P N E U M AT I C A C T U ATO R S
What are the benefits of pneumatic actuators? Pneumatics is the technology of compressed air. Pressurized gas—generally air that is dry or lubricated— is used to actuate an end effector and do work. End effectors can range from the common cylinder to more application-specific devices such as grippers or air springs. Vacuum systems, also in the pneumatic realm, use vacuum generators and cups to handle delicate operations, such as lifting and moving large sheets of glass or delicate objects such as eggs. Pneumatics is common in industries that include medical, packaging, material handling, entertainment and even robotics. By its nature, air is easily compressible, and so pneumatic systems tend to absorb excessive shock, a feature useful in some applications. Most pneumatic systems operate at a pressure of about 100 psi, a small fraction of the 3,000 to 5,000 psi that some hydraulic systems see. As such, pneumatics is generally used when much smaller loads are involved.
Many industrial applications require linear motion. One of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to accomplish this is with a pneumatic actuator, often referred to as an air cylinder. The most common pneumatic actuator consists of a piston and rod moving inside a closed cylinder. This actuator style can be subdivided into two types based on the operating principle — single acting and double acting.
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