Modeling of Pneumatic Actuator System for High Performance Nonlinear Controller Design

Abstract

Modern applications in robotics such as teleoperations and haptics require high performance force actuators. Pneumatic actuators have significant advantages over electrical motors in terms of force-to-mass ratio. However, position and force control of these actuators in applications that require high bandwidth is not trivial because of the compressibility of air and highly non-linear flow through pneumatic system components. In this paper, we develop a detailed model of a pneumatic actuator system comprised of a double acting cylinder and a proportional servo valve to be used in position, force or hybrid position and force control.