Performance optimisation of double-acting single-rod pneumatic cylinders: a Taguchi-based study on stopping accuracy and response time

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Pneumatic systems are essential in industrial automation for actuator control. Double acting cylinders are operated by 5 port 3 position valves wherein for two extreme positions, there are mechanical stops. At the intermediate (neutral) valve position, piston rod stopping accuracy and response time are influenced by factors such as rod inertia, air compressibility, valve hysteresis and unequal forces on both the sides of the piston. Industrial applications such as pneumatic press, clamping, palletising require cylinder to stop at an intermediate position of the valve, wherein the stopping accuracy & response time are paramount factors. This study investigates the effect of cylinder orientation, blank end pressure, and rod end pressure on the stopping accuracy and response time of a double-acting single-rod pneumatic cylinder using the Taguchi method. An experimental test rig using PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) & HMI (Human Machine Interface) is developed for the assessment of the best stopping accuracy & response time at each orientation of the cylinder. The best stopping accuracy of 6% is observed with a response time of 1.42 seconds for a vertical cylinder configuration. The L9 orthogonal array and analysis through MinitabR identified cylinder orientation as the most significant factor, followed by blank and rod end pressures. Statistical analysis confirmed the model’s reliability, with residual plots showing normality and low autocorrelation. The findings provide valuable insights for optimising pneumatic cylinder performance, leading to improved precision and responsiveness in automation systems.