Pneumatics

Pneumatics Tools
There are a lot of pneumatic (air powered) tools all around us!

They are used by auto mechanics, construction workers, dentists, painters, and more. These are just some examples.

Air Pressure
To understand Pneumatics, you have to understand air

pressure.
The molecules in the air around us exert pressure all the

time. We dont normally feel it, because the pressure inside our bodies is equal to the pressure outside.
However, if you drive up a tall mountain or dive deep

into a swimming pool, the air pressure changes, and you will probably notice this, especially in your ears. Have your ears ever popped? Thats your body trying to equalize the air pressure!

The Atmosphere

But why does air pressure change when you change elevation? The earth is surrounded by a blanket of air called the atmosphere. It goes up to 348 miles above the Earths surface. Its made up of four distinct layers:

Troposphere: From the Earths surface to 5-9 miles up. This is the most dense because it has the most air pushing down from on top of it. This is where 75% of the molecules in the atmosphere are, but is only a very small layer. Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere Exosphere (technically outside the atmosphere)

What is Pneumatics?
Pneumatics (pronounced new-MAT-iks) is a

scientific technology that uses compressed air to do mechanical work.

Compressed means squeezed together. One of

the unique characteristics of gases is that theyre compressible. In liquids and solids, molecules are much closer together, so its harder to squeeze them any closer. In gases, theyre more spread out, so theres more room to compress and squish.
Systems using liquid pressure are called hydraulic systems, and work similar to pneumatics.

Energy in Compressed Air

As you compress the molecules, like in a tank (notice the

one by your desk), the space around each molecule decreases. The tighter the molecules are compacted, the higher the pressure in the tank. force squeezing it. Each molecule pushes back like a spring, but the pressure of the compressor (tank) keeps them trapped inside. Think of it like a spring when you push on it, the spring pushes back. back out) is the energy that we will transform into mechanical work using pneumatic cylinders.

Pressure builds because each molecule is resisting the

The energy of the molecules effort to expand (push

Testing Air Pressure

You can feel air pressure if you fill a syringe (like the one

in your kit) with air.

If you pull the plunger out, then hold your finger over

the nozzle (the hole at the end), and then push back down on the plunger, youll notice it has sort of a springy feeling, but wont compress much. coming out of the nozzle.

If you let go, and push again, you can feel the pressure If you try holding your finger over the nozzle with water

in the syringe, youll find its impossible to compress it at all.

The Pneumatics System

Look at the tank next to your desk. This is a compressor. It takes air

molecules from the classroom and compresses them inside the tank. circuit is set up, it flows through the tubes into pneumatic cylinders, which have pistons that get pushed out.

When pressurized air is released by a valve from the tank when your

Loop Systems
To bring a piston back in, air must be released. It

escapes through an exhaust port in the valve, which looks like a hole.
Circuits like this that dont need a return path are

called open loop systems. The air is taken from the room and returns to the room.
Closed loop systems move the flow through the

system. Once it is taken in, they do not return the air to the room.

Circuits
All circuits have 4 elements. You will use these to build your

pneumatics circuit.
The energy follows the path

These consume the energy