Hi I am from hill middle school Team B and I just wanted to ask here if anyone knew how to use the old pneumatics kits and how to mount them to my robot. I have been searching vex forums and YouTube for almost a week with nobody there knowing how to do it. It would be amazing if someone can help me.
1 Like
It should be the same as the new pnemautics kit. They are almost identical in every way other than some slight improvements. If you need to see their are guides on vex website for legacy and new pnemautics
Also on Purdue sigbots Wiki it has a good guide as well.
I found this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UqyWNspXHc to be very helpful with basic setup, and in my experience with legacy pneumatics we found it is easiest to just ziptie most components including the solenoids, and on/off valve. We also used some diagrams that we found on google images.
4 Likes
Thank you for the help
2 Likes
Also what componemts are needed for mounting and using the Pnuematics
Mounting varies from part to part.
Tanks, fittings, regulators, etc - usually just zip tied somewhere
Actuators - using a screw through this hole:
Pneumatic solenoids (the new ones): using a screw through this hole
2 Likes
Our team uses the older kits because our school does not provide that much money for robotics so it would be helpfuk for one on the older kits.
do you know how to code pneumatics during autonomous in vex code pro v5 and if you do can you send a example to help
For older kits, pretty much the same thing for the tanks/actuators/fittings/etc., except for the solenoids which I mounted with zipties.
Please search the forums or online. There is a vex article on this and plenty of forum topics on how to do this.
2 Likes
Yes, that would be very helpful
what would be helpful if you need help coding pneumatics i can help
1 Like
For using the pneumatics there are multiple items in the set to make it work -
Required:
Reservoir - The big tank, you are allowed to have 2 of these on your robot each at 100 psi. They store the air in your robot, and you will refill them between matches.
Tubing - These transfer air in-between all of the elements of the pneumatics set. Use the black tubing supplied by VEX and make sure that all of the cuts are clean (perpendicular to the tube of the tubing) to achieve maximum performance without any leaks.
Solenoid - These are what are used to control the flow of the pneumatics. You will use the cable that comes with them and connect them to the brain as a 3 - Wire Digitial Out. When you screw on the fittings for the solenoid the sections will be indicated what the air that ether goes in or goes out will do. Ex. E - Exhaust, I - Intake, I don’t have one with me, so I don’t know what the letters actually are.
Piston - Ethier 1 or 2 action pistons. 1 action only have an air-port on the bottom to extend the piston and then retract passively with springs. Doubble action pistons have an air intake port on both ends to have full force for retraction and extension at the cost of using double the air.
Optional:
Fittings - Ethier in the shape of a bend or straight to split up or turn the flow of air
Air Switch - Used to cut the airflow in a tube. Can be used to make your own air compressor attachment or to have both reservoirs able to get filled at the same time.
4 Likes
I found a problem too idk what type of mounting do I attach with the top part with the two hex nuts. if anyone have any pictures of mounting or ideas PLS TELL ME we are new to working with pneumatics
Yes, the code for pneumatics would be helpful also mine is a double-acting cylinder.
I believe you are asking about the air tanks based off your description. The mounting of them depends on preference though, some teams just zip tie the tank to the robot, and others create custom mouting brackets or cages. But the choice is completely up to you! You can prototype different solutions and choose whichever one works best for you, good luck!
// A global instance of competition
competition Competition;
bool PistonState = false;
bool Pistonstate = false;
this code would be put where it says a global instance of compettition.
if(Controller1.ButtonL1.pressing()){
while(Controller1.ButtonL1.pressing()){
wait(10,msec);
}
PistonState = !PistonState;
Pistonstate = !Pistonstate;
clamp1.set(PistonState);
clamp2.set(Pistonstate);
this is what you would put under your user control
1 Like
This is the problem with my Pneumatics (Sorry, it’s in Zip; Vex Forums wasn’t allowing me to upload an MP4 file).
ezyzip.zip (19.7 MB)
3 Likes
You are using a single acting piston the way you can tell is how many fittings are on the piston if it’s single acting like yours it will have one fitting if it’s double acting it will have 2 you have to use a rubber band to pull back the piston if you use single acting if you use the same code that I previously provided your problem should be fixed if not feel free to ask more questions
(If your piston stays out without the code running on hen you need to make sure your solenoid is the right way if you look at the solenoid closely in fine print their should be a letter p which means pressure that side is connected to the air tank on the other side of the solenoid their should either be an (a or b) then you connect that side to the piston
1 Like
Yea, its always out and doesnt go in even when the code isn’t running. Thats become a problem because I cant do a clamp with it. Also do you have a solution with the shopting mech.