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Pneumatic and hydraulic circuits
injection of a plastics factory broke. Desperate, the production supervisor look
s for new maintenance mechanic on duty: you. - We need this machine. The product
ion has been delayed almost a week. Here's the diagram of the hydraulic machine.
Please study it and see if you can solve the problem. Not to show ignorance, yo
u smile, nods his head and risks: - Leave it to me! When looking at the diagram,
however, you repent of so much self-confidence. That bunch of symbols seems Gre
ek. Crazy thing! If you do not want to go through a situation, consider this cla
ss. It will give you some ideas about how to interpret diagrams pneumatic and hy
draulic systems, which may be useful to it in the future.
One problem
The
Concept
When put together several valves and pistons through pipes in order to accomplis
h a task, give the name of the whole circuit - circuit pneumatic or hydraulic ci
rcuit, as appropriate. The circuit design is called diagram or scheme. It is a s
implified drawing, done with the use of symbols. Each component of the circuit i
s represented by a symbol. Examining the diagram, you can understand how a circu
it. One of the most important symbols that is used to represent valves. A valve
can assume various positions, depending on the state where he is: not thrown, th
rown to the right, left etc thrown.
Thus, we need symbols that can represent these various states of the valve. We w
ill study these symbols. Each position or status of the valve is represented by
a square.
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Inside the square, to represent the passages that are open, allowing the flow of
fluid, and those that are closed. In the figure is represented a hole in the va
lve closed: the hole is R (R etorno compressed air) closed.
When a valve orifice communicates with another, allowing the passage of fluid, t
his passage is represented by an arrow. This passage is called via road.
The hole P (Pressure, inlet compressed) communicates with the hole C (which will
be connected to a pneumatic cylinder), allowing, due to pressure difference, th
e air seeping from P to C.
Moreover, we need to represent how the valve has reached this state, or if it wa
s thrown and it was thrown. The various kinds of activation are represented by s
ymbols on the side.
symbols representing the drives of the valves
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In the case of a solenoid valve, the state or position of the three-way valve is
represented by the symbol shown.
If we translate this symbol we could write this: when the valve is actuated, the
port P communicates with the hole C, allowing the air passage from P to C, R an
d the hole will close. When the valve is not activated, it is in another positio
n. Let's consider a two-position valve. While it is not triggered, your reel is
held in position by a spring. This new position is represented by the symbol sho
wn below, where the hole is closed and P hole C communicates with the hole R.
representative symbol of the second valve position
The symbol of a valve should represent it in its various possible positions. The
valve represented below is classified as two-way (between P and C and between C
and R) and two positions (or not driven by the solenoid).
symbol of a pneumatic valve two-way and two positions.
We found other symbols used in pneumatic and hydraulic diagrams and their meanin
gs.
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SYMBOLS USED IN DIAGRAMS pneumatic and hydraulic
If automation 1
Now we are prepared to do our first project using pneumatic industrial automatio
n. Let us first of all, study the system to be automated. A treadmill is used to
transport cardboard boxes. At one site on the treadmill, there is a piston moun
ted vertically. At the end of the piston is a rubber stamp. Each box must stop u
nderneath the piston, be stamped and soon after, then travel by conveyor, accord
ing to the scheme.
scheme with automation 1
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Thus, we can divide the operation of the system in four stages: 1. turn on the m
at and bring the box to the position (under the piston), 2. off the mat 3. down
the piston 4. raise the piston. On completion of phase four, we return to phase
1, repeating the cycle. As you've seen in previous classes, has an automatic act
uators and sensors. The actuators are the components of the machinery responsibl
e for mechanical work. We can say that the actuators are the "arms" of the machi
ne.€Moreover, the sensors are the components that indicate in which situation t
he machine is at a given time. We can say that the sensors are the "eyes" of the
machine. In our system, we have two actuators: air piston stamping cardboard bo
xes and electric motor that makes the belt move. As sensors, we use three key en
d-of-course. Each key (CH1, CH2 and CH3) indicates the following situation: CH1:
CH1 box beneath the piston; CH2: CH2 piston in the up position; CH3 piston in t
he down position. CH3: A key end-of-course is an electrical switch, like the one
you use in your home to turn on or off the light. Only he is driven not by the
finger, but through a part of any machine that comes in contact with the drive s
haft of the key end-of-course. A key end-of-course can be in the open position (
prevents the passage of electric current) or closed (allows the passage of elect
ric current). Viewing this position, it is possible to know what happens on the
machine you're automating. So we know if the box is in position, the piston is a
t top position and so on. Depending on the state of the machine, we need to turn
on or off the mat, raise or lower the piston etc.. Who will make these decision
s is the controller. The controller is usually an electrical or electronic circu
it built in a given logic operation. It is the controller that are connected the
wires of the key end-of-course. In addition, he is also capable of sending elec
trical signals to the solenoid valves and electric motors. We can say, simply, t
hat the controller is the intelligence of the machine. However, we are not conce
rned now with the controller, since our main objective is to study the pneumatic
circuit. So, let's examine how the system works by examining the circuit.
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pneumatic circuit used in case of automation 1
When the cash being transported is the key to CH1, the motor of the treadmill is
turned off and the box under the piston stops. Then the solenoid S1 is triggere
d. The valve moves to the left position. The compressed air flows from P to C2 a
nd reaches the upper chamber of the cylinder. At the same time, the hole C1 comm
unicates with the R and air from the lower chamber of the cylinder seeps into th
e atmosphere. The piston descends. When the piston descends, the key CH2 which i
ndicates the end-to-college is deactivated. The piston continues downward until
it reaches its lowest position, where, then, the key is thrown CH3 and the box i
s stamped. The piston may remain a certain time (set by the controller) in this
position. The solenoid S1 is deactivated and then triggers the solenoid S2. The
valve moves to the right position. The compressed air flows from P to C1 and rea
ches the lower chamber of the cylinder. At the same time, via C2 communicates wi
th R and air from the upper chamber of the cylinder seeps into the atmosphere. T
he piston rises. When it reaches the top position and the key triggers CH2, the
motor of the treadmill is turned on again until a new box is positioned under th
e piston, repeating the cycle.
If automation 2
Now, let's examine another example. A CNC milling machine can work with various
tools. Each tool is attached to a support tool holder. The tool holder, in turn,
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is fixed to a mechanism responsible for the automatic exchange of a tool for ano
ther. This mechanism is called the tower door tools.
turret tool holder of a CNC milling machine
Let's see how you can automate the movement of the tower portaferramentas throug
h a hydraulic circuit. When the controller (CNC) milling machine sends the excha
nge a tool for another, should be performed the following sequence of tasks: 1.
Unlock the tool holder being used. 2. The carousel, with all the tools of the to
wer, moves to the left, causing the stems media tool holders leave their quarter
s in the tower. This step is called unlocking the tower. 3. The carousel turns a
nd the new tool is placed in position for machining. This step is called turning
the tower. 4. The carousel moves now to the right, causing the stems of all med
ia toolholders fit back into their barracks. This step is called locking the tow
er. 5. Lock is the new tool holder so that it can withstand machining forces. We
will need the following actuators: CF: hydraulic cylinder to lock or unlock the
door support tools; CT: hydraulic cylinder to lock or unlock the tower; MT: hyd
raulic motor to rotate the tower.
We will also need more sensors,€each capable of indicating a particular state o
f the machine: FT: tool holder locked; FD: toolholders unlocked; TT: locked towe
r; TD: tower unlocked. Moreover, we need a sensor that indicates what the tool i
s currently in position for machining. We will not concern ourselves now with th
e types of sensors used or with its operation. Let us also consider that the val
ves responsible for movements of the cylinders and the hydraulic motor are all d
riven by solenoids. The sensors and solenoid valves are connected to the control
ler (CNC), which handles the logic for operating the facility.
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Hydraulic circuit diagram used in the tower door automation tools
The mechanism works as follows: The solenoid S1 is fired. The cylinder piston re
tracts and the CF tool is unlocked. The FD sensor tells the controller to unlock
. Fires up, then the solenoid S4. The cylinder piston moves forward and unlocks
the CT tower. DT sensor tells the controller to unlock the tower. The controller
checks through the sensor, which the tool is in position for machining. Dependi
ng on the new tool to be changed, the controller determines the direction of rot
ation of the tower which is the shortest path. Depending on the direction chosen
, the controller activates the solenoid S2 or S3, causing the hydraulic motor of
the tower to turn in either direction. The sensor of the tool indicates that th
e tool holders already in the desired position. If so, the solenoid S2 or S3, as
the sense that the tower was spinning, it is deactivated.
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Off the hydraulic motor, the solenoid S5 is fired and the tower is again locked.
TT The sensor tells the controller to crash. The controller deactivated, then t
he solenoid S1 and spring brings the valve spool back to the resting position. T
he piston cylinder CF progresses and the tool holder is locked again. The FT sen
sor tells the controller to lock the tool and machining of the piece continues.
Test your learning. Do the exercises and check their response to the feedback.
Exercises
Mark X in the correct answer. Exercise 1 The set of several valves and pistons c
onnected by pipes is called: a) () mechanical assembly, b) () hydraulic diagram
c) () scheme tire d) () hydraulic or pneumatic circuit. Exercise 2 The square us
ed in the representation of a valve indicates: a) () direction, b) () Position c
) () drive type d) () valve size. Exercise 3 The passage of a fluid valve is ind
icated by: a) () arrow b) () square c) () line, d) () triangle. Exercise 4 pneum
atic or hydraulic circuits are represented by: a) () technical drawings, b) () s
pecial graphic c) () arrows and figures d) () diagrams or schematics. Exercise 5
The key end-of-course used in hydraulic and pneumatic systems are used to: a) (
) tell the driver to position the pistons b) () to directly drive the pistons c)
() to control air leaks in the pipes; d) () prevent short-circuit the solenoid
valves.