Neumática Industrial, ¿Cómo Trabaja un Sistema Neumático?

Industrial Pneumatic Systems Overview

This section provides an introduction to industrial pneumatic systems, detailing the components involved and their role in automating repetitive processes.

Compressor and Air Preparation Unit

• The compressor generates energy in the form of compressed air by drawing in air from the surroundings and pressurizing it.

• Compressed air needs to be clean and dry to prevent damage to system components. A unit called the Air Preparation Unit (FRL) filters, regulates, and lubricates the compressed air.

• The FRL typically consists of a liquid separator, a filter, a regulator, and a lubricator to ensure the quality of the compressed air.

Pressure Regulation and Control

• Regulating the pressure of the compressed air impacts the force generated by the system. Higher pressure allows for more force while lower pressure results in less force.

• A regulator adjusts spring force to achieve a desired pressure setting. When pressure drops below this set point, an internal valve opens to allow high-pressure air flow downstream until reaching the set pressure.

Directional Control Valve Operation

• Directional control valves manage airflow direction within pneumatic systems using internal pathways controlled by movable elements known as spools or reels.

• These valves determine whether airflow is blocked or allowed through specific ports based on spool positions influenced by external signals such as those from a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC).

Actuator Functionality

Air Compressed Energy and Actuator Movement

This section discusses how compressed air energy is utilized in controlling the movement of an actuator through a directional control valve.

Utilization of Compressed Air Energy

• Compressed air energy from the directional control valve pushes the piston inside a cylinder, causing it to move forward.

• The actuator continues moving until it reaches its physical limit or if the resistance (load) exceeds the force of compressed air.

• To retract the actuator, the directional control valve changes the airflow direction from one side of the piston to the other.

• The reverse movement, known as retraction, expels air from the cylinder through an exhaust port.

• This process can be repeated based on signals from a PLC to move objects between points A and B using clean, dry compressed air.