8. Compressor
New model in 2011 – lighter, less air
Earlier model also legal (probably)
Mount with rubber mounts to solid
surface
Power with Spike (replace fuse with 20A
circuit breaker)
9. Safety Relief Valve
Releases at 125 psi – prevents overpressure condition. Adjust it!
Must be placed on high-pressure side
(prior to regulator)
Must mount on compressor
10. Air Tanks
Reservoir for pressurized air
May use more than one
Typically used on high-pressure side
11. Gauges and Regulators
Norgren regulator mandatory, regulates
high pressure side down to 60 psi
Must have gauge on high pressure side,
and on low-pressure side
Look for the arrow on regulator!
12. Pressure switch
Switch opens around 115 psi, closes at
95 in theory. You can’t adjust it.
Must be connected to digital input on
digital sidecar – NOT in series with
power
14. Solenoid Valves
Driven by pneumatic bumper on cRIO
Available in single- and double-action
Use 12v Valves
15. Tubing
Must have clear pressure marking
Typically 0.25” OD
Always cut with tubing cutter, square
end
Freelin-Wade.com
Polyurethane
Polyethylene
Coiled
16. Actuators
Typical device is a linear ram
Available in many sizes
Length (throw)
Diameter (bore)
Mounting configurations
3 cylinders are available at no cost but
you must order them
17. Flow control
Flow control valves
Mount at air inlet on actuators or in-line
Control speed of action, not force
20. Tradeoffs
Big cylinders use more air (stroke and
bore)
Big cylinders are slower.
Don’t power them in both directions if you
don’t need to.
Frequent use of air during match can
outrun your compressor
If your air use is limited, you can
consider charging tanks in the pit, and
not mounting compressor
Save weight, cost and battery power
21. Pneumatics
Commandments
Thou shalt…
Not tolerate air leaks.
Not cut pneumatic tubing with anything other than
a pneumatics tubing cutter.
Not use a actuator bigger than you need.
Tape metal fittings up to but not including the last
thread.
Optimize air storage capacity.
22. Summary
Well-suited for:
Fast movement
Two-position mechanisms
Creating substantial force
Sustained Holding
Not so good for
Precision position control
Sustained movement
23. Great resources
FIRST website
FIRST Pneumatics Manual
Rules from 2013
http://team358.org/files/pneumatic/
http://www.pneumaticsonline.com/Calc2.as
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