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LEEA Think Lifting Portrait A4 4pp v2
LEEA Think Lifting Portrait A4 4pp v2
P N E U M AT I C S | F R I C T I O N | P U L L E Y S
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P N E U M AT I C S
Pneumatics is the section of Physics where we make A double acting cylinder has 2 air supplies and does
pressurised gas do tasks for us, such as moving other not have a spring. One pushes the cylinder outwards
objects. We can make pressurised gas by squeezing and the other pushes it back in.
gas into a small container, such as a pipe. Pressure is
a force that the gas exerts on the walls of the container
it is in. This pressure will also mean that the gas will
Double acting cylinder
escape the container it is in if there is a hole.
Piston
Imagine filling a balloon with air. If you release the Rod
balloon before tying it, then it will zip across the room. Extension stroke
The pressure pushes the gas out of the hole and
causes the balloon to move forward. This is an example
of pneumatics, as we are using pressurised gas to
move an object.
Pump flow Piston seal Return flow
A piston is a tube with a cylinder inside, which can
move up and down and can push other objects into Piston
motion. If we insert pressurised gas into the piston then
Rod
the pressure from the gas will cause the cylinder to
move out. If we reduce the pressure of the gas, then the
cylinder will move back in. We can use this movement
Return stroke
to operate machinery.
There are 2 types of piston: Return flow Piston seal Pump flow
Example
Single acting cylinder
Pressure port
Spring
Rod
Extension stroke
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FRICTION
Some examples
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PULLEYS
Let’s look at the different type of pulleys! What if we add in a moveable pulley to make a
compound pulley system?
system, the force required to lift the load is equal to the Fixed pulley
weight of the load. A simple pulley is an example of a fixed
pulley system. MA = 2 Load-supporting rope
Redirecting-only rope
A moveable pulley system is where the pulley is attached
to the load itself and so they are both lifted. The weight Movable
of the moveable pulley is also added to the overall weight
pulley
being lifted.
So how can we change the force required to lift The factor by which the force decreases if known as the
the load? Mechanical Advantage (ME). We can work out the ME by
dividing the weight of the load by the force required to lift
In a simple pulley, you pull down and the load rises – it it. For a pulley that halves the force required, the ME is 2.
changes the direction of the applied force. For a pulley For a pulley that thirds it, it is 3.
with one wheel, you must put in a force equal to the
weight of the load for it to move.
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