I am looking for a source of pneumatics, or information on how to build pneumatic systems.
I guess I could build the rams myself, but things like switches would be a little more awkward and time consuming. (The switches could be electrically or pneumatically switched)
The rams would need quite a fair length stroke, initially a 4" stroke, but parts of the equipment I am building may need 8" stroke. I also want them to be powered from a small air compressor, though if proof of concept shows the idea works, I will probably get a bigger compressor.
I am in the north Nottinghamshire area and I would like to see what I need prior to purchase (to ascertain suitablility and ask questions). Anyone know of any suppliers?
It's probably best to design round ISO standard cylinders, as many manufacturers make them.
Circuits tend to be drawn with CETOP symbols.
a fair range of parts is shown on the R.S. sight...
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R.S. published a useful pocket guide, but as my copy is 96-97 .....
look for manufacturers web sights, most will send a CD with their product information if asked..
As a general rule electrical parts are cheaper than air, but it can still work out cheaper if you use an entirely pneumatic system and avoid converting from air to electric and back.
Thanks for the info. I have just had a look. For what I am planning, it could make the machine quite expensive to make. :-(
The machine itself will have a 10" wood cutting saw blade and probably something like 8 router cutters. It is to cut and shape wood. It will be a production line machine.
I had considered hydraulics but the possibility of oil leaking onto the end product discounted that idea, so hence the reason for pneumatics. I don't know how to get what I need from electical actuators etc. (I don't know if electrical solenoids will have quite the reach, plus their actuation speed may be too much.)
The machine is a proof of concept. First off, all I want to do is to cut a length of wood by pushing the saw blade through it. I will have the blade mounted on a hinged arm which I intended to push down by the pneumatics, to reach a limit switch (pneumatic) which then retracted the blade and caused other cylinders to grab my bit of wood ready for further action.
The product it is to make is currently taking about 2 hours by hand. I envisage the machine being able to make it in a matter of minutes.
Does anyone know of a site on the net with drawings etc on how to make pneumatic devices? Something I was thinking of was to get some central heating pipe, cut it up, make a piston and end plates and test it on air. I am not sure if the pipe will be strong enough (I can't see any reason why not), but then I am not sure how to make the switching system. (I envisage shoving the piece of raw wood into the machine, hitting an end stop, which is a pneumatic switch, which brings the saw down and starts the ball rolling (so to speak).
Whilst I am a great ignorer of things 'Health and Safety' myself (are not many of us?!) I feel that I might jib at that last bit. It sounds to me as if you might have your hand just where the blade is waiting to pounce. :(
Mike (who has twice nearly lost a thumb in similar circumstances - nasty!)
I'm a newbye here, jumped here by a research regarding "engineering" word.
I'm a no-UK retired freelance technical consultant with several my own patents rated in Europe and US... so I know very well your kind of problem.
I don't sell nothing so my opinions are only for your own acknowledge...
A lot of automatic woodworking machinery are using "air" as a media to operate... (to do the hard work)... but "Oil" to regulate the "working Speed" itself...
...if you put a "simple" pneumatic jack" (Cylinder or elsewhere you name it in UK) to operate a circular saw to saw something... you will give an uppercut to the piece when it goes in contact with blade teeth...
The only way to avoid any problem is to apply a "Hydraulic Brake and Speed (Flow) Regulator in parallel to pneumatic one.
They are commercially available all over the world in standardized diameters and strokes.
European Safety Rules require a "Double Hand Control" which is meaning you have to push TWO single controls within 0.3 seconds otherwise operation will be automatically aborted.
Else these controls are commercially available.
Safety Switches are required to avoid any operation with "open Hoods" and so on...
But Air Pressure (or Air-Presence) could go "Out of Service"... so Clamps or Wises could open under sawing or Sawing Head" could fall-down...
This is meaning that you requirefo a kind of "Minimum Pressure Switch" winch let you operate only if there is a sufficient Air-Pressure...
"Compressed Air has to be "Filtered and Dry" for Controls and Servos and "Filtered and Oiled" for Operational Parts...
Apart a lot of other "Must to be" Parts and Components, running Safety Norms are requiring that in fall of Ai- Supply ALL parts under work have to "return" automatically in Safety mode, stopping the sawing and don't opening the Clamps or Wises if any.
In any way ANY product sold in Europe has to be "CE" compliance which is meaning a lot of Certificates and... money to invest for.
All required components are commercially available. Of course quotations could be very variable... ;-)
My suggestion are:
Test yourself the single "more interesting" parts you are inventing or developing...
...than you could do a Full-Immersion Pneumatic course or pass-along the job to a reputable Suppliers.
Using a "single* Supplier (if it is possible) you avoid any problem created by having two or more ones... ...if something goes wrong... it is depending from th "other ones"...
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