Air Cylinder Questons

[9lives11]

I have a few questions about the pneumatics and air cylinders hope you can answer.
The following questions apply to competition use and we have been unable to find the answers in the rules.

1. Are SMC Cylinders able to be used in replacement to Bimba cylinders?
2. Are rod lock cylinders allowed?
3. Are cylindicators or reed switch indicators allowed?
4. What other regulations limit use to pneumatic systems
5. Are accumulators required in pneumatics systems?

Go Where's Waldo! (Team 1547)

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=h...w=1280&bih=675

[earlybird]

Originally Posted by 9lives11

I have a few questions about the pneumatics and air cylinders hope you can answer.
The following questions apply to competition use and we have been unable to find the answers in the rules.

1. Are SMC Cylinders able to be used in replacement to Bimba cylinders?
2. Are rod lock cylinders allowed?
3. Are cylindicators or reed switch indicators allowed?
4. What other regulations limit use to pneumatic systems
5. Are accumulators required in pneumatics systems?

Go Where's Waldo! (Team 1547)

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=h...w=1280&bih=675

This year they have less restrictions on the pneumatics. My understanding is that you can use any cylinder or storage tank as long as it has a working pressure rating of at least 125 PSI and a burst pressure rating of 250 PSI there is no Bore or Stroke limits. How ever this year you are only allowed one solenoid to power any particular cylinder.

Reed switches are allowed, my team used some last year, and accumulator tanks are not required, but I would recommend using them.

Hope this helps.

[bobosalad]

only one solenoid per cylinder!? so no cutting off of the exhaust air?

[Sandvich]

Originally Posted by earlybird

How ever this year you are only allowed one solenoid to power any particular cylinder.

What? Why? Where is that stated?

[IndySam]

<R74> Each commanded motion of a pneumatic cylinder or rotary actuator must be accomplished via the flow of compressed air through only one approved pneumatic valve. Plumbing the outputs from multiple valves together into the same input on a pneumatic cylinder is prohibited.

This rule does not prevent you from having a solenoid valve on each input only limit is one per input.

[Kevin Thorp]

The purpose of this rule is so we don't gang multiple solenoid valves together and fire them at the same time to increase the flow to a single cylinder.

[Garten Haeska]

Originally Posted by Kevin342

The purpose of this rule is so we don't gang multiple solenoid valves together and fire them at the same time to increase the flow to a single cylinder.

This is the way i take it in!

[AndyH]

1. Are SMC Cylinders able to be used in replacement to Bimba cylinders?
YES

2. Are rod lock cylinders allowed?
I do not know but I suspect that is ok. They are standard off theshelf items so is should be OK.

3. Are cylindicators or reed switch indicators allowed?
YES

4. What other regulations limit use to pneumatic systems?
Read the manual.

5. Are accumulators required in pneumatics systems?
No, but it is a very inportant part of a pneumatic system.