What are pneumatics?
 

Does anybody wanna help a rookie out?..What are pneumatics?

If something dosn't horrably go wrong in my brain between my robotics knoweldge and my typeing, it's basicly parts moved by air. More complexly, the air is pushed into a tube, and then the other part of the tube move us and down, like a pump. I think, of course, havn't used pnumatics in a while, mostly hydrolics.

lol thanks for clarifying that JosephM, and as for you Mr. Volcano, thanks for backing me up...lol...im just a stupid freshman anyways what do I know? :D

pneumatics = air
hyrdaulics = fluid

woops you just replied to a post i just deleted anyway hear is something to download and read:
:edit:
Argggg I can't download it. Anyway go to http://www.longnow.org/rhino/tips.htm for everything you need to know about pneumatics. Abeit its not the same competition but it has a file from first about pneumatics.

If you want to be technical, air IS a fluid. Hydraulics really means liquid-based. They are much more powerful than pneumatics and are what drives most heavy machinery. FIRST, however, doesn't let us use hydraulics (probably a good thing), and limits us to only using pneumatics that move in-and-out in straight lines.

Ha! LOL!

Love this pic!

Its not that there more powerful air can be just as powerful, its the fact that since hydraulics uses a liquid instead of a gas its impossible to back drive, because a liquid is non-compressible, which makes it better for cranes and such when exact positioning is critical, where a gas can be compressed. So if you push against a hydraulic it won't move, but if you push against a pnuematic it will bounce. (I hope that made sense)

*edit* And the main reason first doesn't allow us to use hydraulics is because a blown hydarulic line is A LOT messier than a leaky air line. *edit*

Pneumatics = air
Hydraulics = "water pneumatics" (according to *someone* on my team) :rolleyes:

- Katie

Now, there's nothing wrong with that - not my fault I didn't know what hydraulics were!

http://www.howstuffworks.com/nail-gun4.htm

Here is an example of Pneumatics!

Every little bit helps....
 

Here is a simple overview i pulled from some FIRST pneumatics powerpoint printout......

What is Pneumatics?

• Pneumatics is compressed air being used to power movement.
• Pneumatics is somewhat like Hydraulics, but without the messy liquids.
• Pneumatics is clean, but it generates lower powered movements than Hydraulics.

:D

in tyler's defense, kt put that up there, it was not him as she was on his account.

simpliest terms
 

On the simplest terms, pneumatic work by air pressure.

Remember when your science teacher tells you the thin air around us have an atmospheric pressure? That pressure is a force that exist just because there's a whole lot of air around us. So, even thin around you can hardly touch can have force.

So, here's how pneumatic works in the FIRST robotics kit of parts.

There are air tanks that store airs in them, a compressor that push air into the tanks, and actuators that transfer air pressure/flow into motion. First, the compressor get as much air as possible into the air tank, and the more air there are inside the tank, the more pressure the air has. The pressure is measured in psi, which is Pound per Square Inch. The higher the psi is, the larger the force is on a surface.

There are electronics components you can hook up the tanks and actuators to, that can regulate air flow from the tanks to the actuators. So when the driver push a button, the air tank release some air into the actuator, and the air going into the actuator have a pressure that push behind a metal rode inside the actuator, and that pushes the metal rode out.

Whats the big deal about this? Well, it means now you have a way to move something on the robot. A linear motion with the actuator in this case. Before, you just have some air tank and a compressor sitting there making noise, now, you have some air tank, a compressor sitting there make noise, AND an actuator poking forward and pulling backward.

Teams take advantage of this motion to 1.) switch gears, 2.) trigger devices on their robot, 3.) push arms around, 4.) lift different sets of wheels from the ground, plus many more applications.

Just think of pneumatics as batteries and motors. The air compressor is like a battery that add power into the battery, only in this case its adding air into the air tank. And the air tanks, acting like batteries, supply power to the motors, only in this case its supplying air into pneumatic actuators. And the actuators act like motors using electricity and do work, only in this case it uses air to do work.

That's the basic of penuatics. If you want to know more details, just post the question and I am sure lots of people around here are willing to help answer it.

And don't be shy asking questions. The more you ask, the more you learn.