PNEUMATIC CYLINDER ACTUATION FOR PICK AND PLACE

OPERATION USING CAMERA SENSOR INPUT

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of B.Tech. in

Department of Mechanical Engineering
by:
Vindhya Shanker (1302740179)
Vinita Singh (1302740181)
Saurabh Singh (1302740134)
Mratunjay Kumar (1402731911)
Himalaya (1302731067)

Under the supervision of

Mr. Ajay Pratap Singh

Asst. Prof., Department Of Mechanical Engineering
And
Mr. Rahul Mahajan
Asst. Prof., Department Of Mechanical Engineering

Ajay Kumar Garg Engineering College, Ghaziabad

27th Km Stone, Delhi-Hapur Bypass Road, Adhyatmik Nagar, Ghaziabad-201009

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow

May2017

i
 DECLARATION

We hereby declare that this submission is our own work and that, to the best of our
knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by
another person, nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the
award of any other degree or diploma by the university or other institute of higher
learning, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text.

Signature: Signature: Signature:

Vindhya Shanker Vinita Singh Saurabh Singh
Roll No: 1302740179 Roll No: 1302740181 Roll NO: 1302740134

Signature: Signature:
Mratunjay Himalaya Kumar
Roll No: 1402731911 Roll No: 1302731067

ii
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Project Report entitled “PNEUMATIC CYLINDER

ACTUATION FOR PICK AND PLACE OPERATION USING CAMERA SENSOR
INPUT” which is submitted by Vindhya Shankar, Vinita Singh, Saurabh Singh,
Mratunjay Kumar and Himalaya in the partial fulfillment of the requirement for the
award of degree of Bachelor of Technology (Mechanical Engineering) submitted to Dr.
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow is a record of students’ own work
carried out under our supervision. The matter in this report has not been submitted to
any other University or Institute for award of any degree.

Supervisor:

Mr.Ajay Pratap Singh Mr. Rahul Mahajan

Asst. Prof., Asst. Prof.,
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Prof. Ashiv Shah

Head, CORE

Date:10.5.2017

iii
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We take this opportunity to express our deep sense of gratitude and regard to Mr. Ajay
Pratap Singh (Asst. prof., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering) & Mr. Rahul Mahajan
(Asst. Prof., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering), Ajay Kumar Garg Engineering College,
Ghaziabad for their continuous encouragement and able guidance, we needed to
complete this project.

We are also grateful to Mr. Shashank, Mr.Vivek & Mr. Gaurav Chaudhary
(Advance welding technology & research center) and Mr. Rahul Dixit & Mr. Mahesh
Sharma (Center of excellence in Automation Technology), Ajay Kumar Garg Engineering
College, Ghaziabad for their continuous support and valuable suggestions.

We would pay our sincere gratitude to Prof. Ashiv Shah, (Head, CORE), for his
precious and enlightening words of wisdom which motivated us throughout our project
work.

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 ABSTRACT

Pneumatic cylinder actuation for pick and place operation using camera sensor input is
a type of an automated pneumatic system that can sense the geometry (height) and
position of the object and perform pick and place operation from sensed location to a
set location on the basis of a developed logic .The Camera sensor after sensing and
analyzing the input color code through PLC, the vertical actuator will come downward
through a suitable height. Then the bellow gripper will grip the object vertically and it
will go back upward again.
In general, jobs with complicated movements requiring a high level of accuracy need
more expensive pick-and-place systems. If the application has a fixed travel path and
doesn’t need repositioning or multiple positioning, a pneumatic pick-and-place system
is often the best choice. In material handling and assembly there are many ways to move
an item from one location to another. Conveyors can only move objects in a fixed path,
limiting their use in many manufacturing applications. When more precision is required
than a conveyor can deliver, such as when the part orientation or alignment needs to be
changed, a pick-and-place system is often used. Pick-and-place technology is also
typically used for packaging applications in which items are placed in containers or
stacked. A similar plc controlled pneumatic arm for material handling is developed at
university in abroad which uses pressure release valves , gauges , IR sensor for material
detection. It is a system which is very much similar to our pneumatic system of position
control.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Declaration ii
Certificate iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
List of figures vii
List of tables viii
List of symbols ix
List of abbreviations x
Chapter 1. Introduction 1-6
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Project idea 4
1.3 Objective 4
1.4 Project organization 6
Chapter 2. Literature review 7-12
2.1 Working Principle of pneumatic system 7
2.2 Research Paper Evaluation 7
Chapter 3. Proposed Methodology 13-29
3.1Mechanical Approach 13-24
3.1.1 Sequence of operation 13
3.1.2 Specimen specification 14
3.1.3 Arm design 14
3.1.4 Components selected 16
3.2 Electronics Approach 24-29
3.2.1 Sensors selection 24
3.2.2 Controllers 25
Chapter 4. Calculation 30-38
Chapter 5. Results 39
References 40
Appendix 41-43
Appendix 1 41
Appendix 2 43

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 LIST OF FIGURES
Fig 2.1 Air flow in Double-Acting Cylinder 9
Fig 3.1 Design of industrial arm 14
Fig 3.2 Rejected design 15
Fig 3.3 Selected design 15
Fig 3.4 Mechanical gripper 16
Fig 3.5 Pneumatic linear actuator 17
Fig 3.6 Hollow shaft 17
Fig 3.7 Chain and sprocket 17
Fig 3.8 Bearing 18
Fig 3.9 Rotary actuator 18
Fig 3.10 Valves 19
Fig 3.11 Compressor 19
Fig 3.12 Air flow meter 20
Fig 3.13 Pressure control unit 20
Fig 3.14 Wood 21
Fig 3.15 Metal plate 21
Fig 3.16 One touch fitting 22
Fig 3.17 Exhaust ports 22
Fig 3.18 Foot mountings 22
Fig 3.19 Raspberry pi Camera 24
Fig 3.20 Proximity sensors 25
Fig 3.21 Micrologix 1000 PLC 27
Fig 3.22 Raspberry pi 3 controller 29
Fig 4.1 Force and moment diagram of plate 30
Fig 4.2 Force and moment diagram of shaft 32
Fig 4.3 Force and moment diagram of plate 34
Fig 4.4 Force and moment diagram of shaft 36
Fig 5.1 Fabricated design 39

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 LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1 Bill of material 23
Table 3.2 General Specification of PLC 26

viii
 LIST OF SYMBOLS
Symbols Description
RA Reaction force at point A in pate
w Uniformly distributed load on plate
MA Reaction moment at point A in plate
Fr Rotational force due to torque
Fr1,Fr2 Rotational force on shaft 1 and shaft 2 respectively
T Torque transmitted by rotary actuator to shaft in design 1
T1 Torque transmitted by rotary actuator to shaft 1 in design 2
T2 Torque transmitted by chain and sprocket to shaft 2 in design 2
d1, d2 Outer and inner diameter of all shafts respectively
fos Factor of safety
r Radius of rotation in design 1
r1, r2 Radius of rotation in shaft 1 and shaft 2 respectively in design 2
τper Permissible shear stress in shaft
τmax Maximum shear stress due to torsion
σr Radial stress in wooden plate
σper Permissible stress in wood

Sut Ultimate tensile stress

MT Equivalent torsion moment

BM Bending moment

lAB,lAC length of sections of metal plate

L Length of shaft

ZN.A. Section modulus at neutral axis

ix
 LIST OF ABBREVIATION

SFD Shear force diagram

BMD Bending moment diagram

x
 Chapter 1

Introduction

1.1 Introduction

In order to perform pick and place operations in various industries , there is a need of
an automated system which can easily perform the required tasks with accuracy .The
purpose of the project is to design an automated pneumatic system using pneumatic
sources and camera sensor input so that it can easily sense the position of an object
and place it at a desired position .In various small scale industries there is a need of a
system which can reduce the human effort required for positioning of objects from
one place to another .Hence a sensor operated pneumatic system can assist in reducing
the effort to a large extent. By the application of pneumatics, the pneumatic system
with cylinder which uses a piston operated by air compressor will provide successive
pressure to operate the system. By this we can achieve our industrial requirements.

There are several benefits of using the Automated Pneumatic System stated as below:-

a) Helps in achieving mass production

b) Reduces man power
c) Increases the efficiency of industry
d) Reduces the work load
e) Reduces production cost and time
f) Makes material handling easier
g) Reduces the fatigue of workers

The key part of this system is compressed air supplied by the cylinder at a particular
pressure and delivers it at a suitable temperature. As air is non-polluting and a cheap
source so the entire system is ecofriendly in nature.

Mechatronics Approach:-

Design through mechatronics approach requires the integration of a wide range of

material and information to provide more flexible and of high performance products
including wide range of features. The mechatronic approach to the engineering design

1
thus involves an integration of the electronics and computing technologies with the
mechanical system throughout the design process. This mechatronic approach may be
used to provide enhanced performance products and other outputs.
Mechatronics is synergistic combination of different engineering domains which are
used collectively for product or machine design. These engineering domains include
mechanical, electrical, networking, instrumentation, computer science, artificial
intelligence and many more. Here are the different design approaches followed for
product design and how they differ from each other.
 Sequential Engineering or traditional design
Sequential engineering is the term used to describe the method of product or process
design in a linear format. The different steps are done one after another, with all
attention and resources focused on that one task. After it is completed it is left alone
and everything is concentrated on the next task.

2
  Concurrent Engineering
Different tasks are tackled at the same time, and not necessarily in the usual order. A
non-linear project design approach during which all phases of PLM operate at the same
time - simultaneously. Both product and process design run in parallel and occur in the
same time frame. Several teams within an organization work simultaneously to develop
new products and services. This means that info found out later in the process can be
added to earlier parts, improving them, and also saving a lot of time. Product and
process are closely coordinated to achieve optimal matching of requirements for
effective cost, quality, and delivery. Decision making involves full team participation
and involvement. The team often consists of product design engineers, manufacturing
engineers, marketing personnel, purchasing, finance, and suppliers.

3
1.2 Project Idea
A similar project based on pneumatics is developed at a university in abroad which is
utilizing the same sources for pick and place operations. Also there are some of
industries in India which are having these type of automated pneumatic systems for
placing the objects in order to reduce the effort of workers. We got an idea from
these sort of prevailing techniques that we can also generate a system based on
pneumatics which can perform on desired logic with the help of camera sensor which
will send an input signal by sensing the geometry and position of an object and can
easily place the object from one position to another with the help of gripper controlled
pneumatic actuators.

The most common pick-and-place systems employ either pneumatics or systems

with hybrid electro-pneumatic systems also an option in some applications. Then
question becomes what system is the best for each application, taking into the account
multiple factors including cost, complexity, performance, and maintenance. The sort
of movement that must be performed, the required accuracy of the placement , the
weight of the objects to be lifted, the shape of the parts, the distance they must travel
and other such considerations will determine the system best suited for the
application. In general, jobs with complicated movements requiring a high level of
accuracy need more expensive electromechanical pick-and-place systems. If the
application has a fixed travel path and doesn’t need repositioning or multiple
positioning, a pneumatic pick-and-place system is often the best choice.

1.3 Objective

The objective of the project is to design an automated pneumatic system that sense the
geometry (height) and position of the object and place it to a set location on the basis
of a developed logic.

Scope-

a) Pick and place operation of objects of varying height using same mechanism
b) Sorting

Software Requirements-

a) 3D modelling – The manual modeling process of preparing geometric data

4
 for 3D computer graphics . 3D modeling software is a class of 3D computer
graphics software used to produce 3D models. Some of them are: NX-Cad,
Auto Cad, Solid edge.
NX-Cad used for Design (parametric and direct solid/surface modelling),
Auto-Cad used assist in the preparation of blueprints and other engineering
plans. Solid edge helps in assembly modelling and 2D orthographic view
functionality for mechanical aspects.

b) Analysis software –Ansys: ANSYS Mechanical is a finite element

analysis tool for structural analysis ,including linear, nonlinear and
dynamic studies
This computer simulation product provides finite elements to model behavior
and supports material models and equation solvers for a wide range of design
problems of mechanical field.
We have finally chosen the Solid works for our system design as it is much
faster and effective software for designing the model.

Knowledge needed-

a) Machine design: In order to have basic idea about the various components used in
the system, their factor of safety, bearing capacity, shaft design etc.

b) Strength of materials: In reference to various loads acting on the arm of pick and
place system. The bending moment, torsion, deflection etc. generated in the system.

c) Theory of machines and basic mechanics: It helps in understanding the various

mechanism involved in the entire system during the motion of linear actuator ,
chain sprocket mechanism etc.

d) Electro pneumatics: Electro Pneumatic control integrates pneumatic and electrical

technologies, is more widely used for large applications. In Electro Pneumatics, the
signal medium is the electrical signal.

e) Embedded system: sensor interfacing is a mix of amplification, filtering, and other

signal conditioning as well as analog to digital conversion.

5
f) Image processing : image processing is processing of images using mathematical
operations by using any form of signal processing for which the input is an image
or a series of images.

1.4 Project Organization

Till now, we have discussed the Introduction part of the project in Chapter 1,
getting a brief idea about the objective and ideology of the project.

In the next part i.e. Chapter 2 , we will be discussing the literature survey of
our project describing the various research papers which were studied during the
project and what were the things which were helpful for us . Then the working
principle used in the system, schematic presentation of our model.

In Chapter 3 , we will look at the proposed methodology adopted to carry out

the various operations in our project . The main procedural steps performed in
order to operate the pneumatic system properly. The different components used in
the system for creating the entire assembly.

In Chapter 4 , we will discuss how the whole experimentation of the project

was carried out from the beginning till the end . The difficulties encountered while
performing the test on the system and what suitable actions were taken in order
to overcome them.

In Chapter 5 , the Results obtained from the project will be discussed in this
section. The positioning of the objects from one point to the desired location is
carried out as a result of the pick and place operation of pneumatic system by camera
sensor input

In Chapter 6, we have discussed the Future Scope of the designed project from
various perspectives. How can the project be used in future for different
applications in a variety of fields in order to carry out the positioning operations with
ease without any human effort by the help of pneumatics actuation mechanism.

6
 CHAPTER 2

Literature Review

2.1 WORKING PRINCIPLE OF PNEUMATIC SYSTEM

The compressed air from the compressor is used as the force medium for this
system. The air from the compressor enters into the control valve. Horizontal and
Vertical actuators are used in our pneumatic system along with the rotary actuator
, bellow gripper camera, chain sprocket system, Arduino sensor and 5/2
directional control valves. The Camera sensor after sensing and analyzing the input
colour code through PID controller, the vertical actuator will come downward
through a suitable height. Then the bellow gripper will grip the object vertically and it
will go back upward back

Rotary actuator will rotate through a set angle for selected height .The Horizontal
actuator will move for the selected height as desired. After it, the vertical actuator
will come down again and bellow gripper will drop the object and come back upward
again. If the horizontal actuator has move, then it will return back to its original
position and the rotary actuator will attain its line position. We are using the Chain &
Sprocket for transmitting the rotational motion from actuator to the arm mechanism.

In this Mechanism we have basically used two main mechanism namely-

a. Picking operation
b. Place and Return operation

We are also using MATLAB for converting RGB image to gray scale image and next
we are going to do extract out the planes from the gray scale image. We will test two
different cubes like structure of different colour on white background First object is of
dimension 4*4 in red colour and second object is of dimension of 6*6 in yellow color.

2.2 Research Papers Evaluation-

Bierbaum - et –al [1] carried out the work on Force Position Control for a
Pneumatic Anthropomorphic Hand .Robotic hands based on fluidic actuators are
a promising technology for humanoid robots due to their compact size and
excellent power - weight-ratio. Yet, such actuators are difficult to control due to the

7
inherent nonlinearities of pneumatic systems. In this paper we present a control
approach based on a simplified model of the fluidic actuator providing force
and position control and further fingertip contact by detection . We have also
implemented the method on the microcontroller of the human hand sized FRH-4 robot
hand with 8 DoF and present results several experiments , including system response
and force controlled operation.

Chen-et-al [2] carried out the work on Visual control of a pneumatic driven
manipulator for the biomedical technology.

a) Visual control technology can be implemented to track the position of an

object and increase the probability of success of the micromanipulation
process.
b) The proposed system is built by the designed pneumatic force control system
and the microscope, which are integrated with the control interface. The
pneumatic driven manipulation system is driven by the pneumatic cylinders.
c) Visual C++ code from MFC is used to finish the control interface. A self
tuning fuzzy controller with a dead zone compensator is designed to improve
the force precision of the proposed system.
d) From experimental results, the force error can be controlled within±1 mN and
the position error can be stayed within±1 pixel using the visual servo.

Pai- et- al [3] performed their work on a Precision Control of a new Servo
Pneumatic Table . In the paper the designed pneumatic diaphragm servo table can
satisfy the object of reduction of the friction force and high precision positioning
table , a hybrid fuzzy logic and dead zone compensation controller is designed,
the system under the conditions- without load, with load and with axial loading
force, the nanometre accuracy positioning is obtainable.

Air Flow Required for Double-Acting Cylinder [4]. We must gather some basic
information about your pneumatic cylinder so we can calculate the air
consumption:

8
 Fig-2.1

In a double-acting cylinder, the retracting volume and extending volume differ by the
displacement of the rod. The formula for the air consumption of a double-acting
pneumatic cylinder is as follows:

 A = Piston Area (Square Inches)

 R= Rod Area (Square Inches)
 S = Stroke (Inches)
 C = Cycles per Minute
 CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) = [(2*A - R) x S x C] / 1728

Keep in mind that dwell times and cylinder sequence can affect result when using this
formula. In certain applications, the double-acting cylinder may be required to extend
and retract at a different rate. Obviously, this changes our calculation of the air
consumption. In this situation, the air consumption of each stroke and must be
calculated as follows:

 EC = Extend cycles per minute (ignoring dwell time)

 RC = Retract cycles per minute (ignoring dwell time)
 CFM = (A x S x EC) / 1728 + [(A - R) x S x RC]

Converting CFM to SCFM

Converting the flow rate from CFM (compressed air) to SCFM (free air) can be
calculated as follows:

P = Pressure (PSIG)

SCFM = CFM x (P + 14.7) / 14.7

9
Zhang [5] carried out the working on Camera Calibration Techniques. An object of
known dimensions was chosen for calibration because its size is independent of object
orientation. Since the calibration object is contrived , there is no problem
obtaining a good contrast image . An image of the object is captured , then the
thresholded , and features of the resulting image measured. Two methods of pixel
calibration will be compared in this paper: length based measurements, and area based
measurements.

Rich-et-al [6] carried out the work on making the case for pneumatic pick and place.
In materials handling and assembly there are many ways to move an item from one
location to another. Conveyors can only move objects in a fixed path, limiting their
use in many manufacturing applications. When more precision is required than a
conveyor can deliver, such as when the part orientation or alignment needs to be
changed, a pick-and-place system is often used.

The amount of movement (s) that must be performed, the required accuracy of
the placement , the weight of the objects to be lifted , the shape of the parts, the
distance they must travel , and other such considerations will determine system
best suited for the application . In general, jobs with complicated movements
requiring a high level of accuracy need more expensive electro mechanical pick-and-
place systems. If the application has a fixed travel path and doesn’t need repositioning
or multiple positioning, a pneumatic pick-and-place system is often the best choice.

Image processing

Image processing is processing of images using mathematical operations by using any

form of signal processing for which the input is an image, a series of images, or a
video, such as a photograph or video frame; the output of image processing may be
either an image or a set of characteristics or parameters related to the image. Most
image-processing techniques involve isolating the individual color planes of an image
and treating them as two-dimensional signal and applying standard signal-processing
techniques to them. Images are also processed as three-dimensional signals with the
third-dimension being time or the z-axis.

10
Image processing usually refers to digital image processing, but optical and analog
image processing also are possible. The acquisition of images (producing the input
image in the first place) is referred to as imaging.

Closely related to image processing are computer graphics and computer vision. In
computer graphics, images are manually made from physical models of objects,
environments, and lighting, instead of being acquired (via imaging devices such as
cameras) from natural scenes, as in most animated movies. Computer vision, on the
other hand, is often considered high-level image processing out of which a
machine/computer/software intends to decipher the physical contents of an image or a
sequence of images (e.g., videos or 3D full-body magnetic resonance scans).

In modern sciences and technologies, images also gain much broader scopes due to
the ever growing importance of scientific visualization (of often large-scale complex
scientific/experimental data). Examples include microarray data in genetic research,
or real-time multi-asset portfolio trading in finance. Microscope image processing
specializes in the processing of images obtained by microscope.

Camera selection

The following two questions need to be asked and answered for camera selection for
an image processing application. What the camera should be able to see? What
characteristics are necessary for the camera to deliver precisely what is defined
above?

Cameras for image processing systems are categorized either as industrial/machine

vision (MV) or network/IP (Internet Protocol) cameras.

Network cameras, also known as IP (Internet Protocol) cameras, record videos. They
are frequently used in classical surveillance applications and in combination with
industrial cameras. They are typically placed within robust housings designed to be
resistant to jolts and harsh weather, making them suited for use indoors or out. A
variety of functions, including day/night modes and special infrared filters (blocking
or pass filters), have been engineered to deliver outstanding image quality even under
extremely poor lighting and weather conditions. Network cameras acquire the images

11
and compress them. This reduces the volume of data to such a degree that it can be
stored in the camera. By connecting to a network, a theoretically unlimited number of
users can also access the camera.

12
 CHAPTER 3

PROPOSED METHODOLOGY
3.1 Mechanical Approach-
3.1.1 Sequence of Operation:
The first step taken was to develop a complete understanding about the operations
to be performed by the system. The entire operation was grouped in two for
complete understanding which are as follows:

I. Picking operation:-
i. Downward movement of vertical actuator.
ii. Functioning of gripper.
iii. Upward movement of vertical actuator.

II. Placing and Return operation:-

i. Motion of rotary actuator.
ii. Motion of horizontal actuator.
iii. Downward motion of vertical actuator.
iv. Functioning of gripper.
v. Upward movement of vertical actuator.
vi. Motion of horizontal actuator.
vii. Motion of rotary actuator.

 PICKING:-
The Camera sensor after sensing and analyzing the input colour code through PID
controller, the vertical actuator will come downward through a suitable height.
Then the bellow gripper will grip the object vertically and it will go back upward
again.
 PLACE & RETURN:-
Rotary actuator will rotate through a set angle for selected height .The
Horizontal actuator will move for the selected height as desired. After it, the
vertical actuator will come down again and bellow gripper will drop the object
and come back upward again.

13
 If the horizontal actuator has moved, then it will return back to its original
position and the rotary actuator will attain its line position.
We are using the Chain & Sprocket for transmitting the rotational motion from
actuator to the arm mechanism.

3.1.2 Specimen Specification

1. Wooden block of dimension 4.5*4.5*6.5cm having an extended part of
2.2*2.2*2.5cm.
2. Wooden block of dimension 4.5*4.5*9.5cm having an extended part of
2.2*2.2*2.5cm.
3. Weight of first block is 115gm in weight and red in colour.
4. Weight of second block is 164gm in weight and green in colour.
3.1.3 Arm Design:
The first step under this was to search a pre-existing pneumatic arm that could carry
out the required operations desired by our system. The motive was to develop a basic
understanding of the type of design that could sustain the load as well as work
efficiently in carrying out the function and also to remain away from absurd design
ideas.

Fig-3.1
On the basis of the design of industrial arm shown above, a CAD model was
developed with the help of solid works software.

14
 Fig-3.2
This design was later rejected because the wooden structure was unable to sustain the
generated stress. The calculation showing the force analysis of the design is presented
in chapter 4.
Due to these difficulties another CAD model was developed with provisions for the
above mentioned problems as shown:

Fig-3.3
This design was found to be safe after force analysis and was used for fabrication of
model.

15
3.1.4 Components Selected:
The second step taken was to list down the type of components that we would use for
developing of our system. The components were selected after detailed study of
operations to be performed and are as follows:-
I. Mechanical Gripper
A mechanical gripper is used as an end effector in a robot for grasping the objects
with its mechanically operated fingers. In industries, two fingers are enough for
holding purposes. More than three fingers can also be used based on the application.
As most of the fingers are of replaceable type, it can be easily removed and replaced.

Fig-3.4
II. Pneumatic Linear Actuators
Pneumatic actuators, or pneumatic cylinders, are similar to hydraulic actuators except
they use compressed gas to generate force instead of a liquid. They work similarly to
a piston in which air is pumped inside a chamber and pushed out of the other side of
the chamber. Air actuators are not necessarily used for heavy duty machinery and
instances where large amounts of weight are present. One of the reasons pneumatic
linear actuators are preferred to other types is the fact that the power source is simply
an air compressor. Because air is the input source, pneumatic actuators are able to be
used in many places of mechanical activity. It will be used to move gripper vertically
and arm horizontally.

16
 Fig-3.5
III. Hollow shafts
Hollow shafts of mild steel were selected to transfer rotary motion to the horizontal
sections of the arm.

Fig-3.6
IV. Chain and Sprocket
It is used to transmit torque from one shaft to other shaft.

Fig-3.7
V. Bearings
Rotary bearings hold rotating components such as shafts or axles within mechanical
systems, and transfer axial and radial loads from the source of the load to the structure
supporting it. The simplest form of bearing, the plain bearing, consists of a shaft
rotating in a hole. Lubrication is often used to reduce friction. In the ball

17
bearing and roller bearing, to prevent sliding friction, rolling elements such as rollers
or balls with a circular cross-section are located between the races or journals of the
bearing assembly. A wide variety of bearing designs exists to allow the demands of
the application to be correctly met for maximum efficiency, reliability, durability and
performance.

Fig-3.8
VI. Rotary Actuators
Pneumatic power may be used to drive an actuator, usually the larger and more
powerful types. As their internal construction is generally similar they are often
considered together as fluid power actuators. Fluid power actuators are of two
common forms: those where a linear piston and cylinder mechanism is geared to
produce rotation, and those where a rotating asymmetrical vane swings through a
cylinder of two different radii. The differential pressure between the two sides of the
vane gives rise to an unbalanced force and thus a torque on the output shaft. Vane
actuators require a number of sliding seals and the joins between these seals have
tended to cause more problems with leakage than for the piston and cylinder type.

++
Fig-3.9

18
VII. Valves
A valve is a device that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases,
liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing
various passageways. Valves are technically fittings, but are usually discussed as a
separate category. In an open valve, fluid flows in a direction from higher pressure to
lower pressure. The word is derived from the Latin valva, the moving part of a door,
in turn from volvere, to turn, roll.

Fig-3.10
VIII. Compressor
An air compressor is a device that converts power (using an electric motor, diesel or
gasoline engine, etc.) into potential energy stored in pressurized air (i.e., compressed
air). By one of several methods, an air compressor forces more and more air into a
storage tank, increasing the pressure. When tank pressure reaches its upper limit the
air compressor shuts off. The compressed air, then, is held in the tank until called into
use. The energy contained in the compressed air can be used for a variety of
applications, utilizing the kinetic energy of the air as it is released and the tank
depressurizes. When tank pressure reaches its lower limit, the air compressor turns on
again and re-pressurizes the tank.

Fig-3.11

19
IX. Air Flow Meter
An air flow meter, is a device that measures air flow, i.e. how much air is flowing
through a tube. It does not measure the volume of the air passing through the tube, it
measures the mass of air flowing through the device per unit time. Thus air flow
meters are simply an application of mass flow meters for a special medium. Typically,
mass air flow measurements are expressed in the units of kilograms per second (kg/s).

Fig-3.12
X. Pressure Control Unit
A combined unit consisting of a pressure gauge, air pressure regulator and control
handle for providing a regulated air supply from the vehicle air system to the mast and
to provide up and down control for mast extension.

Fig-3.13

20
 XI. Wood
It is used for creating base, covering and support structure for the pneumatic arm.

Fig-3.14
XII. Metal Plate
A mild steel plate is selected to provide support for horizontal actuator.

Fig-3.15
XIII. Mountings
i. One touch fitting:
The Push - In One Touch Fittings series pneumatic piping joints excelling in quick
fitting, accurate jointing and compact design are suited to the pneumatic systems
necessary for automation and labor saving.
The tube can be fitted and detached easily, so that workability is remarkably
improved. Pressure loss is reduced. A large volume of compressed air can be fed with
least pressure loss without air leak.
Moreover the joints have a compact design. Thus the joints will satisfy strict user's
demands.

21
 Fig-3.16
ii. Exhaust ports:
The noise generated by pneumatic valves is far more dangerous than is generally
believed. In fact, 70-80% of all hearing impairment within the manufacturing industry
is caused by compressed air noise. However, to a great extent this noise is totally
unnecessary; with the right technology, compressed air noise can, in practice, be
eliminated entirely.

Fig-3.17
iii. Foot mountings:
These are used to mount horizontal actuator on mild steel plate.

Fig-3.18

22
 3.1.5 Bill of Material:
The next step was to locate and procure the selected components for the fabrication of
our model. Bill of material was prepared as per the part number and cost and their
feasibility in the market.

S. Component Name Qty. Dimension(mm)

No

01 Wooden plank(base) 1 700*440*45

02 Wooden casing(for rotary 1 210*250*125

actuator)

03 Plate(for horizontal 1 240*65*10, mild steel

actuator)

04 Wooden casing(for drive 1 100*100*110

mechanism)

05 Hollow shaft 1 Dia-40,height-205,circular cross section, mild steel

06 Hollow shaft 1 Dia-40,height-450,circular cross section, mild steel

07 Solid shaft 1 7.072*7.072*55, mild steel

square cross section

08 Chain and sprocket 1 Sprocket dia-40,S-type

09 Linear 1 Bore-80, Stroke-80

actuator(horizontal) Double acting cylinder

10 Foot mounting 1

11 Linear actuator (vertical) 1 Bore-25,Stroke-160,

Double acting cylinder

12 Rotary actuator 1 Rack and pinion type, double acting cylinder

13 Gripper 1

14 Bearing (thrust) 3 Dia-40

15 PU tubes 16 Dia-4

16 Convertor 1 ᶲ4 into ᶲ6

17 One touch fittings 16 Dia-4

23
18 Exhaust ports 4 Dia-4

19 PLC 2 6 i/p port,4 o/p ports,MicroLogix1000PLC

20 5/2 way solenoid valve 1

21 3/2 way solenoid valve 2

22 Adhesive(for wood) 1 kg Fevicol SH

3.2 Electronics Approach

3.2.1Sensors selection

I. Camera

Raspberypi camera compatible with rpi 3 has been used as it solves our purpose and is
easily compatible with the board. Moreover we are using color code for the actuation
of the system which does not involve complex image processing operations.

Fig-3.19

II. Proximity sensors

A proximity sensor is a sensor able to detect the presence of nearby objects without
any physical contact.

A proximity sensor often emits an electromagnetic field or a beam of electromagnetic

radiation (infrared, for instance), and looks for changes in the field or return signal.
The object being sensed is often referred to as the proximity sensor's target. Different

24
proximity sensor targets demand different sensors. For example,
a capacitive or photoelectric sensor might be suitable for a plastic target; an
inductive proximity sensor always requires a metal target.

The maximum distance that this sensor can detect is defined "nominal range". Some
sensors have adjustments of the nominal range or means to report a graduated
detection distance. Some know these process as "thermosensation".

Proximity sensors can have a high reliability and long functional life because of the
absence of mechanical parts and lack of physical contact between sensor and the
sensed object.

Fig-3.20

3.2.2 Controllers

I. PLC

The MicroLogix family of controllers provides five levels of control. Small on size,
big on performance, the MicroLogix 1000 controller offers control capabilities in an
affordable, compact package. The MicroLogix 1200 controller is small enough to fit
in tight spaces, but powerful enough to accommodate a broad range of applications.
Designed to grow as your needs grow, the MicroLogix 1500 controller helps you
achieve high-level control in a variety of applications. The MicroLogix family’s
newest members, the MicroLogix 1100 and 1400 controllers, further enhance the
MicroLogix family by expanding the application coverage area while offering great
new features at an affordable price.

25
Based on the architecture of the market-leading SLC 500 controller family, the
MicroLogix 1000 controller brings high-speed, powerful instructions and flexible
communication to applications that demand compact, cost-effective solutions. The
MicroLogix 1000 controller is available in 10-point, 16-point, or 32-point digital I/O
versions. Analog versions are also available with 20 digital I/O points, with 4 analog
inputs (2 voltage and 2 current) and 1 analog output (configurable for either voltage or
current). The analog I/O circuitry for the MicroLogix 1000 controller is embedded
into the base controller, not accomplished through add-on modules: so, it provides
very high-speed, cost-effective analog performance.

The MicroLogix 1000 controller uses Rockwell Software RSLogix 500 and RSMicro
programming software and shares a common instruction set with the MicroLogix and
SLC 500 families of controllers.

General Specifications

24V DC Sensor Power 200 mA max. with 200

(for 1761-L10BWA, -L16NWA, -L16BWA, -L20BWA-
5A, and -L32BWA only)

Power Cycles 50,000 minimum

Operating Temperature

Horizontal 0…55 °C (32…131 °F)

mounting

Vertical mounting 0…40 °C (32…104 °F)

Nonoperating -40…85 °C (-40…185 °F)

Temperature

Relative Humidity 5…95% noncondensing

Operating Shock 10 g peak acceleration (7.5g DIN rail mounted)⋆ (11±1

ms duration), 3 times each direction, each axis

Nonoperating Shock 20 g peak acceleration (11±1 ms duration), 3 times each

direction, each axis

26
Vibration 5 Hz…2 kHz, 0.381 mm (0.015 in) peak-to-peak, 2.5 g
panel mounted, 1 hr per axis

Vibration, Non-Operating 5 Hz…2 kHz, 0.762 mm (0.030 in) peak-to-peak, 5 g, 1

hr per axis

Terminal Screw Torque 0.9 N•m max (8.0 lb•in)

ESD Immunity 8 kV air (IEC801-2)

Radiated RF Immunity 10V/m, 27…1000 MHz, 3V/m, 87…108 MHz,

174…230 MHz, and 470…790 MHz (IEC801-3)

EFT/B Immunity 2 kV Power Supply, 1 kV I/O (IEC801-4)

Isolation Voltage 1500V AC

Memory Type EEPROM

Memory Size 1K words (approximately 737 instruction words, 437

data-table words)

Timers/Counters, Max. 40 timers; 32 counters (fixed)

Program Scan 2 ms
Time/Kword, Typical

I/O Scan Time, Typical 0.21 ms

Communication Port RS-232-C (Can be configured for communication

through 1761-NET-AIC in a DH-485 network)

Fig-3.21

27
 II. Raspberry pi

The Raspberry Pi 3 is the third generation Raspberry Pi. It replaced the Raspberry Pi 2
Model B in February 2016. Compared to the Raspberry Pi 2 it has:

 A 1.2GHz 64-bit quad-core ARMv8 CPU

 802.11n Wireless LAN

 Bluetooth 4.1

 Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

Like the Pi 2, it also has:

 1GB RAM

 4 USB ports

 40 GPIO pins

 Full HDMI port

 Ethernet port

 Combined 3.5mm audio jack and composite video

 Camera interface (CSI)

 Display interface (DSI)

 Micro SD card slot (now push-pull rather than push-push)

 Video Core IV 3D graphics core

The Raspberry Pi 3 has an identical form factor to the previous Pi 2 (and Pi 1 Model
B+) and has complete compatibility with Raspberry Pi 1 and 2.

28
We recommend the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B for use in schools, or for any general use.
Those wishing to embed their Pi in a project may prefer the Pi Zero or Model A+,
which are more useful for embedded projects, and projects which require very low
power.

Fig-3.22

29
 CHAPTER-4

CALCULATION

Design - 1

For metal plate

RA is the reaction force acting on the fixed support ,FC is the weight of the metal plate
acting at centre of mass(total length of plate is 240mm),w is the uniformly distributed
load(27.77 N-m) acting on the plate arising due to weight of horizontal actuator and
FB is the load acting at the end of plate due to weight of actuator and external applied
load.

Fig-4.1

Force at A:

RA=FC + FB + lAB×w

RA=3.18+3.79+27.77×0.18

RA=11.968 N

30
Take moment about A

MA=RC×lAC+RB×lAB+w× (l2AB/2)

MA=3.18×0.06+3.79×0.18+1/2× (27.77*(0.18)2)

MA=1.3228 N-m

Using bending equation:

σ=M/ZN.A.

σ=7.05 MPa

Matrial of plate is Carbon steel grade20-400

Hence ultimate tensile strength:

Sut = 400 MPa [7]

Permissible stress:

σper=Sut/3fos

σper =400/2 2.5

σper=88.88 MPa

Plate design is safe.

Force due to rotation

FR=T/r

T=Torque of rotary actuator

r=radius of rotation

FR=600/0.18=3.33 kN

31
For shaft

Fig-4.2

Torque of rotary actuator

T=600 N-m

M= Fr × L

M=999 N-m

M= Bending moment in shaft

L=length of shaft

MT=√ (M2 + T2)

MT=√ (6002 + 9992)

MT=1165.33 N-m

Using Von Mises’s theory for calculating τper for steel CS-840[8]

Maximum shear stress is:

τmax =16MT/ π(d13 – d23)

= (16×1127×1000)/(π×(353-253))

=217.79 MPa

32
Permissible stress is:

τper =840/(fos×√3)

=242.48 MPa [Taking fos =2]

Hence design of shaft is safe

For wooden plate

Radial stress σr arising in the thrust bearing is transmitted into the wooden base in
direction perpendicular to grains which produces a stress that tends to bring the failure
in wooden component. Its analysis is as follows:

Radial stress is:

σr =Fr/(projected area)

σr=(3.33×100)/(35×12)

=7.93 MPa

Using Tesca’s theory for calculating permissible stress on wood (for strength property
[9])

Permissible stress is:

σper =Sut/(2×fos)

=31/ (2×2.5)

=6.88 MPa

Since

σr > σper

Design fail as wooden base not able to sustain weight.

33
 DESIGN-2

For metal plate

RA is the reaction force acting on the fixed support ,FC is the weight of the metal plate
acting at centre of mass(total length of plate is 240mm),w is the uniformly distributed
load(27.77 N-m) acting on the plate arising due to weight of horizontal actuator and
FB is the load acting at the end of plate due to weight of actuator and external applied
load.

Fig-4.3

Force at A:

RA=FC+FB+lAB×W

RA=3.18+3.79+27.77×0.18

RA =11.968 N

34
Moment about A:

MA=FC×lAC+FB×lAB+W× (l2AB/2)

MA=3.18×0.06+3.79×0.18+1/2× (27.77× (0.18)2)

MA =1.3228 N-m

Using bending equation:

σ=M/ZN.A.

σ=7.05 MPa

Material of plate is Carbon steel grade20-400[7]

Hence ultimate tensile strength:

Sut = 400 MPa [7]

Permissible stress:

σper=Sut/3fos

σper =400/2×2.5

σper=88.88 MPa

Plate design is safe.

35
FOR SHAFT

Fig-4.4

T1=600 N-m
Force due to rotation on shaft-1
Fr1= T/r1 =600/0.35=1.71 kN
BM1=1.71×0.15
BM1=257.14 N-m
MT1=√ (T2+BM12)
= √(6002+257.142)
=652.78 N-m
τmax for shaft-1
τmax =16MT1/π× (d13-d32)
=16×652.78*1000/π×(353-253)
=122 MPa

Material of shaft is CS-840 [8]

Using Von mises theory, τper =Sut/(√3×fos)
=840/(√3×2)
=242.48 MPa
Design is safe for Shaft-1

36
ON SHAFT-2

Gear ratio of chain and sprocket = 2

Hence torque transmitted on shaft by chain and sprocket is:

T1=600 N-m

T1/T2=2

T2=300 N-m

Force due to rotation in shaft-2

Fr2=T2/r2=300/0.18

=1.67 kN

BM2=Fr2×0.2

=334N-m

MT2=√(BM22+T22)

=448.95N-m

τmax for shaft-2

τmax=16MT2/π×(d13-d23)

=16×448.95×1000/π×(353-253)

=83.9 MPa

Material of shaft used is CS-840 [8]

Using von mises’s theory τper for shaft-2 :

τper =840/√3×fos

=242.48 MPa

Design is safe for shaft-2

37
For wood
Radial stress σr arising in the thrust bearing is transmitted into the wooden base in
direction perpendicular to grains which produces a stress that tends to bring the failure
in wooden component. It’s analysis is as follows:

Sut =31MPa[9]
σr1=fr1/area
=1.71×1000/35×12
=4.071MPa
σper = Sut/2×fos
=31/2×2.5
=6.88 MPa
σr2=1670/35×20
=2.39 MPa
σper = Sut/2×fos
=31/2×2.5

Design is safe for wooden base.

Since design-2 is safe for all components, hence fabrication of model is as per
design-2.

38
 CHAPTER 5

RESULTS
1. The maximum stress generated in the metal plate was 7.05MPa which is
below the permissible limit of 88.88MPa.
2. The maximum torsional shear stress generated in shaft carrying external load
was146.11MPa which is below the permissible limit of 242.48MPa.
3. The maximum torsional shear stress generated in shaft connected with rotary
actuator external load was170.06MPa which is below the permissible limit of
242.48MPa.
4. Thrust bearing of diameter 35mm was used in fabrication of model due to
presence of axial and radial forces.
5. The wooden base was unable in handling transmission of full torque of
actuator to external load hence a chain and sprocket system had to be used to
reduce torque to avoid failure of wooden base.
6. The entire system is safe up to a safety limit of 2.5.
7. The rotational motion transferred to load carrying component was 45 degree
while the actuator is rotating 90 degree as the gear ratio of chain and sprocket
is 2 and components are mounted on shaft mounted with bigger sprocket.
8. Cycle time of operation is 5sec.
9. No failure and sound of cracking of wood or any creep sound during testing of
model was observed .
10. The model was able to fulfill the required operations successfully.
11. The fabricated model as per design 2 is as shown:

Fig-5.1

39
References

1. Bierbaum, A., Schill, J., Asfour, T. and Dillmann, R., 2009, December. Force
position control for a pneumatic anthropomorphic hand. In Humanoid Robots,
2009. Humanoids 2009. 9th IEEE-RAS International Conference on (pp. 21-
27).
2. I Chen, H.Y. and Shih, M.C., 2011, October. VISUAL CONTROL OF A
PNEUMATIC DRIVEN MANIPULATOR FOR THE BIOMEDICAL
TECHNOLOGY. In Symposium on Fluid Power (Vol. 2011).EEE.
3. Pai, K.R. and Shih, M.C., 2011, June. Precision control of a new servo
pneumatic table. In Intelligent Control and Automation (WCICA), 2011 9th
World Congress on (pp. 811-815). IEEE.
4. Official website of Cross Company.
5. Zhang, Z., 2000. A flexible new technique for camera calibration. IEEE
Transactions on pattern analysis and machine intelligence, 22(11), pp.1330-
1334.
6. Rich, D.S., Rich and Donald S., 2000. Pick and place head construction. U.S.
Patent 6,145,901.
7. Table I.1, page 458 of design data handbook Mahadevan and Reddy.
8. Table I.5, page 461 of design data handbook Mahadevan and Reddy.
9. http://www.lehighfluidpower.com/engineering_data/J_and_H_Weight_Chart.d
oc

40
 APPENDIX

APPENDIX 1

PLC programming

41
42
APPENDIX 2

Pneumatic circuit diagram

43