Pnuematics for Robotics

This is an Instructable on Pnuematics. The medium that
uses compressed air. Like the air under pressure in a

bike or car tire. A pump (air compressor) provides the

air pressure to move an air cylinder. Air cylinders are

one of the main components for robotics. It is the

hardware that makes robots move. The medium is

simple, safe and reliable. They can be made incredibly

sophisticated and complex or quite simple.

You could spend your life studying this field, it is quite

Here is a pnuematicly operated Handshaking Robot of mine;

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Air Clylinders

Air Cylinders
You can attach the object you want to move to the end of the cylinder or attach

a linkage to the end of the cylinder to get more complex movements.

Pneumatic cylinders (sometimes known as air cylinders) are mechanical devices

which produce force, often in combination with movement, and are powered by

compressed gas (typically air). There are 2 ports on most air cylinders, at the top and bottom. If you send air

to the bottom of the cylinder the rod extends, if the air goes to the top of the

cylinder, it retracts.

Here is a pnuematic robot I built with many air cylinders and valves.

AND, another;

Air Valves

We will use an air valve made specifically for air cylinders. The valve routes the

air to the cylinder extending the drive rod or retracting it creating

movement. Compressed air creates kinetic energy. The action of an air cylinder is

to drive a piston, and so, ultimately, the function of the entire machine can be

anything that's operated or actuated by the movement of piston.

Here is a very informative scan from the Grainger catalog.

You can find parts on ebay, Grainger, many more places and,

used here;