BULETINUL INSTITUTULUI POLITEHNIC DIN IAŞI - Universitatea ...

BULETINUL INSTITUTULUI POLITEHNIC DIN IAŞI
Publicat de
Universitatea Tehnică „Gheorghe Asachi” din Iaşi
Tomul LVI (LX), Fasc. 2, 2010
Secţia
CONSTRUCŢII DE MAŞINI
INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS OF
THE PNEUMATIC MUSCLES
BY
IOANA PETRE 1 , DAN PETRE 2 , CRISTINA FILIP 1 ,
and LAVINIA NEAGOE 1
Abstract. Pneumatic muscles were, lately, used in many applications
especially in the field of industrial robots, because of the evolution of the
technology. The characteristics of the pneumatic muscles make them being easy
to use and with great performances. Pneumatic muscles have applications in
robotics, biorobotics, biomechanics, artificial limb replacement and industry. In
this paper I will present some industrial applications of the pneumatic muscles.
The utilization of the pneumatic muscle is soon to become a good alternative for
the present day electric or mechanically drives because of their characteristics and
because of the evolution of the industrial development.
Key words: pneumatic muscle, actuator, industrial application.
1. Introduction
Although the pneumatic muscles have been conceived since 1930 by S.
Garasiev, a Russian inventor, only for a few years, they have been used in
different applications. Lately, pneumatic muscles became a better choice than
present day electric or other drives. They are usually used in factory floor
automation and nowadays, in industrial robotics as a main motion power source.
The current paper will focus on the pneumatic muscle with it’s applicability
in the industry. These actuators are usually cylindrical in shape and they are
composed by an interior inflatable tube typically made by neoprene rubber
wrapped in a multilayer tissue typically made by nylon. The tube, under the
action of compressed air, increases its diameter and decreases its length; the
stroke resulted is in direct relation with the pressure of the compressed air
passed into the muscle.