MODULE II (A)
MODULE II (A)
702 MECHATRONICS
MODULE - II
Prepared by:
KARTHIK R N
Assistant Professor
Department of ME
ACE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
SYLLABUS
Module – II
• Actuators are hardware devices that convert a controller command signal into a change
in a physical parameter. The change is usually mechanical (e.g., position or velocity).
• An actuator is also a transducer because it changes one type of physical quantity into
some alternative form. An actuator is usually activated by a low-level command
signal, so an amplifier may be required to provide sufficient power to drive the
actuators.
• Check valve is a one-way valve that allows pressurized air to enter the
pneumatic system but avoids backflow.
• Directional control valves are used to control flow of pressurized air from the
source to the selected port. These valves can be actuated either manually or
electrically.
• The cooler is used to cool the compressed air which is usually very hot.
• The filter is used to remove contamination in the compressed air and water trap
is used to remove water particles.
• The pressurized air is stored in a device called an air receiver, preventing surges in
pressure and relieving the duty cycle of the compressor.
• Actuator converts energy stored in the compressed air into mechanical motion.
Directional: Determine the passage and the flow of the air current by means of
appropriate moving parts contained in them actuated from the outside.
On-Off: Unidirectional valves. Only allow air to move in one direction. Also
known as non-return or check valves.
Pressure Regulator: Relief and pressure limiter are the two kinds of pressure
regulators.
HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS
• Hydraulic systems, uses force which is applied at one point and transmitted to
another point using an incompressible fluid, plant equipment & machinery etc.
The necessary components are:
Hydraulic pump unit
Control valves
Reciprocating or rotary units
• Hydraulic pump : A pump is a device in which mechanical energy is converted
into fluid energy . The pump is connected with the reservoir called fluid tank .
• Control valves : The flow of pressurized fluid by a pump is controlled by the
following valves such as:
• Pressure relief valves control the fluid pressure
• Non-return valve controls the back flow of fluid `
• Directional control valves control the direction of fluids
• Hydraulic actuator or cylinder :
• The actuatoris the element which converts hydraulic power into
mechanical power. The pressurized fluid by the pump is supplied to either
rotary pump or hydraulic cylinder on the type of motion embedded.
• The fluid stored in the tank is send to the filter to remove dust and foreign
particles. After the fluid is filtered , it is sucked by the pump which is driven
by a motor. During pumping, the pressure of fluid will increase and it is
released with high pressure to the accumulators through non-return valve.
One pressure relief valve is connected at the exit to control the delivery
pressure of fluid. The fluid with high pressure is supplied to the hydraulic
cylinder through directional control valve.
• Accumulator:
It is a hydraulic device that stores the pressure energy of liquid (oil, water, etc.)
by converting it into pressure energy of gas(nitrogen gas).
They are used in fluid power systems to accumulate energy and to smooth out
pulsations. A hydraulic system utilizing an accumulator can use a smaller fluid
pump since the accumulator stores energy from the pump during low demand
periods. This energy is available for instantaneous use, released upon demand at
a rate many times greater than could be supplied by the pump alone.
• The greatest advantage with these accumulators is positive sealing between the
gas and oil chambers. The weight bladder provides a quick pressure response for
pressure regulation as well as applications involving pump pulsations and shock
damping.
• The hydraulic pump delivers oil to the accumulator and deforms the bladder. As
the pressure increases, the volume of gas decreases . This results in the storing of
hydraulic energy. Whenever additional oil is required by the system, it is supplied
by the accumulator even as the pressure in the system drops by a corresponding
amount.
COMPARISON BETWEEN HYDRAULIC
AND PNEUMATIC SYSTEM
S No. HYDRAULIC SYSTEM PNEUMATIC SYSTEM
It employs a pressurized liquid as a fluid . It employs a compressed gas, usually
1
air, as a fluid.
An oil hydraulic system operates at A pneumatic system usually operates
2
pressures up to 700 bar . at 5–10 bar.
3 Generally designed as closed system. Usually designed as open system.
The system slows down when leakage
4 Leakage does not affect the system.
occurs.
5 Valve operations are difficult. Valve operations are easier.
6 Heavier in weight. Lighter in weight.
Pumps are used to provide pressurized Compressors are used to provide
7
liquids. compressed gases
8 The system is unsafe to fire hazards. The system is free from fire hazards.
Special arrangements for lubrication
9 Automatic lubrication is provided.
are needed.
I. DIRECTION CONTROL VALVE
• Directional control valves are used to control the distribution of energy in a fluid
power system. They provide the direction to the fluid and allow the flow in a
particular direction.
• These valves are used to control the start, stop and change in direction of the fluid
flow and flow rate of fluid (for controlling speed of actuator).
• These control valves contain ports that are external openings for the fluid to enter
and leave.
• The number of ports is usually identified by the term ‘way’. For example, a valve
with four ports is named as four-way valve.
Directional control valves can be classified in the following manner:
1. Type of construction:
Check valves Spool valve
2. Number of ports:
Two- way valves Three – way valves Four- way valves.
4. Actuating mechanism:
Manual actuation Mechanical actuation Solenoid actuation
Hydraulic actuation Pneumatic actuation Indirect actuation
TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION
i. CHECK VALVES
• These are unidirectional valves and permit the free flow in one direction only.
These valves have two ports: one for the entry of fluid and the other for the
discharge. They are consists of a housing bore in which ball is held by a small
spring force. The valve having ball as a closing member is known as ball check
valve.
• These valves are generally small sized, simple in construction, inexpensive and are
automatically operated.
• The simplest check valve is an inline check valve
as shown.
• The ball is held against the valve seat by a spring
force. It can be observed from the figure that the
fluid flow is not possible from the spring side but
the fluid from opposite side can pass by lifting
the ball against.
• However, there is some pressure drop across the
valve due to restriction by the spring force.
Therefore these valves are not suitable for the
application of high flow rate.
• The quality of seal or the amount of leakage depends on the amount of clearance,
viscosity of fluid and the level of the pressure.
• The grooves guide the fluid flow by interconnecting or blocking the holes
(ports).
• The spool valves are categorized according to the number of operating positions
and the way hydraulic lines interconnections.
The standard terms are referred as Port ‘P’ is pressure port, Port ‘T’ is tank port and
Port ‘A’ and Port ‘B’ are the actuator (or working) ports. The actuators can move in
forward or backward direction depending on the connectivity of the pressure and
tank port with the actuators port.
NUMBER OF PORTS
i. Two way valves (Refer previous slide for figure)
• These valves are also known as on-off valves because they allow the fluid flow
only in direction.
• These valves are available as normally open and normally closed function.
• These are the simplest type of spool valves. When actuating force is not applied
to the right, the port P is not connected with port A as shown, therefore the
actuation does not take place.
• Similarly, second figure shows the two-way spool valve in the open condition.
Here, the pressure port P is connected with the actuator port A.
ii. THREE WAY VALVES
• When a valve has one pressure port, one tank port and one actuating port, it is
known as three way valve.
• In this valve, the pressure port pressurizes one port and exhausts another one.
And only one actuator port is opened at a time.
• In some cases a neutral position is also available when both the ports are
blocked. Generally, these valves are used to operate single acting cylinders.
iii. FOUR WAY VALVES
• It is generally used to operate the cylinders and fluid motors in both the
directions.
• The four ways are: pump port P, tank port T, and two working ports A and B
connected to the actuator.
• The primary function of a four way valve is to pressurize and exhaust two
working ports A and B alternatively.
NUMBER or WAYS OF SWITCHIHG
POSITIONS
i. TWO POSITION - FOUR WAY VALVES[2/4 VALVES]
• The two position four way valves have only two switching positions and do not
have any mid position. Therefore, they are also known as impulse valves.
• The 2/4 valves can be used to operate double acting cylinders. These are also
used to reciprocate or hold an actuator.
• The operation is faster because the distance between ports of these valves is
smaller. Hence, these valves are used on machines where fast reciprocation
cycles are needed such as punching and stamping .
ii. THREE POSITION - FOUR WAY [3/4] VALVES
• Three position four way (3/4) valves are used in double-acting cylinders to
perform advance, hold and return operation to the piston.
• These types of valves have three switching positions.
• Thave a variety of possible flow path configurations but have identical flow path
configuration.
• The three position valves are used when the actuator is needed to stop or hold at
some intermediate position.
• It can also be used when the multiple circuits or functions are accomplished from
one hydraulic power source.
a. When the centered path is actuated, port A and B are connected with both the
ports P and T respectively. In this case, valve is not active because all the ports
are open to each other. The fluid flows to the tank at atmospheric pressure.
• In this position work cannot be done by any part of the system. This
configuration helps to prevent heat build-up.
b. When right end (port B) is actuated, the port P is connected with ports B and T
is connected with port A as shown above.
c. When the left end is actuated the port P is connected to A and working port B is
connected to port T as shown below.
d. In a tandem centre three position four way direction control valve, the
working ports A and B are blocked and the pump port P is connected to the tank
port T.
• Tandem centre results in the locked actuator. However, pump to tank flow takes
place at the atmospheric temperature. This kind of configuration can be used
when the load is needed to hold.
f. In floating centre configuration, the pump port is blocked and both the working
ports A and B are connected to the tank port T.
• ie, the working ports A and B can be moved freely which is reason they are
called as floating centre. The pumped fluid passes through the relief valve.
Therefore, pump works in the high pressure condition.
II. PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES
• The pressure relief valves are used to protect the hydraulic components from
excessive pressure.
• Its primary function is to limit the system pressure within a specified range.
• Various types of pressure control valves are discussed in the following sections:
a. DIRECT TYPE OF RELIEF VALVE
• Flow control valves can also be affected by temperature changes due to change
in viscosity of the fluid changes with temperature. Therefore, the advanced flow
control valves may often have the temperature compensation.
• The temperature compensation is achieved by the thermal expansion of a rod,
which compensates for the decrease in viscosity with temperature.
3. Actuators which operate flow control valves: These are used to control the flow
and pressure of fluids such as gases, steam or liquid – DCV, PCV
LINEAR ACTUATORS
I. CYLINDER
a. Single-Acting Cylinders
II. CAMS
• A cam is a rotating or sliding piece in a mechanical linkage used especially in
transforming rotary motion into linear motion or vice versa
III. RACK AND PINION
• A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that
comprises a pair of gears which convert rotational motion
into linear motion or linear to rotation motion.
• A circular gear called "the pinion" engages teeth on a
linear "gear" bar called "the rack"; rotational motion
applied to the pinion causes the rack to move relative to
the pinion, thereby translating the rotational motion of the
pinion into linear motion. It is also a limited rotation
actuator.
I. GEAR PUMP
• It consists of two inter meshing gears
inside a housing with one gear attached
to the drive shaft.
• The air enters from the inlet, causes the
rotation of the meshing gear due to
difference in the pressure and produces
the torque,then exists from the exhaust
port.
• Gear motors tend to leak at low speed,
hence are generally used for medium
speed applications.
I. VANE MOTOR
• A rotary vane motor consists of a rotor with sliding vanes in the slots provided on
the rotor.
• The rotor is placed eccentrically with the housing.
• Air enters from the inlet port, rotates the rotor and thus torque is produced.
• Air is then released from the exhaust port (outlet).
LIMITED ROTATION (SEMI ROTARY)
ACTUATORS
• It is used for double acting operation and has a maximum angle of rotation of
about 270°.
• These are generally used to actuate dampers in robotics and material handling
applications.
GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF
ELEMENTS
• Symbols are described in various
documents like BS2917, ISO5599, ANSI
symbols etc.
HYDRAULIC
SERVO
COPYING
MECHANISM