MODULE- 07 : FLUIDICS AND FLUID LOGIC

LECTURE- 28 : AUTOMATION AND PRINCIPLE OF CIRCUIT

DESIGN

Fluidics and fluid logic have wide application in automation systems in industry, ware house,
office, printing press, medical units and elsewhere. Design principles of such systems are
described with two examples in the following sections.

1. Practical Fluid Logic Circuit

Let us take a practical case of using of valves in logic control. Supposing that a simple
application has the requirement of maintaining the level of water unaltered in a reservoir by sensing
the water level and adjusting the inflow.

Pneumatic
valve
A=0

Hydraulic
valve

A=1

V=1

a
V=0

Out flow

Out flow
High level

Low level

Fig. 1 (a)

Fig. 1 (b)

The float sensor sends a signal A = 1 to the spring operated pneumatic valve when the level
is high; Fig 1(b). The pneumatic valve closes immediately working against its closing spring and
consequently the hydraulic valve is closed by its spring. When the level falls; Fig 1(a); the float
sensor stops sending signal i.e., A = 0. As a consequence the pneumatic valve opens under the
action of its spring, sending a pilot signal a to the hydraulic valve and thus opens it against its
closing spring. Water rushes in the tank. It the pneumatic valve has the input A and output a and

the hydraulic valve has got the input a and the output V then the action of the system can be
summarized in a tabular form like (Table 1)

High level
Low level

A
1
0

a
0
1

V
0
1

A and a are connected by NOT logic

a and V are connected by YES logic
i.e. A = a and a = V i.e.

Table- 1:
The following example [Ref. Bibliography 1] illustrates a circuit design for an industrial
situation.

2. A circuit Design Problem:

A suitable logic circuit and system layout is to be designed for sorting a series of objects
which are given certain codes attached to them so that they can sorted in three separate groups
automatically according to these codes.
For the system layout it is presumed that the coded object will be coming one after another on a belt
conveyor. At certain location each of them will be stopped for a while, the codes read and then they
will be switched to three sort in three separate groups. A schematic may be as in Fig.-2.
The object with codes a, b are brought form right to left by the main conveyor, Cylinder A ext ands
thereby stops an object on the conveyor while special pneumatic sensors read the code its
predecessor. When the code has been read and instruction sent over to logic circuit and the object
sorting is complete. The cylinder A further. The switching conveyor II, or (ii) in line with conveyor
I or (iii) with conveyor III. Accordingly the object on the switching conveyor wither moves over to
conveyor I, II or III and are sorted as Groups I, II, or III.

ab ab a
C0

1
C1
C

ab

ab

D1 ab a b b

c0

tandem cylinder CD

1
D

ab

d0

D0 D0

ab

Object feed

b
c+d+e

ab

Switchin
Conveyo

e0

Valve operating the

A0

Switchin
Hing

Valve to control the

stopping Cylinder

Carrying Object

A1

a+b

Cylinder to stop
objects for
one job at a time

Fig. 2

The switching conveyor is controlled and operated by the tandem cylinder CD and its swivelling
position is determined according to the code read out just a short while ago.
When the sorting of one object is complete the stopping cylinder A retracts and allows the next
object to go through the sorting process.
It is obvious that a number of sensors are necessary to send back information to the logic circuits as
their inputs. For example, three sensors c, d and e are shown at the ends of the three sorting
conveyors indicating end of travel. Any one of them reporting back means that one sorting is over.
Two other sensors a, b are needed to read the code on the object and send the information to the
relevant logic circuit as inputs. All these sensors need only to report yes or no i.e. 1 or 0. The
codes formed by a and b are therefore a=1, b=1; a=1,b=0; or a=0,b=1; the fourth combination,
namely, a=0, b=0 gives ambiguous information because it may also indicate that the sensors are not
working at all.
In a similar way the tandem cylinders must be able to ext in 3 different ways. If extension is
indicated as 1 retraction as 0, the three positions would be for different combinations of C & D as
(Table 2)

Action

Position I, leading to sort conveyor

Position II, leading to sort conveyor

Position III, leading to sort conveyor

Table 3

In order to actuate the tandem cylinders C and D, the valves must be operated by operated by
signals obtained form sensors a and B Each of these valves have two positions and may be called
C0 C1 and D0, D1 respectively. Similarly for cylinder A, the of its valve positions are A0 and A1.
So now we get the logic functions as:

C 0 a.b a.b ,
meaning that C0 is to actuate either. When a = 1, b = 1; or a = 1, b = 0. But by applying Boolean
algebra, Simplification is possible as follows.

C 0 a(b b) a.1 a
In this way the various logic functions of this problem are:
C0 = a;
D0 = ab ;
A0 = c + d + e;
D1 = ab + ab = b;
A1 = a + b
C1 = ab ;
These can be represented as a logic circuit as: (Fig. 3)
Inputs
a

Outputs

C0

a
C1

ba
b
b

D0
D1

a+b

A0

a+b+c

A1

Fig. 3

In order to get the logic circuit materialized into hardwares there are several alternate methods. One
of the possible solutions is shown here using mainly the laminar/turbulent type fluidic elements of
the NOR type, which has been discussed earlier. The system will work on low pressure pneumatic
line and is suitable for sorting small light objects. However. The power system consisting of
pneumatic or Hydraulic cylinders A, C, D and their valves need higher pressure for actuation. The
sensors are pneumatically operated.
The code reading sensors a and b consist of two simple co-axial cylinders with a gap in between. A
stream of air continuously blows through from one and to the other and then it goes through the
remaining part of the circuit (Fig. 4) when an object (in this case the code card with no punch hole
comes in between and obstructs the flow of air, a NOT or zero signal is obtained. Through a hole in
the code card the air caps blow freely and hence it gives a YES or a signal. The schematic view of
the sensor device is shown in Fig. 5. For the types of objects the codes are (Table 4):

Obstruction

Presence of
an object

(Presence of
an object)

X
To Circuit
Code Reading
Sensor

D
1

Y
Back-pressure sensor

Table 4

Fig. - 4

Fig. - 5

The Sensors can sense these and send corresponding signals to the valves of tandem cylinders C &
D so that consequent action takes place. These two signals a or b also can actuate the calve of
cylinder A and make it extend and stop the object flow on the main conveyor. When the sorting
work for an object is complete and the object reaches the end of its travel, either c or d or sends a
signal to this cylinder A and A retracts then allowing the next object to go through the process of
sorting.
After going through the logic circuit the output signals are kept latched in that until a fresh signal
comes and alters the state. This is like temporarily memorizing the last signal and hence the
arrangement is also called a memory or flip flop device (Fig.- 6). It can be made out of NOR
elements in the following manner (Fig. 7).
With a memory device the output will be x if the last input and this state will be maintained so long
the other input remains inactive. If the last input is XO, the output is a that state is maintained. In
both cases the last input signalled memorized.
In this example the logic circuit working with low pres fluidic devices. Hence the output signals
from them have the amplified before entry into power system.

MEMORY
X1

X
X

X0

X0

(a) MEMORY SYMBOL

X1

X1

X0
1

(b) MEMORY OR LATECHING

USING NOR ELEMENTS

(c) MEMORY USING

LAMINTARBULENT FLUIDIC

Fig. 6

Control Pressure
0.007 to 0.021 bar
Sensors
a
1

C1

ab

d
e

1
1

ab

ab

1
1

1
1

C0

1
1

D1
1

D0

To
Cylinder
C
To
Cylinder
D

D0

D0

A1

a+b
c+d+e

1
1

C0

C0
D1

C1

C1

c
1

ab

Latching
or Memory
for Outputs

Logic Circuit

Power Pressure
3 to 10 bar
Output
Power
AmpliSystem
fiers

1
a+b

A0
1

A1
A1

A0

A0

To
Cylinder
A

Fig. - 7 : Switching control for sorting coded objects, using fluidic NOR device

SUMMARY
Fundamentals of fluid logic circuit used in industry for automation are presented. Basic of the
logic and logic symbol based on Boolean algebra is briefly descried at first. The rules are to be
followed in developing the logic sequences are then presented. The method of constructing
simple circuit is also descried along with simplification in circuits.

SAMPLE QUESTION (MODULE 07):

1. i) Show the basic symbols used in logic circuit.
ii) How the NOR and NAND gates are made with the basic logic elements?
iii) Prove that (XY+A.B.C.) (XY+ A + B + C ) = XY.
Also make a truth table and draw elaborate and equivalent logic circuit diagrams?

2. What are the terms gate and truth table associated with fluid logic? Make the truth tables for
AND gate and NOR gate with two inputs in each case. Draw the different symbols used in fluid
logic circuit diagram. Prove that : A B C A . B . C .
3. Prove, with the help of truth table, that in binary logic system :

(i) (XY + A.B.C.) (XY + A B C ) = XY

Where X, Y, A, B and C are inputs. Draw the elaborate and equivalent logic circuits.
(ii) A.B.C. = A B C
Make YES & AND gates using only NOR elements.
4. Name and draw the symbols of different logic gates used in Fluid Logic Circuit. Write the
equation for the logic circuit shown in Fig.- 1. Prove the equation using truth table.

I
N
P
U
T
S

X
Y

AND
OR

A
B
C

AND

AND

OR

NOT
OR

O
U
T
P
U
T
S

INPUTES

Fig.-1

OUTPUTS