What is Pneumatic: Definition and 99 Discussions

Pneumatics (from Greek πνεῦμα pneuma ‘wind, breath’) is a branch of engineering that makes use of gas or pressurized air.
Pneumatic systems used in industry are commonly powered by compressed air or compressed inert gases. A centrally located and electrically-powered compressor powers cylinders, air motors, pneumatic actuators, and other pneumatic devices. A pneumatic system controlled through manual or automatic solenoid valves is selected when it provides a lower cost, more flexible, or safer alternative to electric motors, and hydraulic actuators.
Pneumatics also has applications in dentistry, construction, mining, and other areas.

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  1. M

    Designing a Pneumatic Arm to Lift 5kg Load 10m

    Hey I want to build a pneumatic arm that can throw stuff around (see attachment image). Before actually ordering the stuff i want help with some calculations. i want the arm to be able to push 5kg load (rectangular shaped) straight up into air. the arm/plunger area that makes contact with...
  2. J

    Pneumatic valve for cartesian robot

    Hello, I am trying to build a high-speed X/Y cartesian robot which vacuums up defected parts from a moving conveyor. The end effector of the robot has a venturi vacuum integrated. Because the vacuum is constant, I need a Z-axis to go up/down for the end effector to get the defects otherwise...
  3. D

    Calculating Pneumatic Force for Object Projection: A Formula Guide

    We are working on a project involving the use of a pneumatic cylinder to propel an object. We have a mass 700 grams which we need to propel (through the air) a certain distance "D", where D will be a minimum of 5 meters and a max of 12 meters. We need help with formulas needed to determine the...
  4. Q

    Pneumatic Cylinder Discharge Equations

    Hi all, First post here and I hope that somebody can help. I'm using Simulink/Simscape to model discharge of gas from a constant volume, pneumatic, pressurised cylinder. No heat exchange with surroundings yet. I have got the equations matching the stock models from AMESim and Simscape for...
  5. P

    Operating a pneumatic cylinder on hot air

    I have a portable compressed air cylinder - pressure 10 kg/cm2 - powering a small reciprocating pneumatic piston/cylinder assembly.To increase the usage time of the system,I want to fit electric air heaters in the cylinder on both sides of the piston as well as in the compressed air...
  6. K

    Rolling resistance of solid tires versus pneumatic

    Hi everyone - quick question on something that's been bugging me. So, train wheels, which are solid steel, have incredibly low rolling resistance, an order of magnitude less than average car tires. This is because they don't bend significantly, so you're not wasting energy to heat as in the...
  7. D

    Solving Pneumatic Equation with Natural Logarithm

    I'm trying to find a particular equation that I came across years ago, but have since forgotten, and probably never knew the name or if it even had a name. Basically, if you have two regions with different pressures, and a hole with area A between them, how long does it take before the...
  8. B

    Help Calculating RPM of a rotatory atomizer thats powered by pneumatic

    Hello everyone, I am a recent horticulture graduate and as such, I take a long time figuring out physics problems.:confused: I hope I could trouble you guys for a possible solution to my problem. I am making an rotary atomizer that is pneumatically powered and need to find out how fast i...
  9. E

    What are my option to power a pneumatic solenoid? on a timer

    Hi guys. This is for an engr project that I am involved in. I have everything else worked out but this got me stomped. I've been searching for a while and can't find something that fits my application. basically the solenoid is controlling a dual acting air pneumatic cylinder. the solenoid...
  10. D

    How to Design a Pneumatic Cylinder for Fast Race Car Lifting?

    Hello I want to design a pneumatic cylinder for race car lifting. The cylinder should work in such a way that it can lift the car 4 inch from the ground in 0.5 sec. And the max pressure is 250 psi. Can anybody please help me out of this. What are the factors that I have to take into...
  11. I

    Calculating Double Act Pneumatic Cylinder to Lift 200 Lbs.

    Hi :) What size of double act pneumatic cylinder I need to lift 200 Lbs. of weight, if I have got 10 bars air compressor! All I need for a short stroke 1-3" maximum! Any special formula or calculations for that! Thank you,
  12. S

    Pneumatic Golf Ball Cannon Distance HELP

    Alright, So for my Grade 11 class our project was to design and build something that shows scientific characteristics. I decided to make a golfball cannon It uses a regulator with a schraeder valve to fill with air. In one shot we used 80 Psi to shoot a golfball with a diameter of 1.68...
  13. G

    Build PVC Pneumatic Cylinder for Robotics Competition

    I am in a robotics competition where we can only use certain parts. My team built a scissor lift, and we are currently looking for a better way to lift it. It takes upwards of 100 pounds of force to lift, and when it's down its base is about 3" by 10". I want to build a pneumatic cylinder...
  14. S

    Pneumatic Actuator - horizontally mounted?

    If a pneumatic actuator is connected directly to a roughly 150 kg metal plate... and this whole system is mounted horizontally... then would the downward force of the plate be harmful to the normal operation when fully extended? Or is it simply a matter of increasing the bore of the actuator?
  15. S

    Pneumatic actuators - locking mechanism?

    The problem: I was planning on using pneumatic linear actuators for a deflector - to direct the material from a conveyor, correctly down the chute - and i needed the deflector to be adjustable. The deflector itself is made out of chromium carbide clad plate, it will weigh atleast 100 kilos or...
  16. R

    Can pneumatic lines be laid under ground

    Hi I noticed that certain workers were laying Pneumatic lines underground ( the lines will be covered with concrete) in a factory. I have no idea how much the pressure would be , or what safety precautions they are undertaking. The lines are used to power certain pneumatic tools ( Torque guns...
  17. K

    Hydraulic or pneumatic for applying loads ranging between 500-1000lb

    Hi all I am finally at senior design and I am looking to use hydraulics or pneumonics to be the driver of my load application system. I have zero experience with either so need some guidance. The intention is to have a testing device which can apply loads around 500 -1000 pounds. in...
  18. M

    Pneumatic Valve and Orifice Issues

    I am working on a problem trying to find out why a 0.010” orifice can be used to open a pilot actuated, spring return pneumatic 5/2 directional control (spool) valve, but a 0.0045” orifice only seems to work intermittently. The air system that I am working with is 100 psig. The air enters...
  19. Z

    Industrial current to pneumatic convertor

    Homework Statement A Current to pneumatic convertor which is shown here in the attachment has the given data which is Kc=2500N/A (constant of proportionality X+Y = 100mm Z=75mm A=5cm^2 1-to check the response of I/P as per graph waht is the suitable value of x and y 2- what is the...
  20. D

    Why does a pneumatic motor run faster on helium than air?

    I have observed that a pneumatic motor runs much faster on helium than air at the same tmeperature. Why is this? Is the power output the same for both gasses or is power just proportional to speed?
  21. R

    How to calculate impact force required for riveting pneumatic jig?

    I have to fix the connection tag to PCB by using pneumatic jig. The material of connection tag is brass.
  22. B

    Pneumatic Jet-Pack Calculations

    I would think someone would have thought about this already, I'm not taking physics so forgive my assumptions about water flow, thrust etc. but, If I were to say... take a 12" I.D. 24" section of PVC Pipe filled about 85% of the way, 6^2*3.14*24/231*.85 = so about 10 gallons, 80 pounds of water...
  23. M

    Calculating Spring Constant of Compressed Air | Pneumatic Springs

    How do you calculate the spring constant of compressed air? I know force = k * integral(dx). How do you relate volume to the force?
  24. X

    Design & Evaluate Pneumatic Circuit for Double-Acting Cylinder

    Hi, i desperately need help on this question. A double acting cylinder is to operate automatically outwards and inwards for the duration of a production shift in a factory. The cylinder must be started at the beginning of each shift, and stopped at the end of the shift, manually. Analyse...
  25. E

    Why is Air in Pneumatic Cylinders Pressurized so High?

    Hi there, My thermodynamics textbook shows the critical pressure of Air to be 37.7 bar. Why is it, then, that pneumatic cylinders are pressurized to pressures like 300 bar? If the air is already a liquid and liquid is near incompressible, what is the point of pressurizing it so much if you...
  26. S

    Coefficient of Restitution for pneumatic wheels

    Hello all. I'm trying to find impact forces acting upon a stare climbing robot. I'm using the impulse = change of momentum principle. In order to figure out the change in momentum in a pneumatic wheel bouncing off a stare when it hits it, I need the Coefficient of Restitution of a pneumatic...
  27. H

    Design of a pneumatic damper

    Hi, everyone! I'm designing pneumatic damper and I need to work out what the damping coefficient is. Basically it uses a steel rod pushing in a capped aluminium tube with a small air outlet (see diagram). I'm trying to work out what the relation is between the dimensions of the cylinder and...
  28. M

    Why does a small air motor require more CFM than the compressor's rated watts?

    I'm a sparky, so forgive my ignorance regarding many things mechanical... I'm puzzled why a small air motor that's rated to put out about 3.5 shaft watts requires 4.3 CFM @ 60PSI while the compressor on the other end is rated to consume roughly 1200 watts to maintain the flow at the stated...
  29. N

    Pneumatic piston cylinder design

    Freinds, I have to design and simmulate a pneumatic piston cylinder, and want to calculate force profile of piston with time. please help me in this regard, also please tell me any simmulation software simmulating pneumatic piston cylinder.
  30. S

    How Can Air Velocity Be Calculated at a Nozzle's End Over Time?

    Hi, This is not homework, it's for myself. I'm trying to understand it for me only. I have a piston that is translating in a cylinder and pushing/sucking air through a nozzle. It's much comparable to a bicycle pump. The piston is moving with non-linear (exponential) velocity until it slams...
  31. H

    Locating the right pneumatic cylinder

    Homework Statement Hello, I'm a Mechanical Engineering student at UTSA and I'm trying to get some help figuring out what kind of pneumatic cylinder I would need for my intro to ME final project. I'm trying to design a force dampening system, using pneumatic cylinders to resist against an...
  32. R

    Suggest a Book for Hydraulic, Pneumatic & Electro-Pneumatic Circuits

    Book Suggestion urgent Hi guys I don't know if I m posting at the right place but can some one suggest a good book to study Hydraulic , pneumatic & electro pneumatic circuits I just want to learn the basics( direction control valves , solenoids etc) basic circuits things like meter in...
  33. R

    Volume to fill pneumatic spring at a pressure

    Hi, I am reviewing a pneumatic calculation. One step is to calculate how many liters of air (at normal conditions) are needed to fill up some pneumatic springs. The calculation does the following for getting the volume to add needed (Vn) to get a predefined pressure, (liters at normal...
  34. U

    Pneumatic Circuit Doubt: Understanding Force and Pressure in Pneumatic Systems

    Hello, I"m designing an pneumatic circuit. I have an doubt regarding the force exerted by the actuator. The maximum pressure which I will be using is 8 bar (approximately 116 PSI). The compressed air will be stored an air tank. The tank will be connected to the regulator, then the valve and...
  35. R

    Engineering Discover the Basics of Pneumatic Circuits: Tips for Success | TQ

    i have done them all once but most of them unsuccessfully,due to no basic,guidance,lack of time and it is my first time seeing it. im now trying to figure what happen if all of them are successful connected. i have been searching through the net for hours but failed to find information on them...
  36. 4

    Creating a Pneumatic Piston System with Small Pistons and an Air Tank Control

    I need to create a simple piston system with small pistons connected to a 20oz kind of tank so that when I push a button/switch it pushes out and then can return when i switch it back. Does anyone have any advice on where/how to do so with a air tank-control and set of two small pistons etc.
  37. kandelabr

    Pneumatic Piston Efficiency: Understanding Losses & Maximizing Work Output

    hi. say we have a pneumatic cylinder with a piston and seals that cause a lot of friction, and the whole system is well isolated, so we could assume expansion is isentropic. friction causes loss of energy, so the cylinder warms up. since we add heat to expanding air, the expansion goes...
  38. C

    Pneumatic Regenerative Braking

    Does anyone know of a pneumatic regenerative braking system (applied to any type of vehicle)?
  39. C

    Wanting to deign and possibly build a pneumatic can crusher.

    HI, I am essentially trying to make a car jack style machine except to crush cans rather than to jack up cars. I do not know much about pneumatic systems and how complex they are. The concept will be that a hand operated pneumatic device will crush a can against the housing. I have been...
  40. D

    What type of valve will create this pneumatic system

    I would like to use the vacuum from an engine to actuate a vacuum canister. However an engine can experience pressures of 10-20 kPa on engine deceleration, up to 101 kPa at WOT. I need to create a pneumatic circuit that will meet these criteria: 1. At 60 kPa and below the vacuum of the...
  41. T

    Choose the Best Fluid for Lifting: Hydraulic vs. Pneumatic

    Homework Statement Right now, I am learning fluids and this question is just asking if i should use either hydraulic or pneumatic fluid for a device that will be able to lift a large fluid.Homework Equations For pneumatic systems, flow rate is most often expressed as standard cubic feet per...
  42. J

    Pneumatic Cylinder to open Hatch

    Hey everyone, Having a little trouble with something a little out of my element. I've been tasked to design a pneumatic system to open a ~500lb hatch. I think I'm leaning towards a pneumatic cylinder to act on a bell crank. I need the hatch to open to 110 degrees from zero in about 10...
  43. B

    Pneumatic Valve Design for a Water Cannon

    I'm in the process of designing a pneumatic air valve, and although I'm pretty sure I've got the concept down, I thought I'd run it by you to double check. Before I start explaining, here's a drawing that should give you a general idea of what I'm trying to accomplish. There are a few...
  44. B

    Servo-controlled, two-way pneumatic pump?

    Hi. I'm a high schooler from Oregon, and I'm in a bit of a dilemma right now. What I'm trying to do is make a 5x5-pin tactile display for a high school physics project. I currently have a Makezine controller that can sink 1A @ 12VDC per analog output, and control 2 stepper motors or 8 servos...
  45. D

    Design Project: Pneumatic Car Jack - Ideas & Info

    I have been assigned a design project to design a pneumatic car jack by filling a cylinder with air. Any one have any ideas of how to go about finding a cylinder. Also was wanting a little basic info. on how these things work. Thanks!
  46. J

    Researching Spring Loaded Pneumatic Cylinders

    I am tring to make a device that uses a spring loaded pneumatic cylinder, but I don't know anything about pneumatics, and haven't found much on the net. I need a spring loaded cylinder to oscillate. I am not sure if the system needs a exhaust valve and a cut off to the intake valve, or if it...
  47. C

    Predicting force and velocity of a pneumatic projectile

    Here's a problem I've been working on for a while, and have made some breakthroughs on, but have recently gotten stuck. It stemmed out of my interest in pneumatic cannons. Consider a pneumatic cannon with a known inner surface area, a known barrel lenght, and with a projectile with a known...
  48. J

    Create a Versatile Pneumatic Oscillating Cylinder: Expert Help Needed

    Im not sure if this is the correct forum for this question if not let me know and Ill post it to the right one. Anyway I need to creat a small scale pneumatic oscillating cylinder, I have a couple ideas but could use the help of someone witha background or knowledge in pneumatics. I need the...
  49. P

    Is that a pneumatic pump driving that arm?

    Hi... I've seen a lot of tractors, they seem to have a shiny aluminum on their arms.. Are those pumps?? What are the advantages of using them? And how to configure them, do they power by motor? Please explain in details, thank you.
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