I have a slide gate with analog position feedback (0-100% open) and an air cylinder to actuate the thing. I have two solenoid valves to operate the cylinder, one to open and one to close.
Currently for control, I turn the open solenoid on if the position is more than 2% under the target position and I turn the close solenoid on if the position is more than 2% over the target position. If I regulate my air supply and slow the thing way down (6 seconds full stroke) the gate will move to the target position and stop within the 4% window.
I’m not worried about making the move any faster, but the operators are unhappy with the fact that they cannot control the position to the exact percent, or if they want to bump the thing by a percent, they have to go down by four, then up by five. So my question is, what could I do to make these fine adjustments without worrying about the gate overshooting and bouncing back and forth?
I understand that there are other linear actuators that would be just the thing, but the challenge of this question is to get the job done with the existing air cylinder. I am all for keeping it simple, but I appreciate more the clever solution. Any thoughts?
Currently for control, I turn the open solenoid on if the position is more than 2% under the target position and I turn the close solenoid on if the position is more than 2% over the target position. If I regulate my air supply and slow the thing way down (6 seconds full stroke) the gate will move to the target position and stop within the 4% window.
I’m not worried about making the move any faster, but the operators are unhappy with the fact that they cannot control the position to the exact percent, or if they want to bump the thing by a percent, they have to go down by four, then up by five. So my question is, what could I do to make these fine adjustments without worrying about the gate overshooting and bouncing back and forth?
I understand that there are other linear actuators that would be just the thing, but the challenge of this question is to get the job done with the existing air cylinder. I am all for keeping it simple, but I appreciate more the clever solution. Any thoughts?