Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!uunet!vuse.vanderbilt.edu!pacman
From: pacman@vuse.vanderbilt.edu (Robert Todd Pack)
Subject: Re: Pneumatics?
Message-ID: <CA665E.7G7@vuse.vanderbilt.edu>
Followup-To: pacman@vuse.vanderbilt.edu
Summary: Pneumatic information
Keywords: Pneumatic, Sources
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Organization: Vanderbilt University School of Engineering, Nashville, TN, USA
References: <QgETTj_00Uh7E7K1UV@andrew.cmu.edu> <21tcftINNhej@uwm.edu> <piggy.742626539@newsroom.utas.edu.au>
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1993 19:29:37 GMT
Lines: 86

Hello fellow netlanders. Here at the Intelligent Robotics Lab at
Vanderbilt we use pneumatic robots extensively. There are many
benefits of using pneumatic actuators, but there are also
many headaches. Here are the names of a few comapnies that
deal with pneumatic components / actuators /valves, etc.
It is important to note that the most expensive and complex
component in a pneumatic system is usually the valves.

Clippard Instrument Laboratory Inc.
7390 Colerain Rd.
Cincinnatti Ohio 45239
(513)521-4261
(513)521-4464 FAX
These guys make pneumatic cylinders, fittings, valves, and computer interface
boards for their valves. Excellent variety of components. However it is mostly
focused on industrial pneumatics.


Honeywell (Skinner Valve Division)
95 Edgewood Avenue
New Bridge, CT 06051
(203)827-2300
This company also makes a huge variety of valves for all purposes. One
of the neatest things they make is their new BP Proportional Valves. This
allows you to vary pressure output with an input voltage. For this type
of valve, the BP is amazingly low in cost.

THE REXROTH CORPORATION
Pneumatics Div.
P.O. Box 13597
1953 Mercer Rd.
Lexington, KY 40511
(606)254-8031
Don't know much about them, but they have very nice things called
electro-pneumatic converters that turn a variable voltage into a
variable pressure. These are much more complex and have wider
range of operation than the BP valves.


SMC Pneumatics, Inc
3011 N. Franklin Rd.
P.O. Box 26640
Indianapolis, IN 46226
(317)899-4440
(317)899-3102 FAX
These guys make almost everything pneumatic! They have an excellent
line of electro pneumatic regulators, and have almost everything else
too, including pneumatic cylinders, rotary actuators, filters, grippers,
mufflers, etc.


Bridgestone Corporation of Japan
ACFAS Dept.
3-1-1, Ogawahigashi-sho, Kodaira-shi, Tokyo 187 Japan
Phone: (0423)42-3911
Fax: (0423)42-3961
This division of bridgeestone makes some remarkable actuators
called Rubbertuators that have very high strength to weight ratios
and unique properties. They also manufacture complete 5 and 6 DOF
robot arms based on this technology. We use their arms here at
Vanderbilt in our research. Inquire with them for more information,
It is really a unique technology and expands what is possible
with pneumatics.



As far as I can tell, the field of pneumatics is divided into two
completely separate universes. The first universe is the most common.
In this universe all valves are on-off or directional (no varying pressure)
and everything works in a "bang-bang" sort of way. This covers most pneumatic
systems used in industry. This stuff is high volume, and thus has very low
cost and high reliability. The other universe uses proportional or
variable pressure schemes, and special actuators like Bridgestone's.
This scheme is newer, not well entrenched in industry, and is also more
complicated. Thus it is normally orders of magnitude more expensive, and
interesting than "standard" penumatics.


-Todd


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