n/ MS91-396

LIJ
/_n F leumatics for
,< Sin ple Automation

n author
WALT HESSLER
PHD, Incorporates
Fort Wayne, India

abstract
The key to simple aui lation is an awareness of the standard actuators availableand
the use of tooling to n te them effective. By combining the linear motion of slides and

Z
cylinders with rotary ctuators and grippers, a wide variety of applications are
achievable.

I conference

u MACHINE LOADI
September 1O-l 1
Cincinnati, Ohio
S CLINIC
991

LLI
index terms
Automation

Society of
Manufacturing
Engineers

1991 Society 0fD:t.d xzturing Engineers l One SME Drive l P.O. Box 930
0 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED n, Michigan 48121 l Phone (313) 271-l 500
SME TECHNICAL PAPERS
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herein.
 MS91-396
INTRODUCTION
Simple automationis being talked aboutevenmore
as industry demandsincreasedproductivity. Defin-
ing simple automationcan be difficult as the term
“automation”or “factory automation”cover a wide
rangeof productsand services.The term “simple”
implies that it is easy and should be cost effective.
This paper will examine various standardactua-
tors which provide linear motion, rotary motion,
and gripping action. It will discusshow they are
used, what capabilities they have, and some
design considerationsnecessaryin their applica-
tion. The goal is to show that automationcan be
simple and yield increasedproductivity and safety.
REASONS FOR AUTOMATING
There are a number of reasonsto consider the use
of pneumatic actuatorsfor an automation project.
1. IncreasedProductivity
Many times the use of thesedevices for
automation will allow an operator to perform
more than one task. The automationdevice
can actually assistin an operation, resulting
in increasedproductivity.
2. Labor Savings
This type of simple automationusually
performs tasks which are very repetitive.
This daylong repetitivenesiscan lead to
fatigue and boredom. The use of pneumatic
actuatorscan allow the worker to perform
additional more highly skilled functions.
3. Quality
Automation can also mean consistencyand
increasedquality. If designedproperly, the
automationdevice will perform the same
every time.
4. Safety
Simple pneumatic devices are ideal for use in
hazardousenvironments. Many times they
can result in savingson insuranceclaims due
to work related injuries and long term prob-
lems such as Carpel Tunnel Syndromeand
back injuries.
 MS91-396-2
CYLINDERS
These cylinders can be powered pneumatically or
hydraulically. They can be simple stand-aloneair
cylinders or sophisticatedmulti-axis pick-and-
place devices.
Variations on the basic cylinder include an air/oil
tandem for smooth control, a three-position
cylinder for positioning, and a back-to-back
cylinder for four-positions with a double rod end.
Air or hydraulic cylinders used for automatingcan
incorporate a non-rotating piston rod. This can be
done internally using a spline and hollow rod
construction or externally using an attachedguide
rod. Both are commerciallyavailableand havethe
advantageof a consistentrod position throughout
their strokerange. This is critical when attaching
tooling, such as grippers, (Figure 1). The non-
rotating piston rod ensuresthe gripper is always
positioned properly to handle the part.
Figure 1
CYLINDER DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a list of factors for consideration
when designing with a cylinder.
l Force required; push & pull
l Column strengthrod
l Rod sideload (not desireable; see slides)
l Torque on non-rotating rod
l Required cycle time’
l Number of positions
l Accuracy or repeatability
l Mounting considerations
l Required speed
ESCAPEMENTS
Escapementsutilize basic linear motion for
isolating individual parts in conjunction with
feeder bowls and magazinefeeds. The escape-
ment incorporatestwo sequencednon-rotating
shafts which are used to trap and then releaseone
part at a time. It can be tooled to fit a wide range
of part sizes and shapes.
ESCAPEMENT DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Sideload
l
Impact load
l
Cycle Time
l
Tooling
l
ROTARY ACTUATORS
Standardpneumatic and hydraulic rotary actuators
(Figure 2) can be used to rotate or position a part
during the loading and unloading process. They
Figure 2
can also serve as a power sourceto drive an arm
for rotation into and out of the work envelopeof a
machine (Figure 3). These fluid power actuators
are available in miniature sizes through large units
capableof producing torques in excessof 30,000
in./lbs.
 NS91-396-3
Figure 3
Standardrotary actuatorscan be specified for any
amount of rotation up to and including 720 de-
grees. The rotational motion they provide can be
very quick, or deliberate and smooth. This is
accomplishedthrough built-in speedcontrols, and
cushions for dampening shock at the end of
rotation. Maximum control on pneumaticrotary
actuatorsis achieved using part of the unit as a
hydraulic control. This produces an extremely
smooth rotation while using the simplicity of
pneumatic power. This type of rotary actuatorcan
be essentialwhen handling precision parts in and
out of machine tools.
As with the other componentsdiscussedin this
paper, rotary actuatorscan be combined with one
anotherto provide multiple axis rotary motion or
“wrist” action (Figure 4).
ROTARY ACTUATOR
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
lRequired torque-dynamic torque
lBearing load
lSpeed
lBacklash
lNumber of positions
lMounting so you can locate Port Controls@
lExternal shock absorber/stops
MULTI-MOTION ACTUATORS
Combinedlinear and rotary actuatorscan be very
usefulin a wide variety of pick-and-placeand
transferoperations.For this reason,standardpneu-
matic andhydraulic actuatorsam availablethat
provide this combinationf?oma singleoutput shaft
The linear androtary motionscan be controlled
separatelyproviding an independentreach-and-turn
function (Figure 5). This motion is ideal for trans-
ferring andrepositioningparts(Figure 6).
Like the rotary actuatorsand cylinders already
discussed,a wide range of strokes and rotation
can be specified, making it easy to adapt these
units to various machine tools. When combined
with swing arms (Figure 7), grippers, or other
tooling, the reach-and-turnaction provides the
perfect motion for pick-and-place and loading and
unloading applications.
 MS91-396-4

Figure 5 Figure 6

MULTI-MOTION DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Torque-dynamic torque
l

Figure 7 Push-pull
l

Sideloading-
l

(not good, see slides)

Backlash
l

Shot pins
l

External bearings
l

External shocks/stops
l

Accuracy or repeatability
l
\
Mounting considerations
l

Required cycle time

l

Number of positions
l

POWERED SLIDES
Powered linear slides are used to provide fixtured
linear motion. They utilize hardened ground
shafts and linear ball bushings to support the load.
Becauseof this construction, they handle longer
strokes than the cylinders and are used in applica-
tions where sideloading occurs. These slides are
generally powered by air or hydraulic cylinders.
 PIS91-396-5

Slides rely on the shafts and bearings for support.
Travels on slides range from a fraction of an inch
to several feet, with payloads of hundreds of
pounds.
Slides are broken down into two basic styles, a
cantilever type and a saddle type (Figure 8). The
design for a wide range of applications.
Slides and cylinders can be used individually or
combined to yield multi-axes of linear motions
(Figure 9).
Figure 9

Figure 8

CantileverSlide

TJp’ SaddleSlide

SLIDE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

cantilever slide is most often used with the main
body and cylinder static, and the tool plate extend- Cantilever or saddle type
l

ing and retracting. The saddle slide is usually Bearing capacity-best for sideload
l

used with the end blocks static and the saddle (or Force required
l

center block) traveling between the end blocks. Deflection

l

Each slide type has its advantagesbased on Speed required

l

mounting requirements and usage. Number of positions

l

Accuracy or repeatability
l

The fact that slides can be specified as to travel

and load carrying capability also makes it easy to
 MS91-396-6
GRIPPERS
Grippers can be the most design intensive compo-
nent of a loading or unloading device. Building a
special gripper to handle a specific part becomes
very expensive and time consuming. Many
applications use a standard commercially avail-
able gripper, that when properly tooled, perform
the same function as the special gripper.
Standard grippers are available in a wide range of
styles and sizes to cover the variety of parts being
handled. Most of these units are either pneumatic
or hydraulic, and provide parallel (linear) or
angular (rotational) jaw motion (Figure 10).
Figure 10
Angular
Parallel
Grippers are single acting or double acting, with
the double acting units having the ability of
gripping internally or externally on a part. Many
grippers use two jaws, or fingers, to grip a part.
In some situations three jaws are used to simplify
tooling. Internal springs may be used to ensure
that grip force is maintained in the event of
pressure loss. These same springs can be used to
add grip force to a double acting gripper (Figure
11). Locking grippers are also available. These
I-
SINGLEACTING DOUBLEACTING
I i
with Spring Close with Spring Assist
Openor Close
Spri$Open
Guardsagainstfailure due to
unforseenpneumaticpressureloss.
Figure 11
grippers contain an internal clutch mechanism
which locks onto the part until the actuator forces
the jaws to open. Some commercially available
grippers have proximity switches or sensors
which provide an electrical interface between the
gripper and controls for the loading or unloading
device.
The key to successfuluse of standard grippers is
tooling the fingers or jaws to properly grasp the
part being handled. It is best to take advantageof
a part by locking onto the part’s shape. This
ensuresaccurateregistration of the part and
maximizes the gripper’s strength.
GRIPPER DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Gripping force-safety factor typically 4: 1
l
Fail safe: 5300 with springs or locking
l
griPPer
Jaw movement
l
 MS91-396-7

l Electrical feedback Figure 13

l How to grip part tooling
l Total payload

SWITCHES AND SENSORS

Switches and sensorscan be used to tie the pneu-
matic actuatorsto a controller or sequencer.They
provide feedback so the controller knows where
the actuator is, triggering the next event. These
switches can be mounted on the actuator for
maximum efficiency in spaceand design time
(Figure 12). Standardbrackets are available for

Figure 12

both reed and Hall effect type switches. These

switches are actuatedby a magnetic band on the
actuator’spiston. In somecases,standardinduc- SWITCHES AND SENSORS
tive proximity switches are mounted directly on DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
the unit. Targets are provided to actuatethe type lACorDC
of switch. lSink or source
lNumber of signals required
Sensorscan be incorporated with rotary actuators lCable strain relief
and grippersto provide multiple signalsthroughthe lType of controller you are using
rotation or jaw movement (Figure 13). These are lSensorfits rotary actuator or gripper
used with a set-point module which provides four lRotary actuator set-point module only good
adjustableoutputs throughout the movementof up to 180 degreesof rotation
the actuator. lQuick disconnect

AUTOMATION HARDWARE
Part of keeping factory automation simple is
minimizing the amount of hardwarethat needsto
be designedand fabricated. The use of standard
 MS91-396-8

hardware (transition plates and shaft adaptors,

Figure 14) makes it easy to combine axes of Figure 14
motion. The hardware takes loose actuatorsand
allows them to be assembledinto a complete
loading or unloading device in addition to combi-
nation hardware, mounting stanchions(supports)
are also commercially available. They provide a
rigid support for mounting the actuatorsabove the
work surface (Figure 15). The use of combination
Figure 15

hardware and mounting stanchionswill add

greatly to the cost effectivenessof the machine
loading device.

APPLICATION EXAMPLE NUMBER ONE

Figure 16 shows a standardactuator with com-
bined linear and rotary motions used to automati-
cally unload a tubing cutoff lathe. Two standard
parallel motion grippers. In this application, the
tubing is also being chamferedon both ends as
part of the automatedprocess. The machine
sequenceis as follows: Prior to the tubing being
fed forward for cutoff, a chamfer tool is rotated
into place by the actuator. It is moved into con-
tact, chamfering the exposedend of the tubing.
Next the grippers are rotated in place to hold the
length of tubing being cut off. Each gripper has
been fitted with rollers to allow the tubing to spin
while being held in place. After the tubing is cut,
the chamfer tool is rotated back to chamfer the
 MS91-396-9
exposed end of the next length. At the same time,
the opposite end of the length just cut is being
chamfered by a second chamfer tool which is
rotating above the cutoff area. This ensuresboth
ends of the tube have chamfered inside diameters
when complete.
Figure 16
Fixed Position Rotating
ChamferTool 4 ~~~~~~~G~~/~~lers
Actuator
This unloading and dual chamfer operation is kept
simple through the use of standard hydraulic and
pneumatic actuators. Both the linear/rotary
actuator and grippers were tooled to perform a
specific function, but the device remains simple
and is very cost effective. Cycle time to unload
and chamfer both ends was approximately eight
seconds.
APPLICATION EXAMPLE NUMBER TWO
Figure 17 portrays a lathe loader/unloader devel-
oped from a slide, two rotary actuators, a non-
rotating cylinder, and a gripper. The slide pro-
vides the motion to move the work piece into and
out of the lathe chuck. The slide is mounted on a
three-position rotary actuator with a total rotation
of 180 degrees. This rotary actuator swings the
slide to either side of the lathe to pick up blank
parts or unload finished parts. A 90 degree stop is
provided to load and unload from the lathe chuck.
A non-rotating rod cylinder provides the vertical
axis of movement required to pick up the blank
part and the placement of the finished parts.
Attached to this cylinder is a miniature rotary
actuator used to rotate the part ‘to permit both ends
of the part to be machined. A gripper is used to
grasp the part during all phasesof loading, un-
loading, and repositioning in the chuck.
Standard actuator mounted proximity switches are
used throughout the device to provide inputs to a
programmable controller used to sequencethe
operation.
The use of standard actuators, mounting hard-
ware, and switches made this application afford-
able with a quick return on the investment.
APPLICATION EXAMPLE NUMBER THREE
Figute18containstwoseparatefunctionsworking
togetherto identify a pan’sorientationandproperly
transfertheparttoaconveyarfarErrocessingthrough a
grindingopendon. As the parts (3/8”drive sockets)
come out of a vibratory feeder, a determinationmust
be made as to the orientation they are in. One end of
the socketcontainsa hex and the:other a squarefor
the 3/V drive ratchet.
A small gripper with a built-in sensorand a powered
slide are usedto determine the parts orientation. As
each socketcomesout of the feeder, the gripper with
a sensorgaugesthe internal dimension.
There is an obvious difference between the hex
and the square. This operation lakes about one
second.
Once this determination has been made, the
socket is picked up and moved to the conveyor. If
 MS91-396-10

Figure 17

Non RotatingCylinder

Figure 18
 MS91-396-11

the orientation is incorrect, the socket is rotated

180 degreesduring the pickup and transfer opera-
tion. This operation is accomplishedby using two
powered slides, a rotary actuator, and a gripper.
The slides provide the lift and transfer; the gripper
graspsthe part, and the rotary actuator rotates the
part when necessary. Standard.actuators;actuator
mounted switches and sensors;and mounting
hardware were again used to minimize design and
build time. The unique use of the gripper and
sensoras a gauging device eliminated the needfor
a much more expensivevision system.

WHERE DO YOU START?

Consider your goals. Are they productivity,
safety, quality, labor savings,or others? One type
of area to look for is a bottle neck. If you can
improve a number of bottlenecks,productivity
will increase. Look for areaswhere safety is an
issue or where the long term effects of repetitive
motion are problems (i.e., boredom, Carpel
Tunnel Syndrome). Consider how material will
flow to and from the automation device. If you
are retrofitting an existing area.look at what can
be economically accomplished.,as opposedto
performing the operation totally with automation.
Always consider the return on investment. Auto-
mation should not.mean a blank check. Deter-
mine if you have in-house capabilities or if you
need the servicesof a machine builder or systems
integrater.

SUMMARY
The key to simple automation :isan awarenessof
the standardactuatorsavailable and the use of
tooling to make them effective. By combining the
linear motion of slides and cylinders with rotary
actuatorsand grippers, a wide .varietyof applica-
tions are achievable.