PICK AND PLACE PNEUMATIC SYSTEM

A PROJECT REPORT Submitted by M. ADITYA RAM (41501114036) N. SRINIVASA RAO(41501114044)

in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree of BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING in MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

S.R.M. ENGINEERING COLLEGE, KATTANKULATHUR-603 203, KANCHEEPURAM DISTRICT. ANNA UNIVERSITY : CHENNAI - 600 025

MAY 2005

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

Certified that this project report PICK AND PLACE PNEUMATIC SYSTEM is the bonafide work of M. ADITYA RAM (41501114036) N. SRINIVASA RAO(41501114044) who carried out the project work under my supervision.

Mr.R.SIVAKUMAR HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT SUPERVISOR Senior Lecturer MECHANICAL ENGINEERING S.R.M.Engineering College Kattankulathur - 603 203 Kancheepuram District

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 INTRODUCTION TO PNEUMATICS The science of pneumatics deals with the study and function of compressed air. Pneumatics is used in particularly every industry for a wide variety of manufacturing processes. Pneumatic equipments are used for multiple reasons. The main reason for using pneumatic systems is that it employs air as the working fluid or in other words it is air- powered. Air is a source that is free and is widely available everywhere. It is a limitless natur al resource available for even the most rudimentary collection system. Besides being widely available the properties of air add to the advantages of using air in a system.

Air is easily compressible, elastic, and has low inertia. Compressibility and elasticity means that air can absorb large amounts of energy, which can be distributed rather easily. The compressibility, coupled with the low inertia means that the pneumatic system can offer smooth acceleration, deceleration and reversal of mechanical motions with minimal shock. The low density of air makes it suitable to long-distances, high-speed control. Pressure pulses can be transmitted at velocities up to the speed of sound. The inertia aspects of air enable valve cycle rates substantially higher than what is practical in hydraulic systems. 1.2 HISTORY OF PNEUMATICS Pneumatics history dates back to the beginning of civilization. The lungs of a human being are considered to be as the human compressor as they are capable of producing approximately 100 liters per minute with pressure ranging from .02 to .08 bar. But this compressed air turned out to be useless against many process like metal manufacturing. The Egyptians are credited with the advancement in compressed air and metallurgy technology. They invented the blowpipe used in smelting, an equipment that is still found in a blacksmiths shop. Mechanically generated compressed air started appearing around 3000 B.C. the more advanced foot bellows came into existence around 1500B.C. It was in 1762 that John Smeaton developed a blowing cylinder. The blowing cylinder was a result of an industrial need for a more efficient source of compressed air for increasing the capacity of a coke - fired blast furnace. The first blasting machine was invented in 1776 by John Wilkenson and was used for furnaces and certain applications in a steam engine. The use of compressed air as a means of energy transmission entered discussion around 1800 when it was found that steam cooled too quickly to be transported over large distances. The first large scale use of compressed air as an energy transfer medium occurred in conjunction with the construction of the

Mt. Cenis Tunnel in the Swiss Alps and it was during this project that drilling wagons (pneumatic rock drills) were employed. The break-through of compressed air was a transmission system that came in 1888 when a Viktor Popp obtained a concession to use the Paris sewer system for pneumatic distribution network. A 2000 hp compressor was installed feeding 7kms of mains and to which 50kms of subsidiary lines were attached. The plant delivered a compressed air at approximately 26 bar. The Paris system became a success and soon there were many patents switching to pneumatics and since then the system has been expanding continuously. The rate of expansion of the pneumatic technology has increased rapidly and tremendously since the introduction of automated systems in industry. Pneumatics plays an important role in the field of automation as it makes the systems less complex and cheaper than the conventional systems. 1.3 WHY PNEUMATICS Pneumatics has long since played an important role as a technology in the performance of mechanical work. It is also used in the development of automation solutions. In the majority of applications compressed air is used for one or more of the following functions: ? ? ? ? To determine the status of processes (sensors) Information processing (processors) Switching of actuators by means of final control elements Carrying out work (actuators)

To be able to control machinery and installations necessitates the construction of generally complex logic interconnections of status switching

conditions. This occurs as a result of interaction sensors, processes, control elements and actuators in pneumatic or partly pneumatic systems. The technological progress made in material, design and production processes has further improved the quality and diversity of pneumatic components and thereby contributed to their widely spread use in automation. Pneumatic components can perform the following types of motion: ? ? ? Linear Swivel Rotary

Some industrial applications employing pneumatics are listed below: ? General methods of material handling: Clamping, shifting, positioning, orienting, branching of material flow etc ? General applications: Pick and Place applications, Packaging, filling, metering, locking, driving of axes, door or chute control, transfer of materials, turning and inverting of parts, sorting of parts, stacking of components, stamping and embossing of components. ? Pneumatics is used in carrying out machining and working operations. For example: Drilling, turning, milling, sawing, finishing, forming, Quality control. 1.4 COMPARISION OF PNEUMATIC SYSTEM WITH HYUDRAULIC SYSTEM

Liquids exhibit greater inertia than gases. Therefore, in hydraulic systems, the weight of oil is a potential problem when accelerating and decelerating the actuators and when suddenly opening and closing the valves. In accordance with New tons law of motion, the force required to accelerate oil is many times greater than that required to accelerate an equal volume of air.

Liquids also exhibit greater viscosity than gases. This results in larger frictional pressure and power losses.

Since hydraulic systems use a fluid foreign to the atmosphere, they require reservoirs and no-leak system design. Pneumatic systems use air which is exhausted directly back into the surrounding environment. Generally, pneumatic systems are less expensive than hydraulic systems.

Due to compressibility of air, it is impossible to obtain a precise control of actuator velocities in pneumatic systems. In applications where the actuator travel is to be smooth and steady against a variable load, the air exhaust from the actuator is normally metered.

While pneumatic pressures are quite low due to the compressor design, hydraulic pressures are high. Thus, hydraulics can be used in high power systems whereas pneumatics is confined to low-pressure applications.

FACTOR

PNEUMATICS

HYDRAULICS

Availability of A ir is freely available Medium

Obtaining and disposing oil is a costly affair

Linear Force

Forces limited due to low Pr. Full torque, even during. Stoppage and cylinder dia

Energy

Large

quantities

can

be Stored

without

storage

possible

storage

only limited quantity

Expenditure

Transport of medium

U p-to 1000m

Up-to 100m

Power Costs

Not expensive

High pressure storage & Oil cause costs

Overloading

Loadable till stand-still No Highest Ene rgy consumption when energy consumption when standing still idle

Leakage, risk of injury

No negative consequences Due to high pressure extremely except for loss of energy dangerous when leakage occurs and when compressed air is risk of fire. exposed to the atmosphere

2. LITERATUR E REVIEW 2.1 COMPONENTS OF A PNEUMATIC SYSTEM A pneumatic system requires compressed air to function and therefore the most important requirement is air and a compressor to compress the air and supply it to the system. The pressurized air is then piped from one source to various locations in the system. The quantity of pressurized air that is piped will depend on the components used i.e. the type of component used based on its function, capacity and other factors. The compressed air supply for a pneumatic system should be

adequately calculated and made available in the appropriate quality and quantity else the pneumatic components face a risk of getting damaged affecting the performance of the pneumatic system.

fig. AIR SUPPLY SYSTEM 2.2 AIR PREPARATION For the continuing performance of the control system and the working elements it is necessary to guarantee that the air supply is: ? ? ? At the required pressure Dry Clean and

If these conditions are satisfied, then short to medium degeneration of the system will be accelerated. The affect is downtime on the machinery in addition to increased costs for repair and replacements of machine parts. The generation of compressed air starts off with compression. The compressed air flows through an entire series of components before reaching the consuming device. The type of compressor and its location to a lesser or greater degree affect the amount of dirt particles, oil and water, which enter into a pneumatic system. The equipment to be considered in the generation and preparation of compressed air include: ? ? ? Inlet filter Air compressor Air reservoir

? ? ? ? ?

Air dryer Air filter with water separator Pressure regulator Air lubricator as required Drainage points

Poorly prepared compressed air will inevitably lead to malfunction and may manifest itself in the system as follows: ? ? ? ? ? Rapid wear of seals and moving parts in the cylinders and valves Oiled-up valves Contaminated silencers Corrosion in pipes, valves, cylinders and other components Flushing out of lubrication of moving components

In the case of leakage, escaping compressed air may impair the materials to be processed. For example: food. As a rule, pneumatic components are designed for a maximum operating pressure of 800 to 100 kPa (8-10 bar). Particular expe rience has shown, however that approximately 600 kPa (6bar) should be used for economic operation. Pressure losses of between 10 and 50 kPa (0.1-0.5 bar) must be expected due to the restrictions, bends, leaks and pipe-runs, depending on the size of the piping system and the method of layout. The compressors system should provide at least 650 to 700 kPa (6.5 to 7bar) for a desired operating pressure level of 600 kPa (6 bar).

2.3. ADVANTAGES AND DISTINGUISHINGCHARECTERISTICS COMPRESSED AIR: ? ?

OF

AVAILABILITY Air is available practically everywhere in unlimited qualities TRANSPORT Air can be transported in pipelines, even over large distance

STORAGE

compressed air can be stored in a reservoir and removed as required

TEMPERATURE

Compressed air is relatively in sensitive to temperature fluctuations. This ensures reliable operations, even under extreme conditions.

? ?

EXPLOSION PROOF compressed air offers no risk of explosion or fire. CLEANLINESS un-lubricated exhaust air is clean. Any lubricated air, which escapes through leaking pipes or components, does not cause contamination.

COMPONENTS the operating components are of simple construction and therefore are relatively inexpensive.

SPEED

compressed air is a very fast working medium. This enables high working speeds to be obtained.

OVERLOAD SAFE

pneumatic tools and operating components can be loaded to the point of stopping and are therefore overload safe.

2.4 AIR COMPRESSORS The selection from the various types of compressors available depends upon the quantity of air, pressure, quality, cleanliness and how dry the air should be. There are varying levels of these criteria depending on the type of compressor.

A piston compresses the air drawn in via an inlet valve. The air is passed on via an outlet valve. Reciprocating compressors are very common and provide a wide range of pressures and delivery rates. For higher pressures multi-stage compression is used with inter-cooling between each stage of compression. The various types of compressors ba sed on the working principle can be classified as: Diaphragm compressor: The diaphragm compressor belongs to the reciprocating piston compressor group. The compressor chamber is separated from the piston by a diaphragm. The advantage of this is that no oil can enter into the airflow from the compressor. The diaphragm compressor is therefore used where oil is to be excluded from the air supply. Industries like the food industry; pharmaceutical industry and chemical industries employ such compressors. Rotary piston compressor: The rotary group of compressors uses rotating elements to compress and increase the pressure of air. During the compression process, the compression chamber is continuously reduced. Screw compressors: Two screw- shaped shafts or rotors turn in opposite directions. The meshed profile of the two shafts causes the air to flow, which is then compressed. Flow compressor: These are particularly suitable for large delivery quantities. Flow compressors are made in axial or radial form. The air is made to flow by means of one or several turbine wheels. The kinetic energy is converted into pressure energy. In the case of an axial compressor, the air is accelerated in the axial direction of flow by means of blades.

In order to adapt to the delivery quality of the compressor to the fluctuating demand, it is necessary to regulate the compressor. The quantity is regulated between the adjustable limits for maximum and minimum pressure. There are a number of different types of regulations: ? Idling regulation relief regulation Shut-off regulation Claw regulation ? Part- load control speed adjustment Suction throttle control ? Intermittent control

Idling regulation: In the case of relief regulation, the compressor operates against a pressure relief valve . When the set pressure is reached, the pressure relief valve opens and the air is exhausted to the atmosphere. A non-return valve prevents the emptying of the tank. This type of regulator is only used for very small installations. With shut-off regulation the suction side is shut off. The compressor cannot take in air. This type of regulation is mainly used in the case of rotary piston compressors. With larger piston compressors, claw regulation is used. A claw holds the suction valve open; the compressor cannot compress any air. Part-load control: in the case of speed alignment, the speed of the drive motor of the compressor is controlled dependant on the pressure reached. With suction throttle control; control is affected by means of restrictors in the suction connection of the compressor.

Intermittent control: with this type of control the compressor assumes the operating conditions as full load and normal. The drive motor of the compressor is off when maximum pressure is reached, and switched on when minimum pressure is reached.

fig. COMPRESSOR AND RESERVOIR 2.5 RESERVOIRS A reservoir is configured downstream of a compressor to stabilize compressed air. A reservoir compensates the pressure fluctuations when compressed air is taken from the system. If the pressure in the reservoir droops below a certain value, the compressor will compensate until the set higher value is reached again. This has the advantage that the compressor does not have to operate continuously. The large surfac e area of the reservoir cools the air. Thus a portion of the moisture in the air is separated directly as water, which has to be regularly drained via a drain cock. The size of the reservoir depends upon: ? ? Delivery volume of the compressor Air consumption for the applications

? ? ?

Network size (any additional requirements) Type of compressor cycle regulation Permissible pressure drop in the supply network.

Air is compressed by the air compressor and delivered to an air distribution system in the factory. To ensure the quality of the air is acceptable, air service equipment is utilized to prepare the air before being applied to the control system. Malfunctions can be considerably reduced in the system if the compressed air is correctly prepared. A number of aspects must be considered in the preparation of the service air: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Quantity of air required to meet the demands of the system Type of compressor to be used to produce the quantity required Pressure requirements Storage requirements Requirements for air cleanliness Acceptable humidity levels to reduce corrosion and sticky operation Lubrication requirements, if necessary Temperature of the air and effects on the system Line sizes and valve sizes to meet demand Material selection to meet environmental and system requirements Drainage points and exhaust outlets in the distribution system Layout of the distribution system to meet demand.

A reservoir should be fitted to reduce pressure fluctuations. In some cases, the term receiver is also used to describe a reservoir. The compressor fills the reservoir, which is available as a storage tank. The pipe diameter of the air distribution system should be selected in such a way that the pressure loss from the pressurized reservoir to the consuming device ideally does not exceed approx. 10 kPa (0.1 bar). The selection of the pipe diameter is governed by: ? ? ? ? ? Flow rate Line length Permissible pressure loss Operating pressure Number of flow control points in the line

2.6 FRL (FILTER -REGULATOR-LUBRICATOR) The Filter-Regulator-Lubricator unit (FRL) is probably one of the most important but over looked components of a pneumatic distribution system. The FRL installed at each pneumatic hookup provides the user with the last defense against air-line contaminants, a direct energy saving device, lowered noise levels and increased tool/device/machine service life. The benefits that can be gained by proper use of FRLs far exceed the costs of installations and maintenance.

fig. FRL SCHEMATIC 2.6.1 AIR FILTER: The function of air filter is to remove contaminants from air before it reaches the pneumatic components such as valves and actuators. The air components of a filter are the filter cartridge, which is mostly made of sintered brass or bronze and other materials. They remove contaminants in the range of 5 to 50 microns. These elements have a large ratio of air to filter media and can thus hold a large amount of contamination on the surface with suffering any pressure loss. Airflow entering the filter is directed downwards with a swirling motion that forces the moisture and the heavier particles to fall down. The deflector used in the filter mechanically separates most of the contaminants before they reach the filter element .the remaining finer foreign particles move along the air an pass through the cartridge where they are arrested .At the bottom of the filter bowl, there is on off drain valve, which could be manually opened to drain the accumulated water and the solid particles.

2.6.2 PRESSURE REGULATOR: The main function of this valve is to regulate the incoming pressure to the system so that desired air pressure is capable of flowing at a steady condition. The valve has a metallic body with primary and secondary openings. The pressure regulation is obtained by opening the poppet valve to a measured amount for achieving the desired pressure level. This is done by an adjustable screw. The adjusting screw will move the diaphragm upward and thus will make the poppet to unseat, there by creating an opening to allow air to flow from primary to secondary side and the opening of the valves and there by the pressure of the air flowing through it will be directly proportional to the compression of the spring underneath the diaphragm. Larger the opening, greater the pressure and vice-versa. In many cases, the valve has to vent hole openings through which the compressor air is let out into the atmosphere incase the secondary pressure increases to a level not desirable to the system. The spring at the other side of the poppet act as a dampening device to stabilize the pressure. 2.6.3 LUBRICATOR: The function of the lubricator is to insert drops of oil into the air stream. A small amount of air from the main stream is diverted to the bowl pressure to control valve into the bowl or reservoir. This air pushes the oil through the bowl pressure into the bowl or reservoir. This air pushes the oil through the siphon tube past the adjustment screw to the drip tube. The drops of oil are then transferred through the center of the variable orifice and enter the mist generator, mixing with the oil delivered by the drip tube. The air-oil mixture then rejoins the remaining air and continues towards its final destination.

fig. FRL 2.7 DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVES Directional control valves are devices, which influence the path taken by an air stream. Normally this involves one or all of the following: opening the passage of air and directing it to a particular line or lines, canceling air signals as required by blocking their passage and/or relieving the air to the atmosphere via an exhaust port. Its number of controlled connections or ways, the number of switching positions and the methods of actuation characterize the directional control valve. However these symbols do not provide any information about the constructional design but merely indicate the function of the valve.

fig. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE

The normal position on valves with existing reset, for example: spring, refers to the switching position assumed by moving the valve, if the valve is not connected. The initial position is the switching position assumed by a moving part of a valve after he valve has been installed in a system and the system pressure has been switched on and possibly also the electrical voltage, and with which the designated switching program starts. The constructional principle of a directional control valve is an important factor as far as the service life, switching time, type of actuation, connection methods, size are concerned. Designs are categorized as follows: ? Poppet valves: Ball seat valve Disc seat valve ? Slide valves: Longitudinal slide valves Longitudinal flat valves Plate slide valves

Poppet valves: With poppet valves the connections are opened or closed by means of balls, discs, plates or cones. The valve seats are usually sealed simply using flexible seats. Seat valves have few parts, which are subjected to wear,

and hence they have a long service life. They are insensitive to dirt and are robust. The actuating force, however, is relatively high as it is necessary to overcome the force of the built- in reset spring and the air pressure. Slide valves: in slide valves, the individual connections are linked together or closed by means of spools, flat slide or plate slide valves.] The directional control valves are commonly classified based on the operation as follows: ? ? ? ? ? 2/2 valves 3/2 valves 4/2 valves 5/2 valves 5/3 valves

2.7.1 5/2 WAY VALVE The 5/2-way valve has 5 ports and two positions. The 5/2-way valve is used primarily as a control element for the control of cylinders. An example of the 5/2-way valve, the longitudinal slide valve uses a pilot spool as a control component. This connects or separates the corresponding lines by means of longitudinal movements. The resulting actuation force is lower because there are no opposing forces due to a spring or compressed air. All forms of actuation can be used with longitudinal slide valves, i.e. manual, mechanical, electrical or pneumatic. These types of actuation can also be used for resetting the valve to its starting position.

fig. 5/2-WAY DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE The actuation travel is considerably larger than with seat valves. Sealing presents a problem in this type of slide valve. The type of fit in hydraulics is known as metal to metal, requires the spool to fit precisely in the housing. In pneumatic valves, the gap between the spool and the housing bore should not exceed .002-.004mm, as otherwise the leakage losses will be too great. To save these expensive fitting costs the spool is often sealed with o rings or double cup packing or the bore of the housing is sealed with O-rings. To avoid damaging the seals, the connecting ports can be distributed around the circumference of the spool housing. In general, the 4/2-way valve is replaced by the 5/2-way valve. The 5/2way valve has advantages in passage construction and allows the exhaust of both extension and retraction air for cylinders to be separately controlled. The 5/2-way valve circuit carries out the same primary control functions as the 4/2way valve circuit. Another method of sealing is to use a suspended disc seat with relatively small switching movement. The discs seat connects the 1 port to either the 2

port or the 4 port. The secondary seals on the spool pistons close whichever exhaust port is not required. A 5/2-way directional control valve controls the double acting cylinder. The signal is generated or reset on the valve. If a push-button is selected for the actuation of the directional control valve, then the valve will function when the button is pressed or released. The circuit would include the following: ? ? ? ? Double acting cylinder 5/2-way directional control valve: push-button for operation and spring for return force. Supply air source connected to the 5/2-way valve Air connections between the valve and cylinder.

In the initial position all the connections are made and there is no manual intervention of the operator. In this un-actuated position, air is applied at the cylinder piston rod side, while the pressure on the piston side of the cylinder is exhausted. The push-button operates the 5/2-way valve against the valve return spring. In the actuated position, the supply pressure is connected to the cylinder, while the piston rod side is exhausted. The pressure on the piston side advances the piston rod.

fig. WORKING OF A 5/2 -WAY VALVE

Once full extension is reached, the air pressure on the piston side reaches a maximum. Once the push button is released, the valve return spring pushes the valve into its initial position. The supply pressure is now connected to the piston rod side, while the piston side is exhausted via the exhaust port of the valve and the piston rod retracts. 2.7.2 2/2-WAY VALVE The 2/2-way valve has two ports and two positions (open, closed). It is rarely used except as an on-off valve, since its only function is to enable flow through and cannot release the air to atmosphere once in the closed position in contrast to the 3/2-way valve. The 2/2-way valve is normally of the ball seat construction. This valve is operated either manually, mechanically or pneumatically. 2.8 FLOW CONTROL VALVE A flow control valve has a spring-loaded disk, which allows a free flow in one direction and an adjustable or controlled flow in the opposite direction. Flow adjustment is performed by a tapered brass stem that controls the flow through the cross hole in the disk. The adjustable knob contains a unique locking device that consists of a plastic metering knob and a thumb la tch pawl. The valve bonnet is inscribed with graduations to serve as a position indicator for the stem. When the pawl is in the up position, it creates a friction lock on the bonnet and the knob cannot rotate. Mounting in any position will not affect the operation. 2.9 PNEUMATIC ACTUATORS Pneumatic systems make use of actuators (linear and rotary) in a fashion similar to that of hydraulic systems. But these differ very little from the hydraulic applications because air is used rather than hydraulic oil. p ressures are either low or medium and a lighter construction is encountered. Pneumatic cylinder construction makes extensive use of aluminum and other non-ferrous

alloy materials to reduce the weight and the corrosive effects of air and to improve heat transfer capabilities. 2.10 PNEUMATIC CYLINDERS The pneumatic power is converted into straight line reciprocating motions by pneumatic cylinders. The various industrial applications for which air cylinders are used can be divided duty-wise into three groups: light duty, medium duty and heavy duty. According to the principle of operation, air cylinders are classified as: ? ? Single acting cylinders Double acting cylinders

2.10.1 SINGLE ACTING CYLINDER It is a single air inlet line. When this line is pressurize d, the piston extends. The return movement of the piston is affected by a built- in spring mounted on the rod side of the piston or by application of an external force like gravity. Single acting cylinders with a spring are limited in stroke, because the spring force that must be overcome while extending increases with the stroke. The advantage of a single acting cylinder lies in its reduced air consumption, since air is not wasted while retracting the piston. 2.10.2 DOUBLE ACTING CYLINDER The force exerte d by the compressed air moves the piston in two directions in a double acting cylinder. The double acting cylinder produces less force during retraction, because the piston rods cross-sectional area is subtracted from the piston area under pressure. They are used particularly when the piston is required to perform work not only on the advance movement but also on the return movement. In principle, the stroke length is unlimited, although buckling and bending must

be considered before we select a particula r size of piston diameter, rod length and stroke length. The construction principle of a double acting cylinder is similar to that of a single acting cylinder. However, there is no return spring and the two ports are used alternatively as supply and exhaust ports. The double acting cylinder has the advantage that the cylinder can carry out work in both the directions of motion. Thus, installation possibilities are universal. The force transferred by the piston rod is somewhat greater for the forward stroke than the return stroke as the effective piston surface is reduced on the piston rod side by the crosssectional area of the piston rod.

The advancing speed and the retracting speed are different due the fact that the cylinder volume on the piston rod side is smaller than the one on the piston side. Thus, the amount of supply air required during retraction is smaller than during extension, and the return stroke is faster. Advantages of a double acting cylinder over a single acting cylinder: ? In a single acting cylinder, the compressed air is fed only on one side. Hence this cylinder can produce work only in one direction. But the compressed air moves the piston in two directions in a double acting cylinder, so they perform work in both the directions. ? In a single acting cylinder, the stroke is limited by the compressed length of the spring. But in principle, the stroke length is unlimited in a double acting cylinder. ? While the piston moves forward in a single acting cylinder, the air has to overcome the pressure of the spring and hence some power is lost before actual stroke of the piston starts. But this problem is not present in a double acting cylinder.

DOUBLE-ACTING CYLINDER Tandem cylinder: It consists of two pistons operating in separate sections along the same axis with a common piston rod. Since the available force is doubled, this design is useful when larger forces are required, but a single acting cylinder with a larger diameter cannot be accommodated. Three position cylinder: It is quite similar to the tandem cylinder, except that the left piston rod is not connected to the right piston and the left cylinder is shorter than the right one. With the left piston extended, the retraction of the right piston is limited to an intermediate position, which is determined by the ability of the right piston to retract fully. Through rod cylinder: Here the piston rod extends to both ends of the piston. This will ensure equal force and speed on both sides of the cylinder. Adjustable stroke length cylinder: The cylinder stroke can be adjusted by screwing the left hand piston in or out. By using the shortest possible stroke needed for a given job, better rapid cycling is achieved and air consumption is reduced. Telescoping cylinder:

When pressure is applied to the left side, the inner cylinder acts a piston and extends. Once it reaches the ends of its stroke, the innermost piston begins to extend. The available stroke is almost double when compared to a normal cylinder having the same retracted length. Pneumatic cylinders have been on constant development and have been developed in the following directions: ? Contact less sensing requirements hence the use of magnets on the pistons for reed switch operation ? ? ? ? ? ? Stopping heavy loads Rod less cylinders where space is limited Alternative manufacturing materials such as plastic Protective coatings against harsh environment i.e. acid resistant Increased load carrying capacity Robotic applications with special features like non-rotating piston rods, hollow piston rods for vacuum suction cups. 2.11 ROTARY CYLINDERS OR ACTUATORS With this design of double acting cylinder, the piston rod has a gear tooth profile. The piston rod drives a gear wheel, and a rotary movement results form a linear movement. The range of rotation varies from 45, 90, 180, 270 to 360. The torque is dependant no pressure, piston surface and gear ratio; values of roughly up to 150Nm are possible. With a rotary actuator, force is transmitted directly to the drive shaft via a vane. Angular displacement is infinitely adjustable from 0 to approximately 180. Torque should not exceed 10Nm. The design features of pneumatic rotary actuators are:

? ? ? ?

Small and robust Available with contact less sensing Adjustable for angular displacement Easy to install

fig. ROTARY ACTUATOR 2.12 VACUUM GENERATORS Vacuum Generators are devices that create vacuum also commonly known as VADs. Vacuum Generators work on the VENTURI PRINCIPLE VENTURI PRINCIPLE: Compressed air at a given rate is accelerated through a nozzle of narrow crosssection. The air stream is then emitted into a wider receiver nozzle. This produces a simultaneous change in the pressure. If the cross-section is reduced, the pressure drops compared to the larger cross-section. The following aspects can explain the phenomenon: At the beginning and at the end of the pipe the flowing air has the same energy (Excluding frictional losses) that is 1. Potential energy depending on the absolute pressure

2. Kinetic pressure depending on the flow velocity Neglecting frictional losses we get, P.E + K.E = constant This formula states that the total energy is constant everywhere in the pipe. Therefore, if the velocity of the flowing air is increased due to the narrowing of the pipe, the pressure drops. When the air passes through the narrow opening, the pressure increases again due to the friction of the compressed air and the friction in the pipe itself especially at the narrowing. A pressure drop remains around the exit of the narrowing.

fig. WORKING OF A VACUUM GENERATOR Due to this pressure difference created, when the fluid exits the narrowing, its pressure increases and it takes in air to compensate for the loss of pressure thus creating a vacuum in the area from where it sucks in the air and therefore a vacuum is generated as a result of this air expanding through the orifice.

For e.g.: if a pressure of approximately 6bar is applied, then a vacuum of approximately - 0.8bar is generated.

fig. VACUUM GENERATOR 2.13 TIMERS Stating the interval to be timed and the conditions or events that are to start and/or stop the timer specify a timer circuit. They are commonly regarded as are lays with coils which, when energized, resulting in the closing or opening of input contacts after some present time. There are 2 types by which a timer can be categorized: The first type are the Delay ON timers. When there is an input, the timer is energized and starts timing. After some preset time the contacts associated with the timer close and the output occurs. Delay on timers are those that come on after a particular time delay. A Delay - OFF timer is a timer which switches off an output after a time-delay from being energized, can be devised. When the input contacts are momentarily closed the output is energized and the timer starts. The output contacts latch the input and keep the output on. After the preset time of the timer, the timer comes on and breaks the latch circuit, so switching the output off. Timers can be linked together, the term is cascaded, to give larger delay timers than is possible with just one timer. Consider 2 timers connected in series. When the first timer closes, the delay for the first timer begins. After its time delay, its contacts close and timer-2 starts. After its time delay, its contacts close and an output is obtained.

3. PICK AND PLACE SYSTEMS 3.1 INTRODUCTION Pick and place systems are manipulators that lift, move and place objects in a desired location. Pick and place technology is basically used to pick an item from one location and place it somewhere else. For example, on an assembly line, a pick and place machine or system can pick up a product that has been completely assembled and wrapped and place it on a stack ready for shipment. These machines e liminate the need for human labor to complete this oftentedious task. Many pick and place machines are essentially robots that are able to learn a task and repeat the task in-definitely. Using software programs accompanied with the machine, the robot can be programmed to perform one or many integrated tasks. These robots can be ordered to change tasks or alter tasks easily and effectively with the touch of a button. In the years past, human labor was necessary to perform such tasks as removing items from the assembly lines and stacking them for shipment. Though obviously this task took little skill, it might often fail simply because of carelessness or inattention. When working around assembly lines, every component is dependant on the operation of anothe r and thus one breakdown affects the whole system. Indeed, because of the tedious and boring nature of such work, the possibility of more inattention and carelessness is great. An employee whose sole job is to pick items off an assembly line might easily be distracted or might have a temporary lapse that could be costly to the operation as a whole. Utilizing modern technology in this regard is thus a worthwhile investment. Pick and place automation utilizes robotics and other technology to deliver services that traditionally have been accomplished by human labor. Pick and place technology basically is involved with picking material up from one place and placing it another location. This type of action is nowadays most

common on assembly lines where pick and place systems pick objects from a conveyor belt and feed into a machine or place them onto another conveyor belt. Historically, factories have human labor for this type of work. However, as the technology in the workplace advances, devices to eliminate the need for additional labor are becoming common. The advent of robotics of robotics had been a boon to manufacturing companies and has enabled these companies to save significant amounts of money, resources and most importantly time. Instead of relying on human labor and its inherent mistakes and slow downs, robotics offers a non-stop, relatively error-free and automated method of performing pick and place tasks. Automating these tasks allows them to work continuously without taking the time for breaks or time off. Integrated with a central command center allows them to be controlled from a set place elsewhere in the industrial complex.

Pick and place automation can be utilized in a variety of industrial devices. In addition to offering continuous labor with out down time, automation of pick and place devices also eliminates human error that can often cost substantial amounts of money and time. As each part of an assembly line depends on the other, one mistake can lead to costly breakdowns. Pick and place machinery can be found in any industry that requires material to be lifted and moved from one location to another. These industries include large -scale operations such as automobile plants to nano-technology fields in electronics. Pick and place technology has advanced to the point where almost every industry benefits in some way. Human labor has performed pick and place tasks as machines were not equipped or specialized enough to the point of functioning independently. However, as technology advances at such a rapid rate, the availability of these machines has become nearly universal. Machines perform most tasks in

virtually all assembly lines and virtually all tasks involving computer chip production. Robotic technology has opened the door to the new pick and place devices as software has enabled these machines to learn tasks and perform them flawlessly. Many companies offer robots that can be programmed to perform several integrated tasks simultaneously. These robots can be easily controlled and commanded over with handheld devices or connected to a central command board and controlled along with other machines. In the computer industry, pick and place machinery has become a necessity. In the early days of the computer, circuit boards were large enough to be manipulated by human hands. However, as micro and nano-technology has taken root, entire computers are being replaced on an area the size of a contact lens and manual manipulation is no longer possible. Pick and place technology is in dispensable in these areas. Pick and place technology allows the insertion of an item into a carton, creating instant extras that the consumers can collect and keep. These items include CDs, lenticualrs, seed packets, books etc pick and place equipment is also used to accurately place preformed rigid plastic windows into cartons where the window forms an integral part of the carton structure. 3.2 GENERAL APPLICATION The following are the applications of the pick and place systems in various fields from automobiles to food to chemical industries: ? Pick and place machines are used in the consumer products industry for a wide variety of product transfer applications. The machine basically takes a product or products from machines such as wrappers, fillers, cartoners, and stacks them into a case, which then is ready for palletizing or shipment.

? ? ?

Automatic donut production For reliable loading and unloading of parts The pick and place robot picks a sheet from a stack, puts it in a tray to be processed by another machine and then places it another stack.

In the manufacturing industry and nuclear industry, a large fraction of the work is repetitive and judicious application of automation will most certainly result in optimum utilization of machine and manpower.

3.3 FABRICATION AND DESIGN The first and foremost step in the fabrication and design process is the consideration of the purpose for fabrication of the pick and place system. The next step would be to choose the material for the fabrication. The working components of the system are chosen based upon the requirement. The design process is a time consuming process that will encounter several obstacles and because of which changes have to be made to the system to suit the requirement and also to be as per the specifications. 3.3.1 PURPOSE: The pick and place system that has been fabricated is a system that might be implemented in the production line of an industry. The industry in consideration is a solar-cell manufacturing industry. The industry manufactures solar wafers and during the process there is necessity to transfer the wafer form one location to another. This is being done using human labor. As discussed before there are several disadvantages to the use of human labor in a process like this the important factors being time and accuracy. The main aim and scope of this project is to increase the efficiency of the process by decreasing the time taken and also to provide a constant rate of transfer without much interference and trying to achieve maximum accuracy. The project will try to eliminate to the maximum extent the possible errors made by humans. Also under normal conditions, a human being can work continuously for not more than 4 hours and in a day not more than 8hours. Fatigue and distraction due to boredom from

doing the same work over and over again may cause variations, which affect the system or process as a whole. By introducing an automated system in-between the process the operation will receive no interference of any sorts at least those caused by humans is avoided to the maximum extent. 3.3.2 FABRICATION: The basic material selected for the fabrication of the system is aluminum. Aluminum is light in weight and can be easily manufactured and worked upon with ease. The basic parts that have been fabricated are: ? ? ? ? ? Main body frame Arm Doors Side panels Control box with cover

The other components used in the pneumatic circuit, for example: cylinders, rotary actuator, vacuum generator, directional control valves (DCVs), pipe, connectors, FRL, manifold etc have been ordered and purchased from FESTO Didactic GmBh & co. 3.3.3 DESIGN:

Designing was done in order to determine whether the selected components would suffice to the requirement or not. In order to achieve the right selection many trials had to be made to a rrive at the right choice of the set of components that comprise the system. The main obstacles faced were in the basic fabrication of the parts of the body. The right shape to house the components was necessary. The first body shaped thought of was a rectangular box with the arm fixed on top. This design proved to be incorrect and unsuitable as the rectangular cross -section on top would

interfere with the movement of the arm. Ultimately, a conclusive design was reached which had a lower rectangular section that would converge into a slant surface and form a square plate. The shape represents a rectangular prism on the bottom with the frustum of a pyramid mounted on top of it. The arm on the other hand was not much difficult. Initially it was planned that only one arm would be used to pick and place. Then a two-arm structure was thought of in order to perform the pick and place action in two directions. Finally, a right-angled arm was decided upon which would pick from either side and place it in the center simultaneously. This would increase the rate of work and also decrease the time. When one arm picks, the other one will place it and so on. Since the system was being designed for solar wafers, cylinder of a very small capacity was sufficient. Solar wafers are very light in nature and also very delicate. The maximum weight of a solar wafer would be around 300gms and therefore a cylinder with a capacity of nearly 800gms was decided upon, one cylinder for each arm. For the rotation of the arms, to perform the pick and place action, a rotary actuator was selected from the FESTO manufacturers catalogue. The actuator selected has 180 rotation and this suited our system, which had to pick and place from two sides. In the beginning, it was thought of using grippers to perform the picking and placing action. But, solar wafers being delicate materials were under the risk of getting damaged due to the grippers and there was a possibility that they might even fall and break if not properly held. The use of vacuum suction cups was then applied to the system. The smooth surface of the wafers promoted to the idea of using suction cups. The suction cups were to be attached to the piston of the cylinder directly but the excessive force exerted by the piston rod posed a problem for holding the wafer when in motion. Therefore the piston was connected to a clamp, and another hole drilled in this clamp thorough which a hollow shaft or rod was put and at the end of the rod the suction cup was attached. The open end of the rod was connected to a vacuum generator, which would generate the required vacuum and make the picking of the suction cup effective. Two 5/2-way valves were selected fro the operation of the cylinders and actuator. Since both the cylinders and the actuator are double acting, the 5/2-way valve was an ideal choice. A manifold or an air distributor is essential, as the common air supply would have to be split up in order to be distributed among the various components present. The most essential part of any pneumatic circuit is the

FRL component, which is necessary to obtain the required quality of air. For the vacuum generation, a 2/2-way valve was used which would actuate the vacuum generator. The DCVs are solenoid operated and this solenoid coil is connected to a timer circuit that triggers the actuation at the required instance. The other components like the connectors, pipe etc were selected form the catalogue referring to the preferred list of suitable components wit the actuator and the cylinder. 3.4 CONSTRUCTION The pick and place system is simple in construction. The main body frame houses the all the components and is the base of the system. The pneumatic component circuit is arranged in the required order and the components are screwed to sheet of aluminum and this is placed inside the framework. The rotary actuator is fixed on the top from the inside such that the piston of the rotary actuator protrudes on top on the outside. The arm has a keyway hole of 11.2mm on the bottom side. The piston shaft of the rotary actuator is 11 mm in she shape of a key-way and this is protruding out of the body, on the top. The arm is fitted and locked with the rotary actuator. The cylinders are placed at the end of each arm and a clamp is fixed to the piston rod of the cylinder with the help of grub screws. At the diagonal ends of the clamps, guide rods are attached which are used to prevent the clamp from moving sideways. The vacuum rod with the suction cup is placed inserted in the big hole in the clamps and a bearing is put in-between so as to avoid friction between the clamps and the vacuum rod. The piping is also an important factor and PU-6 pipe was bought from FESTO along with suitable connectors required. The pneumatic components were connected in the order as required by the circuit. The solenoid coils of the directional control valves were connected to an electrical circuit board, which consisted of 3 timers. The connections from the circuit board were sent to the control box which houses the startstop switch for the mechanism and also light indicators to indicate which valve is functioning. The light will glow when a particular directional control valve is actuated. This is the construction of the pick and place pneumatic system as a whole. 3.5 WORKING

The pick and place system make is a two -axis system. That is motion is possible in two directions or along two axes. The two motions achieved using this system are: ? ? Linear motion Rotary motion

Compressed air flows into the system from a compressor. The compressed air enters the system and passes through the FRL unit. The FRL unit or the FilterRegulator-Lubricator unit prepares the compressed air for utilization by the pneumatic components. The FRL consists of a combination of the following: ? ? ? Compressed air filter (with water separator) Compressed air regulator Compressed air lubricator

The compressed air filter has the job of removing all the contaminants from the compressed air flowing through it, as well as the water, which has already been compressed. The compressed air enters the filter bowl through guide slots. Liquid particles and larger particles of dirt are separated centrifugally collecting in the lower part of the filter bowl. The collected condensate must be drained before the level exceeds the maximum condensate mark, as it will be re-entrained in the air stream. The purpose of the regulator is to keep the operating pressure of the system (secondary pressure) virtually constant regardless of fluctuations in the line pressure (primary pressure) and the air c onsumption. The purpose of the lubricator is to deliver a metered quantity of oil mist into a leg of the air distribution system when necessary for the operation of the pneumatic system. This oil mist present in the compressed air lubricates the moving parts of the pneumatic components when it flows through them and thus prevents the wear of the pneumatic component parts due to friction.

Once exiting the FRL unit, the compressed air is led into the manifold or the air distributor. The manifold takes in the compressed air and splits into the required number depending on the number of components used and the compressed air is sent to the components from the manifold. In our system the manifold distributes the air into 3 parts. One part of the distributed air is sent to the directional control valve controlling the operation of the cylinders and one is sent to the directional control valve controlling the motion of the rotary actuator. The other part is sent to a third directional control valve that operates the actuation of the vacuum generator. The compressed air flows to the first directional control valve that controls the cylinders. The outlet is divided using a T-connector that divides the flow and sends it to both the cylinders. The cylinders are actuated when air flows in either port on the cylinders and actuates either the advancing or the retraction stroke of the two cylinders. The cylinders move in synchronization with each other. This happens when one side if the directional control valve is actuated. When the other side operates, the valve position is shifted and the flow is sent into the cylinders through the other port to perform the opposite of the first action. The exhaust from the cylinders is sent back to the directional control valves that exhaust the air into the atmosphere. Sound is generated during this exhaust and in order to control or reduce the sound, silencers or mufflers may be employed. The second line from the manifold is connected to the directional control valve that is for operatin g the rotary actuator. The process of actuation is similar to that of the cylinders. When air flows thorough the left port of the actuator, the arm is rotated 90 in the clock-wise direction and when it flows into the right port, the arm moves 90 in the anti-clockwise direction. The third line form the manifold leads the compressed air into the 2/2-way valves that operate the vacuum generators. Vacuum generation is important in order to achieve the suction action of the suction cups. The 2/2-way valve is also operated with a solenoid coil. The solenoid coils are connected to a timer circuit that takes care

of the actuation of the 3 directional control valves. 3 timers are present. One for each directional control valve. The timers are adjustable and the required time can be adjusted depending on the situational requirement. When the rotary actuator moves to one side, one timer is switched on and delay for the rotary action starts. When it reaches one end, the vacuum starts and the suction cup is ready. The cylinder lowers the clamp-assembly onto the object and during the retraction stroke the object is picked from its place. The timers for the cylinders now get activated and delay for the cylinders begins. The rotary actuator starts moving once again and the process is repeated over and over again. The cylinders pick from wither side and place in the center. While one cylinder does the picking action, the other cylinder does the placing action. The motion of the cylinders is synchronized but what varies is the function of the vacuum suction cups. When the arm reaches one end, the air is let out first and then suction starts. Therefore the component held is let free and in order to improve the efficiency and be more accurate limit switches are placed at the tw o ends. The use of the limit switches is to achieve proper and accurate timing for the pick and place action.

LEGEND FOR PICK AND PLACE PNEUMATIC CIRCUIT: a CYLINDERS b - COMPRESSOR c FILTER REGULATOR LUBRICATOR (FRL) d MANIFOLD BLOCK OR AIR DISTRIBUTOR e 5/2-WAY DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE f ROTARY ACTUATOR g 2/2 -WAY DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE h VACUUM GENERATOR i SUCTION CUPS j T-CONNECTORS A CYLINDER -A B CYLINDER -B

3.6 COMPONENT SPECIFICATION

3.6.1 CYLINDER SPECIFICATION ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Drive generates a linear movement Mode of operation - Double-acting. Compressed air used to produce forward and return stroke Shape of piston Round Shape of piston rod Round Piston size 6 Stroke 25mm Piston diameter 3mm Optimal pressure - Min. = 2bar ; Max = 8bar Ambient temperature Min = -20c ; Max = 80c End cap thread M5 Female thread Air consumption at 6 bar Advance = .005l Retreat = .0037l 3.6.2. ROTARY ACTUATOR ? ? ? ? Drive generates rotary movement Principle of operation Rotary vane principle Infinitely adjustable swivel angle Stop system is separate from the rotary vane so that any forces which occur are absorbed by the stop cams and cushioned via the flexible plastic plates

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Elastic cushioning rings fitted at the ends Force delivered via shaft Mode of operation Double acting Angle of rotation 180 (adjustable) Piston size 25 Operating pressure Min = 1.5bar ; Max = 8bar Ambient Temperature Min = -10c ; Max = 60c Torque at 6bar 5Nm Mass moment of inertia, permissible - .0009kgm2 Maximum swivelling frequency 3Hz Air consumption at 6 bar per stroke - .225l

3.6.3. 5/2 -WAY DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Direction of flow Non-reversible Operating principle Disc seat Shape of function component poppet valve Mounting screw (7mm nominal size) Operating pressure min= 2.2 bar; max= 8 bar Ambient temperature min = -5c; max = 40c Medium temperature min = -10c; max = 60c Type of connection, air supply Thread / plate

? ? ? ?

Connection thread for ports g-1/4 Type of thread female thread (M5) Actuation / Return Single solenoid / Spring return Medium compressed air

3.6.4 2/2 -WAY DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Operating principle Disc seat Shape of function component Poppet valve No exhaust flow control Regulation Mono-stable Reset Mechanical spring actuation Nominal size 1.5mm Operating pressure min = 0 bar; max = 8 bar Ambient temperature min = -5c; max = 40c Medium temperature min = -10c; max = 60c Material of seats NBR elastomer

3.6.5 FRL - UNIT ? ? ? ? Input pressure max =16 bar Output pressure min = 0.5 bar; max = 12bar Ambient temperature min = -10c; max = 60c Oil capacity max = 190 cm3

? ? ? ?

Maximum condensate capacity 80 cm3 Weight 2.52 Kgs Operating medium compressed air Material housing = Die-cast zinc Bowl = PL polymer

3.7 DESIGN CALCULATIONS 1. FORCE CALCULATION FOR DOUBLE ACTING CYLINDER ? Theoritical force (F TH ) FTH = A * p Where; A = Useful Piston area (m2 ) p = operating pressure ( Pa) = 6 bar (given) Now, A = d * l d = piston rod diameter (m) l = stroke length (m) A = = FTH = = (10 * 10-3) * (25 * 10-3 ) 2.5 * 10-4 m2 (2.5 *10-4 ) * (6 * 10 5) 150 N

Frictional Resistance = 10% * FTH = 15 N ? Forward stroke

Effective Force = F eff = (A * p) F R Where; A = Useful piston area for forward stroke = p /4 * D 2 (m2) F R = Frictional resistance (N) A = p/4 * (10*10-3 )2 = 7.854 * 10-5 m2 therefore, F eff for forward stroke of cylinder = (7.854 * 10 * 6 * 105 ) 15 = 32.12 N ? Return Stroke Effective force = Feff = (A * p) FR Where; A = Useful piston area for return stroke (m2 ) = p/4 * (D 2 d 2 ) = p/4 * [(10*10 -3 ) 2 (3 * 10-3) 2 ] = 7.15 * 10 -5 m2

therefore, F eff for return stroke of cylinder = (7.15 * 10 = 27.9 N 2. ROTARY ACTUATOR Given Data; Frequency = f = 3 Hz Mass Moment of Inertia = J =.0009 Kg-m2 Torque = 5 N -m Operating Pressure = 6 bar Rotational Energy (E rot ) E rot = * J * ? 2 Where; J = Mass Moment of Inertia (Kg-m2 ) ? = Angular Velocity ( rad / sec) ? = 1 revolution / time period = 2p / T * 6 * 10 ) 15

where; T = 1/f = 1/3 ? = 2p * 3 = 18.85 radians / sec therefore, E rot = 1/2 * 0.0009 * (18.85) 2 = 0.1598 Joules Mass calculation J = m * r2 Where; r = Radius of gyration (m) m = mass (Kg) From the above equation; M = J / r2 = 0.0009 / (0.0055) = 29.75 Kg Force calculation T=r*F Where; T = Torque (N-m)
2

r = Radius of gyration (m) F = Force (N) From the above equation, F=T/r = 5 / (5.5 * 10 -3 ) = 909.09 N 3. VACUUM GENERATOR Consider a convergent-divergent nozzle

Given data; Nozzle dia. Inlet dia. = 1mm = 6mm

Operating Pressure = 6 bar Suction Capacity = Q 1 = 36 l/min (from graph) Vacuum Pressure = 0.8 bar Suction Cup dia. = 23mm Vacuum Discharge = Q v = 2 l /min

FORCE THAT A SUCTION CUP CAN TAKE F = pv * A Where; A = Area of the suction cup = pv = Vacuum Pressure F = 0.8 * 10 5 * p / 4 * (0.023) 2 = 17.4 N VELOCITY CALCULATION Q 1 = A 1 * V1 Where; Q 1 = Discharge at section-1 V 1 = Velocity at section- 1 A 1 = Area of cross-section at section-1 Q 1 = 36 ltr /min = 36 / (1000 * 60) = 6 * 10 -4 m3 / sec A1 = p / 4 * d12 = p / 4 * (0.006) 2 = 2.827 * 10-5 m / sec V1 = Q 1 / A1 = (6 * 10-4 ) / (2.827 * 10-5 )

= 21.23 m / sec VELOCITY AT SECTION-2 A 1V 1 = A 2V 2 A 2 = Area of cross-section at section-2 V 2 = Velocity at sec tion- 2 = p / 4 * d2 2 = p / 4 * (0.001) 2 = 7.85396 * 10 -7 m2 V 2 = A 1V 1 / A 2 = (2.827 * 21.23 * 10-5 ) / (7.85396 * 10 -7 ) = 764.16 m / sec Total Discharge = Q 3 = Q 1 + Q v = 36 + 2 = 38 l / min 4 COST ESTIMATION A2

COMPONENT

QTY

TYPE

COST

FABRICATION

ALUMINIUM

5000

POWDER COATING

TWO COLOURS

2500

PNEUMATIC CYLIDER

FESTO DG-6-25

3000

ROTARY ACTUATOR

FESTO DSR-25-180

8000

SOLENOID VALVE (5/2-WAY)

FESTO MFH -5-1/4

1400

SOLENOID VALVE (2/2-WAY)

FESTO MFH -2-M5

1000

SOLENOID COIL

FESTO MSFW-230

1000

MANIFOLD BLOCK

FESTO FR-4-1/4-D

500

FRL UNIT

FESTO FRC-1-1/4-D/M

1600

FCV-ONE WAY

FESTO GRLZ-M5-B

1500

T-CONNECTORS

FESTO FC-K-3-PK4

200

QU.CONN.FITTING

20

FESTO CK-1/4-PK-4

800

PLASTIC TUBING

15Mts FESTO PU4-32

750

ON-OFF TIMERS

EAPL H1D1-X

3000

LIMIT SWITCHES

300

EXTERNAL CIRCLIPS`

10MM

50

EXTERNAL CIRCLIPS`

15MM

100

SPRINGS

LIGHT LOADING

50

VACUUM CUP

SILICON

30

VACUUM GENERATOR

FESTO VAD-1/4

1500

SILENCERS

FESTO U-1/8

130

DOWEL PINS

3MM * 15MM

10

TOOLS

200

FASTENERS

250

WIRING

200

LEVELLING BOLT

200

TOTAL

33270

5. BENEFIT AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT The main benefit of this project is to save time, money and to make beneficiary improvements in the manufacturing process line. The pick and place pneumatic system will replace a worker performing the pick and place operation who, on an average can work continuously for not more than 8hours. The system will be able to perform the operation for as long as it is required without any interruption thereby providing continuous flow in the process and also will be consistent in its actions. The initial cost of the machine may be high but this will easily be compensated by the amount being spent on the two workers who work for 8hours each on 2 shifts in any industry. Maintainence cost is almost negligible and the life of the system and its components is also high. Thereby, proving this system beneficial. The pick and place system that we have made is very basic when compared to the state-of-the-art pick and place machines and robots available. The only disadvantage of such automation equipment being their initial cost. The system we designed consists of only the basic features and components and several improvements and modifications can be made in order to make it even more resourceful. The pick and place pneumatic system once started will perform the pick and place action till it is switched off again continuously irrespective of the fact whether there is an object to be picked or not. This condition can be improved by providing sensors so that the system will perform the pick and place action only when required. If the objects are to be placed on a conveyor belt then the movement of the actuators has to be adjusted manually using the timers by opening the system and adjusting the timers everytime. Improvements can be made by

putting advanced timers that have digital display and can be easily controlled form the outside. Further improvements can be made by having a PLC or

Programable Logic Controller that can be used to operate the actuation. Use of PLCs makes the system more easy to access and modify by connectin g the PLC to a computer and just the click of a button will give us the required actions. Further, small changes can be made to the system like adding of wheels to make it portable. These changes were not implemented in the present system with the cost fac tor being the major reason that had already exceeded our budget. By making these changes the pick and place pneumatic system can be made more accurate more in-line with technology and increase the efficiency of the process where it is being employed, and perhaps be able to do more than just picking and placing. 6. REFERENCES

1. 2. 3. 4.

FRANK EBEL , PETER CROSER Basic Level Pneumatics, FESTO reference catalogue FESTO CONTROLS (P) LTD., Pneumatic Catalogue (2001 edition) ANDREW PARR, Hydraulics and Pneumatics, JAICO 2002 MARK.D.OVIATT, RICHARD.K.MILLER., systems, The Fairmont Press Inc. (1971) Industrial publications, Pneumatic

5.

SULLIVAN JAMES A, Fluid Power Theory and Applications, Reston Publishing Company Inc. (1975) PESSEN, DAVID.W, Industrial Automation, John (1990) LEIBFRITZ K.W., Pneumatic Systems, 1976 edition FESTO, pick and place station manual (2004) Wiley and Sons

6.

7. 8.