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Unread 13-03-2013, 13:34
stuart2054 stuart2054 is offline
Controls Mentor
AKA: Stuart Sebright
FRC #2054 (TECH Vikes)
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Join Date: Apr 2011
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Location: Hopkins Michigan
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Re: control of pneumatic actuators

Quote:
Originally Posted by jimwick View Post
Our team has little experience with pneumatics, and we want to get some during the off season. We would like to use a pneumatic actuator in situations where electric motors are too slow, not strong enough.

But is it possible to move an arm, for instance, to intermediate positions like you can with an electric motor? Or does it have to be all the way up, all the way down.

If intermediate positions are possible, can there be a continuous range? What type of control systems do you need?

Any advice about this would be much appreciated. Any links that would be helpful?
Pneumatic cylinders are not practical to use intermediate positions but you can gang two or more together and on the same element to get one or more intermediate positions. I believe there may be two position cylinders in the Bimba line up but in either case you need two control valves to have two positions. The advantage of pneumatics is they are very fast, have lots of power and very reliable.