The primary objective of this research is to develop a
general modelling facility for modular pneumatic servo-drives.
The component-oriented approach has been adopted as the modelling
technique to provide the flexibility of modelling a wide variety
of components and the segmentation of the non-linear system to
less complex uncoupled component modules.
A significant part of the research work has been devoted to
identify a series of component modules of the single axis linear
pneumatic servomechanism with standardised linking variables. The
mathematical models have been implemented in a simulation software
which produces time domain responses for design evaluation
purposes. Alternative components for different servomechanism
design were modelled as mutually exclusive modules which could be
selected for assembly as if they were real physical entities. The
philosophy of the approach was validated by tests on prototype
servo-drives with matching components. Design analysis could be
performed by simulating and comparing the performance of
alternative system structures. [Continues.
