Understanding Pneumatic Actuators: How They Operate and Their Uses

Lights in a machine: Light Mech: (for machines) Have you ever wondered how machines work? There are machines everywhere that assist us in doing a lot of things. OTHER MACHINES NEED AIR TO HELP THEM MOVE Air is used so uniquely here, and this special power is called pneumatic power. We use pneumatic power in many machines, such as robots and factory tools. A pneumatic actuator is one of the important components of these machines. With this guide, we will learn everything about pneumatic actuators; what they are and how they work.

What is a Pneumatic Actuator?

A device called a pneumatic actuator can move the parts using air. In between the actuator, what moves is called pistons Causing the Linear Actuators piston to move, when air pushes against it. This action can then cause other components of the machine to move Pneumatic Actuators as well. Usage: Pneumatic actuators can be utilized in big range of machines, such as factory equipment and robots that assist our day-to-day chores.

Understanding Air Pressure

Before learning how pneumatic actuators work, let us need a small theory of air pressure. Air pressure is the weight of air pressing Control Valves against something. Imagine blowing up a balloon. When you blow air into it, all the air gets squashed together inside and pushes out against the sides of the balloon. Same as what is happening in a pneumatic actuator. What happens when you compress air, or rather squish the air: The molecules of air come closer to each other, which in turn causes the pressure to rise. This increased pressure can also be used to assist in moving components of a mechanism.