A Cyber-Physical-based intelligent pneumatic valve has foundational hardware that allows it to change functionality via a downloadable app. In other words, if a fluid power application required proportional control, directional control, and soft stop, a design engineer utilizing a Cyber-Physical valve would not need to specify multiple hardware components. He or she would instead simply specify a single part number for valve hardware, then download an app for each performance requirement. In a Cyber-Physical System, as illustrated in Figure 1, applications change the functionality while the hardware is standardized across applications.
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hen a single intelligent valve can replace 50 components, a whole new world opens for fluid power control
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Engineers calculate that a single intelligent pneumatic valve part number can replace up to 50 different components.3 This means that a single hardware component delivers the following benefits of standardization: • Fewer part numbers to order and carry in inventory • Faster, easier design • Quicker time to market • Shorter bills of material with fewer mistakes • Reduced assembly time and hassles • Simpler configuration through parameterization, not programming • Quick and easy valve replacement • Increased reuse Due to the unique nature of intelligent pneumatic valves, there will be a host of new capabilities, including immediate leak detection and future-fault predictive capabilities based on internal sensors and associated processing power. Valve energy consumption will be reduced by 90% over typical solenoid valves. Learning that one intelligent valve can replace 50 different components, one might visualize a hefty component stuffed with electronics. That is not the case. Just like a smart phone, the intelligent valve is compact, the result of the valve’s unique combination of electronics, mechanics, and software.
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FIGURE 2: The conventional onefunction valve FIGURE 3: Key components in the intelligent valve FIGURE 4: • Four 2/2-way valves (diaphragm poppet valves) are connected in a series to form a full bridge • Each diaphragm poppet valve (gray) is proportionally piloted and controlled by two piezo valves (blue)
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WWW.IFPS.ORG • WWW.FLUIDPOWERJOURNAL.COM
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raditional spool and intelligent valves design contrasted
To better understand the difference between mechanical and intelligent pneumatic valves, it is helpful to look at the component architectures of the two. Mechanical valves have fixed control surfaces that provide a single or small finite number of functions. Figure 2 shows a typical spool design for a directional control valve. The control surfaces, the chamfered edges of the blue spool, are fixed – not changeable. Intelligent pneumatic valves are based on Piezo pilot valves, left, in Figure 3, and diaphragm poppet valves, right. Each Piezo cartridge has two 2/2-way valves. The key benefits of Piezo pilot valves are their exceptionally low power consumption, about 90% less than conventional solenoid valves, their quick action, and pneumatic proportional control. As shown in Figure 4, Piezo pilot valves and poppet valves are linked in a bridge circuit, a circuit that can replicate pneumatic valve functions. TECH DIRECTORY 2018
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