The aim of this module is to enable students to:
- Analyse a basic fluid power automation problem,
- Restate this as an electrical or PLC control problem, and
- Produce an appropriate solution to a simple control problem.
The module will introduce the students to various methods used to control machinery. The course is divided into three areas, i.e. hydraulics, pneumatics, and electro pneumatics. As part of the electro pneumatics section, automation computers and associated software applications used in a manufacturing environment will be studied.
- Introduction to Hydraulics. The module covers hydraulic working systems including, hydraulic power packs, actuators, flow control valves and pressure relief valves.
- Introduction to Pneumatics. The module will cover Pneumatic systems including the air production, conditioning and distribution. The module will also cover the design of pure pneumatic control systems, including multi-cylinder sequence applications.
- Electro pneumatics. The module will cover Electrical control of pneumatic systems, both hard-wired and programmable, including multi-cylinder sequence applications.
