From SaintsRobotics

Pneumatics

Attendees

Aleksey Eremenko

Notes

• The compressor vibrates: isolate it from the rest of your parts.
• There are values for different pressure cylinders.
• Drain tanks when it comes off the field (need a pressure release valve)
• Maximum you can run up to is 125 PSI
• Most components operate at 60 PSI, use regulator valves to change the PSI going to a component
• Use sealant for preventing air leaks (Teflon tape or Teflon-based paste)
• Solenoid valves are ran by spike relays.
• Cylinders are only pull or push, no in between
• It's possible to exhaust pressure to atmosphere.
• Piston: a sliding piece moved by pressure
• National Pipe Thread (NPT): tapered thread
• Can have rotatory power (move 90 degrees or something, not continuous) with pneumatics
• It is possible to pressurize the tanks without having the compressor on the robot, do it before every match if you only need to move a latch or two.
• Possible to slow down/speed up piston movement speed
• Force (pounds) = Pressure (PSI) * Area (In^2)
• Easy to adjust force by adjusting the regulator valve.
• Compressor takes a lot of current to start, but once it starts it doesn't draw a lot.
• When putting Teflon tape on: start it down a few rings because it can break and clog pipes
• Design for lower pressures so that you have room to make mistakes in
• Look at the FIRST guidebook on pneumatics, lots of info there
• Even though moisture is usually an issue in large-scale pneumatics, it isn't so in FIRST, because you drain the reservoirs every time you leave the field and then it's only pressurized for a few minutes
• Advantages:
  • Doesn't really break
  • Forgiving as far as alignment and such go
  • Great success for most teams that use them
  • Does not need oil or lubing