Project Description

Hydraulic actuators are widely used in industrial applications to move large loads. In terms of economics and size, medium- to large-size hydraulic actuators are far superior to electric motors which makes them popular for industrial robots. (The disadvantages of hydraulics involve the fluid that must be kept very clean and tends to leak. Until the costs of maintenance can be justified, electrical motors are preferred for smaller applications.)
This project involves creating a hydraulics demonstration unit that would be suitable for instruction in the Thermal-Fluids Lab.
The basic unit would be a modular hydraulics circuit consisting of a fluid reservoir, a pump, a pressure-safety valve (PSV) and cylinders of varying diameter.
The pressure in the cylinders and the displacements of the pistons must be measured and recorded electronically.
Write a manual to describe the assembly and operation of the unit.
Create a lab procedure where the students learn about Pascal’s Principle.
With time and budget permitting, many additional features can be added, for example:
— add an accumulator to store energy and smooth out the motion.
— install a hydraulic motor to get rotary motion and torque from the system.
— install an electronically-controlled on-off valve to do basic motion control
— install a proportional valve to do closed-loop motion control using PID (proportional-integral-differential) control schemes.