PRACTICE

FOR PURELY
PNEUMATICS

Direct Control of a Single Acting

Cylinder, Extending (Figure 1)
A single acting cylinder can be basically
only be controlled with 3/2 way
directional control valve. Corresponding
to the basic position of the single acting
cylinder (piston rod retracted) a 3/2 way
directional control valve in locked,
neutral position (nc = normally close)
should be mounted.
Figure 1
Direct Control of a Double Acting
Cylinder
(Figure 2)
The control of a double acting cylinder
occurs principally through a 5/2
directional control valve as an actuator.
In the basic setting (spring position) of a
5/2 directional control valve supplied
with compressed air at port 1, port 2 is
always pressurized and port 4 always
vented.
Figure 2

Indirect Control of a Single Acting

Cylinder
(Figure 3)
Large volume cylinders cannot be
directly controlled with smalldimensioned directional control valves.
These cylinders are therefore indirectly
controlled through the installation of
pneumatically operated 3/2 way
directional control valves in a size
corresponding to the cylinder size.
Figure 3

Indirect Control of a Double Acting

Cylinder
(Figure 4)
Air actuated 5/2 directional control
valves are, as all other pneumatically
operated directional control valves,
controlled with a 3/2 way directional
control valve as a signalling elements
(model of the directional control valve is
principally always the closed neutral
position (nc).

Figure 4
Impulse Valve, Indirect Control of a
Double Acting Cylinder, 2 Push
Buttons
(Figure 5)
Impulse valves, (e.g. 5/2 way directional
control valves) store pneumatic signals
and are always controlled with 2
pneumatic signals (3/2 directional control
valves). An impulse valve remains in the
actual switch position until it receives the
opposite signal (without the aid of
pressurized air). An impulse valve
therefore has no defined basic setting
(bistable).
Figure 5

Stop Control, Double Acting Cylinder

with 5/3 way Directional Control
Valve (Figure 6)

Figure 6

5/3 directional control valves with closed

mid-position are used for simple
pneumatic stop control circuits. These
valves are mainly pneumatically
operated, if there is no control pressure
at 14 or 12, then the valve is
automatically set in the mid position by a
spring balancing.

Displacement Dependent Control of

a Double Acting Cylinder, Impulse
Valve (Figure 7)

Mechanically actuated signalling

elements are used as limit switches for
displacement-dependent controls. A limit
switch in neutral position can be
actuated or not actuated. If a limit switch
is actuated in neutral position, then it will
be depicted as actuated.

Figure 7

Logical Control of with Twin

Pressure Valves (Figure 8)
A twin pressure valve is used for the
logical AND operation. A serial
connection of pneumatic signallers also
results in an AND function.

Figure 8

Logical Control with Shuttle Valve

(Figure 9)
The shuttle valve is available for the
logical OR operation in the pneumatic
system control technology.

Figure 9

Displacement Dependent Control

with Pre-Condition (Figure 10)

Figure 10

Slow Speed Extension and Rapid

Retraction of a Double Acting
Cylinder (Figure 11)
Flow control valves with non-return are
used to achieve infinitely adjustable
speed regulation of the piston rod
movement. The flow control valves are
mounted in working lines between the
directional control valve and cylinder.

Figure 11

The highest possible speed of the piston

rod can be achieved by mounting a quick
exhaust valve in corresponding to the
working line of a cylinder. The pressure
release of the cylinder volume then
occurs directly via the exhaust port 3 of
the quick exhaust valve.

Time Dependent Control of a

Double a Acting Cylinder
Time elements in pneumatic are
modules and always consist of:
3/2 directional control valves, flow
control valves with non return and
volumes (reservoir. By regulating
the throttle, the time delay
(operating and release lag) is set.
The length and precision of the
time delay depends on the volume
and size and on the response
pressure and the type of switching
of the directional control valve
used.
Figure 12

Automatic Control of a Double

Acting Cylinder
With the use of the impulse valve,
the signal coming from the push
button1 will on hold making a
continuous signal to provide for
the 5/2 way directional control
valve that controls the cylinder.
This kind of purpose is called
change over valve, because it
change the state of the signal
from on to off (use of push
button2) or vice versa.

Figure 13