Two Pneumatics off one Double-Solenoid Valve

[GrahamS314]

I was surfing the posts and it seems someone has already asked about this subject, but the reply didn't help us at all. It is my understanding that to run two pneumatic cylinders from one double-solenoid, you must use a servo to restrict the flow to one of the cylinders. Is there another way to accomplish this without the use of a servo? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Patrick Wang]

All you need is a T-juntion coming out of the solenoid.

Plug one tube to one cylinder and the other tube to the other.

Repeat for the other end of the cylinder to the other output.

Just look at the airflow and it should be pretty clear.

-edit-

I just looked at your question again, what you mean is, be able to independantly control them? or have them perform the same or opposite actions at the same time?

[GrahamS314]

Our goal is to control these cylinders independantly of one another. This would allow us to use 4 cylinders all for different purposes, only when needed.

[Gadget470]

There are ways to do it, but I don't think the materials are availible in this year's kit All methods I know would require a servo.

[FotoPlasma]

Well, to my knowledge, if you were to use gravity (or inertia, or even latex tubing... whatever, really) to your advantage, you could power a pneumatic actuator in one (of the two possible) direction (connect only one side of the actuator to the solenoid, whether it's double or single), which would allow you to power two pneumatic actuators using only one solenoid.

Uh. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Lloyd Burns]

I thought it was pretty neat, when I saw a robot with servo motor that bent the pneumatic tubing of that year, sharply enough to close the tube. Ingenious