Pneumatics and Hydraulic

Systems
Part 2
Check Valves
• Check valve is a one-way directional valve, it allows the flow in one direction only.
• It does not permit the flow in the opposite direction. are also known as nonreturn valves
 er Balance Valve.
FLOW CONTROL VALVES
• Major application to control the speed of the cylinder and fluid motor, so these are also
known as speed control valves.
Fluid Circuits
• A pneumatic or hydraulic system is designed to perform a particular job and it consists of large number of
components when combined in a logical sequence to get desired output in the form of the motion of the
actuators and shown diagrammatically by using certain standard symbols of components, constitutes a fluid
circuit.
• It is very important to remember the standard symbols of every component along with the function of that
component in order to draw a fluid circuit diagram.

Any difference in Pneumatic and Hydraulic circuits;

• In pneumatic circuit diagrams, the return line is not necessary as in the case of hydraulic circuit diagrams
because in pneumatics, the used air from the cylinder can be directly exhausted to atmosphere
• In pneumatic circuit diagrams, R represents the exhaust port whereas in hydraulics, T represents it.
Elements of a Fluid Circuit
All elements required for the energy supply should be
• Driving elements: drawn at the bottom and the energy should be
pumps/compressors, filters, regulators,
pressure gauges, service units, pressure distributed from the bottom to the top.
relief valves, etc

• Controlling elements:
all types of valves, i.e., direction control
valves, flow control valves, pressure
control valves, signaling elements, etc

• Energy consuming
members :
Hydraulic and pneumatic actuators
come under energy consuming
members.
This flowchart means that the circuit diagram must be drawn without considering the actual physical locations of the
elements and it is recommended that all the cylinders and directional control valves must be drawn horizontally.
Numbering Components in a Fluid Circuit
• fluid circuits are so complex, because many
components
• it is difficult to understand where it starts and
where it end
• There are two types of systems for designating
components in a circuit diagram
• a system using digits and
• a System using letters
Pneumatic Circuits
Control Systems
• Open loop Control System

• Closed Loop System

 Design Method:
• Designers must also have a clear understanding both of the sequence of operations
(including pressure, temperature, filtration, and other operating conditions) and the
control requirements (including manual, automatic, start, stop, etc.).

• Trial and Error method

• Methodical Design -Cascade Design method, Algebraic method (Boolean Algebra),etc.

Regardless of the method or technique used to design a circuit

diagram, one should have acquired sound knowledge about pneumatic
valves, switches, fluidic elements, and means of actuation
 Motion diagrams
Position Step Diagram

two positions of a double-acting pneumatic cylinder

Position Time Diagram

Motion diagrams are the graphical representation of

all the conditions of working elements (elements
which do not take part in controlling).
Motion diagrams – Position Diagrams

Example:
1. Cylinder A clamps the workpiece.
2. Machine operation is performed on workpiece
3. Cylinder A proceeds backward. Cylinder B proceeds
forward.
4. After pushing the workpiece on the conveyor, cylinder
B travels back
Control Diagram
• Provide information about control elements only
• It may be called a condition step diagram
• Eg: The flow of fluid is started when electromagnets are energized and the flow of fluid stops when the coil is
de-energized for an electromagnet which constitutes a spool valve.
Cascade Design
• Cascading is a methodological approach to the problem of pneumatic circuit design.
• Reduces the complexity in design and the size and number of components used in circuits.

• Cascading means “in series.” In this method, the sequence of pneumatic cylinders is controlled by using
various types of signaling elements.
• These signaling elements are, of course, driven by the forward and backward strokes of the cylinders but the
air supply to pilot lines is delivered through a cascade system.
• In a cascade system, the forward and backward motions of the pneumatic cylinders are classified into
various groups. Then, those particular groups of movements are controlled with components in the cascade
system.
• The cascade system consists of group selector valves, bus bar lines, and pilot lines.
• Bus bar lines are basically pneumatic energy lines, which pass from plant.
• These are used to supply pneumatic energy to pneumatic systems.
Sign convention and Sequencing
Sign conventions
• Cylinder advanced movement is designated by: + ve(positive) sign
• Cylinder backward movement is designated by: −ve (negative) sign
• Cylinders can be named A, B, C, D, etc. ……. depending on their number
• Can denote the forward motion of cylinder A by the sign A+ and backward motion by A−.

Sequencing
• Sequencing may be defined as the process of putting things in the right order.
• It is the prime step in circuit design depending on the problem assigned.
• One can arrange the forward and backward motions of all the cylinders in the circuit.
• Position step diagrams can further show this sequence graphically.
 Designing a Pneumatic Circuit
• Problem: Design a pneumatic logic circuit by using the cascade method for the following sequence of cylinders: In a
two cylinder circuit, cylinder A extends in the first step, B extends in the second step, cylinder A retracts in the third
step, and cylinder B retracts in the fourth step.
• Solution: Drawing a pneumatic circuit by using the cascade method involves the following steps:
• Step 1. Sequence of Motions
• Step 2. Position Step Diagram
• Step 3. Grouping
• Step 4. Bus Bar Lines
• Step 5. Group Selector Switches
• Step 6. Drawing a Circuit
Designing a Pneumatic Circuit