Development of low-cost logic-gates based on the pneumatic system using an automatic controller for education in engineering physics

Abstract

To comply international-accreditation requirement in program study of engineering physics for undergraduate students, Telkom University, we initiated student center learning (SCL) to achieve course learning outcomes (CLO) through Automatic Control course. We developed automatic controller for low-cost logic-gates based on the pneumatic. The pneumatic was derived analytically using a well-known second-order physical system and its parameters were characterized using simple experiments. The mass of piston and spring, friction coefficient, and spring constant in the pneumatic system are 8 g, 10.2, and 411 N m-1. We simulated open and closed loop system based on proportional-derivative (PD; Kp =100 and Kd =15) using Matlab and implemented it to stabilize the system. The pressure pump (P), a setting point, Kp , Ki , and Kd are 35 psi, 4 cm, 3.1, 124.6 s-1, and 0.02 s. We, then, used the pneumatic system to build prototypes based on logic gates cases. Case 1 is a miniature elevator using AND gates. A pneumatic-based vertical carrier was used to implement NAND gates in the case 2. OR gates pneumatic-based was used to implement pressing machine (case 3). Case 4 and 5 are a sorting system using NOR gates and automatically stamped cake using 3-Input AND gates respectively.