneumatic systems were then developed in the 1840s to give those smaller groups more access to pipe organs. The pneumatics were lower in cost and easier to maintain. After a number of subsequent design changes, a number of today’s organs use a form of electro-pneumatic action utilizing an electric current to force open the valve in each pipe, thereby allowing air to feed into the pipe and produce the sound.


*Source: “A Brief History of Electronics in Pipe Organs.” Classic Organ Works. Web. http://www.organworks.com/web/about/OrgHistory.asp.

Directional-control valves are vital in any pneumatic circuit, directing or blocking airflow to control the speed or sequence of operations. One method of classifying directional-control valves is by the flow paths under various operating conditions. Important factors are the number of possible valve positions and the number of ports and flow paths. Some basic configurations are:

Two-way, two-position valves
Three-way, two-position valves
Four-way, two-position valves
Four-way, three-position

*Source: “The basics of pneumatic control valves.” Machine Design. Web 8 August 2002. http://machinedesign.com/article/the-basics-of-pneumatic-control-valves-0808.

Pneumatic symbols are like electronic component symbols, in that they are used on schematics and are used to indicate what type of device is being used in a circuit or in a line.

Lines
There are 3 different types of lines for pneumatics. A continuous line is used to indicate a flow line. A dashed line is used to indicate a pilot or a drain. A line comprised of long and short dashes around two or more component symbols indicates an envelope.

Circular Symbols
A large circle is an indicator of a pump, a motor, or a compressor. Smaller circles are indicators of measuring devices. A half circle indicates a rotary actuator.

Squares
A single square indicates a pressure control function. Multiple squares that are adjacent to one another represent a directional control.

Diamonds
Diamond shapes represent fluid conditioners, such as filter, a lubricator, a separator or a heat exchanger.

Triangles
Triangles signify flow direction, regardless of whether you are dealing with pneumatics or hydraulics. A solid triangle indicates the direction of hydraulic flow, while an open triangle indicates the direction of pneumatic flow.

Other Basic Symbols
Two other common symbols are a zigzag and what looks like two parentheses with the curved sides facing each other. The zigzag indicates a spring is in use. The parentheses represent flow restriction.

*Source: Oylear, Ryan K . "List of Pneumatic Symbols." eHow. Web. http://www.ehow.com/list6145826list-pneumatic-symbols.html.

The drive through option at the bank is one of the most common places to see pneumatics in action. The tube and system used to transport transactions from the bank to your car is propelled with compressed air and blowers. A vacuum creates suction at one end and assists in the travel of the tube from one location to the other.

Do your Halloween plans involve writhing skeletons, jumping bogeymen and an animatronic Frankenstein? They could if you have air cylinders and other components from Air Cylinders Direct! We offer a full line of pneumatic parts to create your Halloween masterpiece. Shop with us now to ensure your Halloween decorations are the talk of your neighborhood.

All systems have three basic parts: input, process and output.

Input is the compressed air from the hand pump or compressor.

Process is the valve directing the air to the base or rod end of the cylinder.

Output is the piston rod extending or retracting. Tubing connects the hand pump or compressor to the valves and cylinders to complete the system.

Source: http://www.eng.iastate.edu/twt/Courses/Undergrad/packet/info/pneumaticsinfo.htm

When you’re sitting in a roller coaster car at the top of an incline with a 40 foot drop creeping closer and closer to reality, you might start asking a few questions. First, will this restraint system hold me in place when this ride goes upside down? Second, what will stop us when the ride is over? Thankfully, the answer to both of those questions is pneumatics. Through all of the flips, dips and backwards maneuvers that make your stomach drop into your shoes, pneumatics will lock the restraint bars in place across your body to ensure you stay in your seat through the duration of the ride. When the ride comes to an end, air brakes will activate to slow down the ride as you approach the unloading area. Even with water rides, pneumatics work without electricity and are the ideal solution. Typically, air bellows align with the underwater track and inflate when the ride needs to come to a stop, creating the drag to slow the ride down and eventual stoppage of the ride.

For many fans, the thrill of a NASCAR® race includes coolers full of beverages, radios and lawn chairs all aimed at keeping fans content and satisfied through the duration of the event. But who has ever given such thought to the comfort of the drivers? The good people at Gatorade® did take this into account and decided to focus on how dehydration affects a driver’s coordination, mental abilities and reflexes – all of which are necessary to maintain when you’re speeding around the track at about 150 miles per hour. They also found that drivers can lose up to 10 pounds of fluid during a race due to dehydration. Coupled with the fact that drivers tend to prefer a ‘both hands on the wheel’ approach to driving at those speeds, it is difficult to eat or drink in the middle of a race.

Armed with this information, Gatorade® developed an in-car hydration system aimed at ensuring drivers can stay thoroughly hydrated during the entire race. The system includes a reservoir in the car that is loaded with 100 ounces of their drink continuously chilled through the duration of the race. The drivers can opt for a system that will automatically deliver the beverage – you guessed it – via a tube fitted with a pneumatic actuator! Since its development in 2001, this system has been installed in the cars of over 20 Nextel Cup Drivers.

Pneumatic actuators for the most part are simple devices. Determining an actuator's theoretical force output is relatively straightforward, although sizing for a specific application can be a daunting task. Specifying an undersized actuator is one of the most common mistakes made when working with pneumatic actuators. The use of pneumatic vs. electrical or hydraulic actuators is an application specific, site specific, and cost specific decision. Additional factors include issues such as safety, reliability, and maintenance schedules. Because pneumatic actuators can operate without electricity, there is no chance of spark generation. This makes them ideal for hazardous environment use, such as methane or natural gas applications.

Pneumatic actuators are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and types, as well as with a multitude of standard options. At first glance, the number of permutations can be overwhelming. The good news is that each actuator type and configuration has a place in today's automation environment.

Pneumatic actuators are selected by their ability to do work and the most common factor that limits productivity is using an undersized actuator. Follow these tips to select the right actuator for the job:

•Determine the force

•Subtract the piston rod area, if applicable

•Know the true operating pressure

•Allow for internal actuator friction, i.e. seals, bushings, and wear bands

•Know the true load

•Factor in speed requirements

•Consider the angles

•Design in a margin, anticipating demand for future productivity improvements

•Consider kinetic energy

•Test

Pneumatic air brakes are used every day in trucks, buses and tractor trailers. Air brakes are divided into two systems: the supply system and the control system. The supply system stores compressed air and supplies it to the control system by a belt or off the engine timing gears. The control system is split into front and rear wheel circuits. The service brakes are applied by an air valve powered brake pedal, which engages the brakes. When the parking brake is engaged, the spring force from the spring brake cylinder is released by compressed air, and in turn engages the parking brake. The air used for engaging the brakes is re-circulated in to a reservoir where the air is eventually reused. These brakes are used every day and are extremely important.

*Source: Morgan, Seth. “Pneumatic Air Brakes.” Quazen.com. Web 18 October 2009. http://quazen.com/recreation/autos/pneumatic-air-brakes.

Pneumatic cylinders use a piston to transfer the potential energy of compressed air into kinetic energy in order to do work. The force provided by the pneumatic cylinder varies with the pressure of the compressed air and the surface area of the piston inside the cylinder. The surface area of the piston is related to the diameter, also known as the bore, of the cylinder.



Determine the amount of force required from the cylinder. Example: 200 lbs.

Determine the pressure of the compressed air you will be using. Example: 80 psi.

Divide the force required by the pressure of the compressed air to calculate the required piston area. Example: 200 lbs / 80 psi = 2.5 square inches.

Take the square root of the required piston area. Multiply the result by 1.1284. This is the calculated cylinder diameter, or bore. Example: square root of 2.5 = 1.581. 1.581 x 1.1284 = 1.784 inches.


*Source: Grace, David. "How to Calculate a Cylinder Bore." eHow. Web 5 May 2010. http://www.ehow.com/how6407689calculate-cylinder-bore.html.

For more than 50 years, air actuators have played a key role in many pneumatically powered machines. Air actuators differ from metal pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders in that they have no piston rods and cylinder barrels. Instead, the simple and cost-effective design somewhat resembles a flexible rubber bellows. But construction is similar to that of a car tire, giving the devices toughness, pressure resistance, and dimensional stability.

A prime advantage is that air actuators do not need the dynamic seals that are essential — and, at times, a headache — in traditional cylinders. This means there is no path for external contamination to enter the air actuator. It eliminates breakaway (stick-slip) friction that can plague cylinders in low-load or low-speed conditions, so the actuators respond immediately and uniformly even to small pressure variations. And because there are no seals to wear out, service life is often much longer than that of metal cylinders, especially in adverse environments.


Standard-elastomer construction handles temperatures from –40 to 160°F, though units for higher and lower temperatures are available. Types of air actuators include single, double, and triple-convolution bellows, as well as rolling-lobe designs, in a wide range of sizes.


*Source: Hilkirk, John. "Soft Actuators Tackle Hard Jobs." Machine Design. Web 22 November 2008. http://machinedesign.com/article/soft-actuators-tackle-hard-jobs-1122.