Title: Trainer Lab #10: Controlling Actuator Speed With a Needle Valve
Course: Fluid Power Pneumatics (Sandbox) > Section: Module 9: Controlling Actuator Speed - 10 Hours

Introduction

Now that you can control the air flow, you will control the actuator speed with a needle valve. The following video will explain how to set up the lab.

Lab Instructions

1. Wear safety glasses.
2. Shut off the orange shutoff valve before you start hooking up any components.
3. Make sure that 2 of the 3 ports on the silver manifold are plugged.
4. Take a hose from the silver manifold and run it to the “P” port on the Manually Operated Valve.
5. Take a 8” hose (approximate length) and run it from the “A” port on the Manually Operated Valve to the inline needle valve. Make sure that you connect the hose to the arrow-point side of the needle valve (see picture below). Then, take a 8” hose (approximate length) and run it from the other side of the needle valve to the non-rod side of the Medium Double-Acting Cylinder.

6. Take a 16” hose (approximate length) and run it from the “B” port on the Manually Operated Valve and run it to the rod side of the Medium Double-Acting Cylinder.
7. The needle valve should be opened all the way (counter-clockwise).
8. Push the Manually Operated Valve to the right or to the “B” side of the Manually Operated Valve.
9. Video yourself doing steps 10-15.
10. Turn on the orange shutoff valve, and set the “FR” unit to 60 psi.
11. Shift the Manually Operated Valve to the right side or to the “A” port.
12. Shut the needle valve completely closed (clockwise).
13. Shift the Manually Operated Valve to the “B” port. Notice the cylinder will not retract. Now slowly open the needle valve and take note of how the cylinder will retract slowly. The more you open it, the faster the cylinder will retract.
14. Repeat steps 11-13 a couple of times.
15. Turn off the orange shutoff valve. Cycle the Manually Operated Valve back and forth a couple of times so that there is no stored air in the system, unhook the hoses, and put everything away.

Submission

To complete this lab, submit your video according to the criteria in the rubric.

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