FluidSIM 3.6 Hydraulics 104 0561C FL SIM H
User Manual: 104-0561C
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FluidSIM® 3.6 Hydraulics User’s Guide 648590 GB 04/04 FluidSIM® 3 Hydraulics is the result of a joint research venture between the Measuring and Control Technology Department of Duisburg University and the Knowledge-based Systems Department of the University of Paderborn. Concept and development of FluidSIM® 3 Hydraulics is based on research work carried out by Dr. Daniel Curatolo, Dr. Marcus Hoffmann, and Dr. habil. Benno Stein. Mechanical Engineering contributions by Dr. Ralf Lemmen. Order No.: 648590 Description: HANDBUCH Designation: D:HB-FSH3-GB Edition: 4/2004 Author: Art Systems Layout: Art Systems © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG, D-73770 Denkendorf, 1996-2004 Internet: www.festo.com/didactic e-mail: did@festo.com © Art Systems Software GmbH, D-33102 Paderborn, 1995-2004 Internet: www.art-systems.com, www.fluidsim.com e-mail: info@art-systems.com © Eaton Corporation, USA-Eden Prairie MN, 2001 Internet: www.eatonhydraulics.com e-mail: HydraulicsTraining@eaton.com The copying, distribution and utilization of this document as well as the communication of its contents to others without expressed authorization is prohibited. Offenders will be held liable for the payment of damages. All rights reserved, in particular the right to carry out patent, utility model or ornamental design registration. Contents 1. 1.1 1.2 1.3 2. 2.1 2.2 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.3 2.4 3. 3.1 3.2 3.3 4. 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 5. 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Welcome! 7 8 About FluidSIM 9 Layout of the Handbook Conventions 10 11 Getting Started 11 Technical Requirements Installation 11 11 Installation with Program Activation 12 Installation with license connector Supplied Files 15 17 De-installation of a Single-Position License 18 Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits Simulating Existing Circuit Diagrams 21 28 The Different Simulation Modes 29 Creating new Circuit Diagrams 46 Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Additional Editing Functions 46 56 Additional Simulation Functions 58 Linking Components Automatically Current Path Numbering and Switching Elements Table 58 59 Displaying Quantity Values 62 Displaying State Diagrams Superficial Circuit Checking 64 66 Coupling Hydraulics, Electrics and Mechanics 72 Operating Switches Adjustable Components 76 77 Settings for Simulation 80 OPC and DDE communication with Other Applications Settings for the OPC/DDE communication 82 84 Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics 85 Information about Single Components Selecting Didactics Material from a List 91 98 Presentations: Combining Instructional Material Extended Presentations in the Microsoft PowerPoint Format 102 Playback of Educational Films 105 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3 Contents 5.6 6. 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 6.10 7. 7.1 7.2 A. A.1 A.2 A.3 A.4 A.5 A.6 A.7 A.8 A.9 A.10 A.11 B. B.1 B.2 B.3 B.4 B.5 C. C.1 4 Settings for Didactics Special Functions Drawing Layers Graphic Primitives Text Components and Identifications Parts Lists Printing a Window’s Contents DXF Export DXF Import Using and Organizing Component Libraries Managing Projects Saving Settings Help and Advanced Tips The Most Frequently Occurring Problems Tips for the Advanced User FluidSIM Menus File Edit Execute Library Insert Didactics Project View Options Window ? The Component Library Hydraulic Components Electrical Components Electrical Components (American Standard) Digital Components Miscellaneous Didactics Material Survey Basics of Hydraulics 107 109 109 110 114 116 120 122 123 126 134 136 139 139 144 149 149 151 153 154 155 155 157 158 161 163 163 164 165 179 188 192 203 205 206 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM Contents C.2 C.3 C.4 C.5 C.6 C.7 C.8 C.9 C.10 C.11 C.12 C.13 C.14 C.15 C.16 D. D.1 D.2 D.3 D.4 D.5 Components of a Hydraulic Plant Symbols Some Physical Fundamentals Components of a Power Unit Fundamentals of Valves Pressure Valves Way Valves Shutoff Valves Flow Valves Hydraulic Cylinders and Motors Gauges Exercises Extensions Educational Films Standard Presentations Messages Electrical Errors Drawing Errors Operating Errors Opening and Saving Files System Errors Index © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 207 210 215 219 223 226 234 244 248 252 255 256 269 270 271 272 272 272 274 275 276 278 5 Contents 6 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 1. Welcome! Welcome to FluidSIM ! Thank you for purchasing the FluidSIM® 3 Hydraulics training software. This handbook functions both as an introduction to FluidSIM and as a reference manual outlining the possibilities, concepts, and operation of the software package. This handbook, however, is not intended to help in defining special aspects of hydraulics. Concerns of this nature can be found in the Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG textbook series. Users of this software are encouraged to contribute tips, criticism, and suggestions for improvement of the program via email at info@fluidsim.com did@festo.com Moreover, the newest updates can be found at our Internet site at www.fluidsim.com www.festo.com/didactic April 2004 The Authors © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 7 1. Welcome! 1.1 About FluidSIM FluidSIM® 3 Hydraulics is a teaching tool for simulating hydraulics basics and runs using Microsoft Windows® . It can be used in combination with the Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG training hardware, but also independently. FluidSIM was developed as a joint venture between the University of Paderborn, Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG, and Art Systems Software GmbH, Paderborn. A major feature of FluidSIM is its close connection with CAD functionality and simulation. FluidSIM allows DIN-compliant drawing of electrohydraulic circuit diagrams and can perform realistic simulations of the drawing based on physical models of the components. Simply stated, this eliminates the gap between the drawing of a circuit diagram and the simulation of the related hydraulic system. The CAD functionality of FluidSIM has been specially tailored for fluidics. For example, while drawing, the program will check whether or not certain connections between components are permissible. Another feature of FluidSIM results from its well thought-out didactic concept: FluidSIM supports learning, educating, and visualizing hydraulic knowledge. Hydraulic components are explained with textual descriptions, figures, and animations that illustrate underlying working principles; exercises and educational films mediate knowledge about both important circuits and the usage of hydraulic components. The development of FluidSIM included special emphasis on both an intuitive and easy-to-learn user interface. The user will quickly learn to draw and simulate electro-hydraulic circuit diagrams. 8 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 1. Welcome! 1.2 Layout of the Handbook The Handbook from FluidSIM has been divided into two parts. The first part serves as a user’s guide, and the second part functions as a reference book. The user’s guide contains chapters that introduce the user to FluidSIM. By following the chapters in order, the user will understand how to operate FluidSIM. The reference part contains a complete listing of the FluidSIM functions, the component library, the didactics material, and the FluidSIM messages. User’s Guide Chapter 2 describes the computer requirements for FluidSIM, the installation process, and the meaning of the supplied files. Chapter 3 contains small examples of circuit diagrams, showing how they can be simulated and how new circuit diagrams can be created. Chapter 4 introduces advanced concepts of FluidSIM. Examples include the linking of hydraulic and electric components, the possible settings for simulation, and the testing of a circuit diagram. Chapter 5 shows additional educational concepts. In particular, FluidSIM enables a user to pop-up a component’s technical description, to start animations, or to play a film with related information. Chapter 6 describes special functions of FluidSIM including how to print and export circuit diagrams, along with the rearrangement of the component library. Chapter 7 deals specifically with help for questions concerning the use of FluidSIM. It also includes tips for the advanced user. Reference Appendix A contains a complete listing of FluidSIM menus and is intended to be used as a quick reference for all FluidSIM functions. Appendix B contains the library of all FluidSIM components. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 9 1. Welcome! Appendix C contains the component illustrations, the animations, the exercises, and the educational films. Appendix D contains a listing of messages that may occur while using FluidSIM along with a brief explanation for each. 1.3 Conventions User instructions are indented and marked with the >arrow; important passages begin with the ☞symbol. The symbols found on the FluidSIM toolbar are represented in this manual with the appropriate icon; menu entries are shown framed ; function keys are represented with their appropriate key symbol. For is the icon used to start a simulation; File Open... indicates example the “Open...” entry under the “File” menu; F9 stands for function key “9”. In this manual the term “clicking” with a mouse means using the left mouse button. It is explicitly stated when the right button is to be used. Values for quantities calculated and displayed in FluidSIM are expressed in the following units: Quantity Pressure (p) 10 Unit of measure bar, MPa Flow (q) l/min Velocity (v) m/s Force (F) N Opening level (%) - Voltage (U) V Current (I) A © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 2. Getting Started This Chapter describes how FluidSIM is installed on your computer. 2.1 Technical Requirements You need a computer with a Pentium processor or higher that runs using Microsoft Windows9x® , Microsoft WindowsME® , Microsoft WindowsNT® , Microsoft Windows2000® or Microsoft WindowsXP® . If you intend to draw simple circuit diagrams or to simulate the existing circuit diagrams, 64 MB RAM is adequate. However, minimum 128 MB RAM is recommended to simulate complex circuit diagrams. In order to play the educational films, you will need a CD-ROM drive that runs at double speed along with hardware for sound. 2.2 Installation When you purchased FluidSIM, you received a CD and possibly a license connector . Aside from the educational films, the CD contains both the full version and the student version of FluidSIM. The installation procedure is described in the following sections. The full version of FluidSIM is available in two versions: A version that supports the automatic online activation and the license connector version. 2.2.1 Installation with Program Activation With the first start of FluidSIM you will be asked to activate FluidSIM. The activation follows one of the following three variants. • Automatic Online Activation This variant requires Internet access from the computer where FluidSIM is to be activated and realizes a completely automated procedure. • Indirect Activation In this variant an activation dialog box is opened that shows an Internet address (url) and your individual license ID. With this information you can generate your individual activation key at an arbitrary computer with Internet access. Then, the activation key has to be entered in the activation dialog box of the installation PC. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 11 2. Getting Started • 2.2.2 Installation with license connector Call Festo to receive your individual activation key If you don’t have Internet access or if the Internet activation fails, you can call a service employee at weekday office hours who will provide you with your activation code. Depending on the license model (single-position systems or network), the license connector is needed only during the Installation of FluidSIM or must be attached to the so-called license server. The blue license connector for single-position systems defines how many times FluidSIM can be installed. If, for instance, you have bought a classroom license, exactly the corresponding number of singleposition installations can be performed. Note, however, that by each de-installation the license connector can be “recharged” by simply connecting it and starting the de-installation program (see section 2.4). The green network license connector defines how many instances of FluidSIM can be running at the same time in the network. If you attempt to start more instances than the allowed number, an error message is displayed. If the license server is down or if the license connector has been removed from the system, all circuits that are already open and modified can be saved before FluidSIM terminates. If the license server is up again FluidSIM starts as usual. FluidSIM Full Version: Installation from CD > If you purchased a version with single-position license connector, make sure that your computer is switched off and attach the license connector to the parallel interface (LPT 1) of your PC. Often there is a printer attached to the computer. The printer cables must be removed while installing FluidSIM. > Turn the computer on and start Microsoft Windows® . > Insert the CD. 12 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 2. Getting Started > Click Run... in the Start Menu. A dialog box opens. > Enter the following string in the space provided: d:setup.exe. Then click “OK”. If your CD-ROM drive is configured differently, then be sure to use the appropriate letter in place of d:. After a few seconds the startup screen of the installation program appears. Here you can choose whether to install the student version or the full version of FluidSIM. When installing the full version, please select the appropriate license connector (single-position systems or network). If you got a FluidSIM version for online activation no license connector is necessary but only your individual product ID is required, which is printed on the back of the CD cover. Note that the student version does neither require a license connector nor a product ID. > Follow the directions as they appear on the screen. If you are unsure how to answer or are unsure of a question, simply click “Next >>”. Note that with each start of FluidSIM the user name appears. Also note that the company’s name is stored in the license connector. Import Online Activation Notes During the activation of FluidSIM several features of your PC and the product ID are used to generate an individual license ID. This string is valid for your PC only. I.e., if your PC is substantially modified or if you want to use another PC, your FluidSIM license has to be transfered to the new hardware. This happens automatically, if you again activate FluidSIM when starting the program with the new hardware. Note that reactivation means license transferral: After a reactivation on a new hardware FluidSIM cannot be activated again on the original PC. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 13 2. Getting Started Blue License Connector for Single-Position Systems—Important Usage Notes 14 To avoid a mistakenly loss of your licenses, please consider the following tips: • Modification of the system configuration De-install FluidSIM temporarily before you modify the system configuration (exchange of hardware components, re-installation of the operating system). • Temporary de-installation of FluidSIM When temporarily de-installing FluidSIM, modified and newly created files can be preserved. A subsequent re-installation of FluidSIM will recognize these files. • Hard disk failure In the case of a hard disk failure Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG will help to reactivate your FluidSIM license if you own a backup of the hard disk (phone: 0049-711-3467-0). © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 2. Getting Started 2.3 Supplied Files The directory structure of FluidSIM is demonstrated in the following figure. The directory aq contains the knowledge bases for FluidSIM. The directory bin contains the executable FluidSIM program along with additional libraries. This directory also contains the registration information and the program fduninst.exe, which is necessary for de-installation. You should not make any changes to this directory bin. The directory bmp4 contains the photos of components in the component library. These pictures have four gray scales for use with Microsoft Windows® with sixteen colors. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 15 2. Getting Started The directory bmp16 also contains the photos of components in the component library. These pictures have sixteen gray scales for use with Microsoft Windows® with at least 256 colors. The directory bmp16c contains the figures of both the component illustrations and the didactics material. The directory ct contains the supplied circuits for FluidSIM. This is also the default directory in which all new circuits diagrams are saved. In its subdirectories the following circuit diagrams have been included: shows: Circuits that can be opened as a bitmap via the Didactics menu (see section 5). tp501: Circuits in the workbook “Hydraulics Basic Level TP 501”. tp502: Circuits in the workbook “Hydraulics Advanced Level TP 502”. tp601: Circuits in the workbook “Electro-hydraulics Basic Level TP 601”. tp602: Circuits in the workbook “Electro-hydraulics Advanced Level TP 602”. The directory lib contains the component library of FluidSIM as total view. The directory lib2 contains the component library of the versions 2.x of FluidSIM. The directory misc contains auxiliary files and option files for FluidSIM. The directory snd contains sound files for FluidSIM. The directory sym shows the component library of FluidSIM as a hierarchical view. In the same hierarchical fashion the contents of this directory is also shown in the menu Insert . The directory shw contains files for use with presentations. 16 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 2. Getting Started The directory ppx contains extended PowerPoint presentations. The directory tmp contains the pre-calculated circuit models and temporary files created by FluidSIM. The complete FluidSIM software takes up approximately 16 MB of memory on the hard disk. 2.4 De-installation of a Single-Position License The following steps are necessary to de-install FluidSIM from your computer. > Connect the blue license connector to the parallel port (LPT 1). > Click on the program icon Remove FluidSIM-H in the Start Menu Program Files/Festo Didactic. If the program icon cannot be found, start the program fduninst.exe in the binsubdirectory of the FluidSIM directory. The license connector will charge and you will be asked whether or not you would like to preserve user-modified files. > You should answer “Yes”, if you would like to keep the files that you created with FluidSIM, for example new circuit diagrams and presentations, and also information that you changed while using FluidSIM. When re-installing FluidSIM, you should use the same directory path. You should answer “No”, if you want to completely remove FluidSIM from your computer. If a problem occurs during de-installation, do not attempt to manually change or delete FluidSIM. Instead report problems and errors to Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG (phone: 0049-711-3467-0). © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 17 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits The following chapter is set up in the form of a tutorial to introduce the user to important FluidSIM functions. At the end the user should be comfortable designing and simulating circuit diagrams. > Start FluidSIM via the Start Menu under Program Files/ Festo Didactic. After a few seconds the main window from FluidSIM should appear on your screen: 18 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits The left-hand side shows the component library of FluidSIM in its total view; it contains hydraulic and electrical components for the creation of new circuit diagrams. The menu bar at the top of the window lists all the functions needed for the simulation and creation of circuit diagrams. The toolbar beneath this menu displays frequently used menu functions. The toolbar contains the following nine groups of functions: 1. creating new circuit diagrams, previewing a circuit diagram, opening and saving circuit diagrams 2. printing the contents of the window, for example circuit diagrams and component photos 3. editing circuit diagrams 4. alignment of components 5. using a grid 6. zooming in and zooming out of circuit diagrams, component pictures, and other windows 7. superficial circuit checking 8. simulating circuit diagrams, directing animation (basic level) 9. simulating circuit diagrams, directing animation (additional functions) © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 19 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits Only a certain number of the above listed functions will apply to a specific circuit diagram. FluidSIM recognizes which functions apply according to the contents of the window, component functions and context (circuit diagram design, animation, circuit diagram simulation, etc.), and disables the operations on the toolbar that do not apply. In many new Microsoft Windows® programs “context menus” are available. A context menu appears when the user clicks the right button on the mouse within the program window. In FluidSIM, context menus apply to the contents and situations in the window; the context menus contain a useful subset of functions from the main menu bar. Located at the bottom of the window is a status bar that displays information on the current calculations and activities during the operation of FluidSIM. In Edit Mode, FluidSIM displays the designation of the component found under the mouse cursor. Buttons, scrollbars, and the menu bar in FluidSIM operate in the same way as in most other programs that utilize Microsoft Windows® . 20 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits 3.1 Simulating Existing Circuit Diagrams Included with the FluidSIM installation disks are a number of working circuit diagrams. The circuit diagrams will be utilized in the following sections as demonstration and learning material. A more detailed description of the circuits can be found in the following workbooks “Hydraulics Basic Level TP 501”, “Hydraulics Advanced Level TP 502”, “Electro-hydraulics Basic Level TP 601”, and “Electro-hydraulics Advanced Level TP 602”. These circuit diagrams can be opened and simulated with FluidSIM as follows: > Click on or choose Circuit Preview in the File menu. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 21 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits Preview windows containing overviews of existing circuit diagrams should appear: A preview window displays the circuit diagrams of a specific directory in alphabetical order accompanied by a miniature representation. The name of the current directory is shown in the title bar of the preview window; the files of the FluidSIM circuit diagrams contain the extension ct. 22 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits By double clicking a directory icon you go down to the respective subdirectory. In the ct subdirectory of the fl_sim_h installation additional subdirectories for diagrams can be created. These subdirectories are automatically found by FluidSIM, and extra directory icons are created for them. > Open the circuit diagram demo1.ct by double clicking on its miniature representation. Circuit diagrams can also be opened using the File Selector dialog box. or choosing Open... under the File menu, the File By clicking on Selector dialog box will appear, in which a circuit diagram can be opened by double clicking on its filename. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 23 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits In either case the circuit diagram is opened and displayed in a new window: > Click on or on Execute Start , or press the key F9 . FluidSIM switches to the simulation mode and starts the simulation of the circuit diagram. When in the simulation mode, the mouse cursor changes to a hand . During the simulation FluidSIM first calculates all electrical parameters. This step is followed by formulating the model of the hydraulic circuit, and, based on the model, the entire distribution for flow and pressure is calculated. 24 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits Formulating models is demanding. Depending on a circuit’s complexity and the computer’s power, a circuit’s simulation may take considerable time. As soon as the results are available, the connection lines will be shown in color and the cylinders extend in sequence: The colors of the connection lines have the following meaning: Color Meaning Dark red Hydraulic line: pressure ≥ 50% of maximum Ocher Hydraulic line: pressure < 50% of maximum Light red Electrical line, current flowing © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 25 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits You can define your own mapping between colors and state values under Options Simulation... . The varying thicknesses of the dark red connection lines corresponds to the pressure as related to the maximum pressure. FluidSIM distinguishes between three thicknesses of line: Thickness Meaning Pressure ≥ 50% and < 75% of maximum Pressure ≥ 75% and < 90% of maximum Pressure ≥ 90% of maximum The exact numeric values for pressures, flow rates, voltages, and currents are displayed on the attached measuring instruments. Section 4.5 describes how you may go about getting values for all or only selected variables on the circuit diagram, even when measuring instruments are not present. Simulation in FluidSIM is based on physical models whose components match those components found in the Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG equipment set. Therefore, calculated values should closely match measured values. When comparing results, please acknowledge the fact that in practice, measurements can be subject to large fluctuations. The reasons for differences range from component tolerances to oil temperature. The calculation of variables forms the basis for an exact, real-time proportional animation of the cylinder. Real-time-proportionality guarantees the following property: If in reality a cylinder moves twice as fast as another one, the relationship between these two components is shown in the animation. In other words, the real-time relationship remains unaltered. Manually operated valves and switches, found in the circuit diagram, can be switched by clicking on them with the mouse: 26 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits > Move the mouse cursor to the left switch. The mouse cursor becomes a hand with index finger that the switch may be flipped. and indicates > Click on the switch. When you click on a manually operated switch, its real behavior is simulated. In this example the clicked switch becomes closed and recalculation begins automatically. Following the calculation, the new pressure and flow values are indicated and the cylinders retract. The switching of a component is only possible when a simulation is running ( ) or when a simulation has been set to pause ( ). In the event that you would like to simulate another circuit diagram, it is not necessary to close the open one. FluidSIM allows you to have several circuits open at one time. Furthermore, FluidSIM is able to simulate multiple circuits simultaneously. or Execute Stop to switch the current circuit from > Click on Simulation Mode to Edit Mode. By switching a circuit from Simulation Mode to Edit Mode, all components will automatically be set back to their “normal status”. In particular, switches are set to their original position, valves switch to their normal position, cylinder pistons are set to their previous position, and all values calculated are deleted. By clicking on (alternative: Execute Pause or F8 ) you can switch from Edit Mode to Simulation Mode without starting the simulation. This feature is useful, if components shall be set before the simulation is started. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 27 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits 3.2 The Different Simulation Modes In addition to the functions of the preceding section ( exist also the following additional functions: reset and restart of the simulation , , ), there simulation in single step mode simulation to a certain point where a state change happens Reset and Restart of the Simulation or under Execute Reset , an already running simulation By clicking on or paused simulation can be reset. Immediately following this, the simulation will be restarted. Single Step Mode During single step mode, the simulation will stop after a small step. or Execute Single Step , the simulation will More exactly, by clicking on begin for just a short time period (approximately 0.01 - 0.1 seconds in the real system); the system then pauses ( ). A running simulation can, at any time, be set into single step mode. It is then possible to focus on key moments during the simulation. Simulation to a State Change or under Execute Simulate until State Change the By clicking on simulation begins and runs up until a certain point where a state change happens; the simulation then pauses ( ). The following situations describe the point at which the simulation pauses: 1. a cylinder’s piston moves at a stop 2. a valve switches or is operated 3. a relay switches 4. a switch is operated It is possible to switch from a running simulation into this state change mode. 28 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits 3.3 Creating new Circuit Diagrams This section contains an introduction to creating and simulating circuit diagrams using FluidSIM. > Create an empty drawing area by clicking on to open a new window: or under File New Circuit diagrams can only be created or altered in the Edit Mode. The Edit Mode is indicated with the following mouse cursor . © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 29 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits Each and every newly opened drawing area automatically contains a name, with which it can be saved. This name is found in the title bar of the new window. Using the scrollbars found to the right of and underneath the component library, you can scroll through the components. Using the mouse, you can “drag” and “drop” components from the component library onto the drawing area: > Move the mouse cursor to a component in the library, more specifically to the cylinder. > Press the left mouse button. While continuing to hold down the button, move the cursor. The cylinder is then highlighted (selected) and the mouse cursor . The component’s outline changes to a four way directional cross moves with the mouse cursor. 30 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits > Move the cursor to the drawing area and release the button on the mouse. This action places the cylinder in the drawing area: In this way it is possible to “drag” each component from the component library and place it in the desired position in the drawing area. In the same way it is possible to rearrange components already in the drawing area. > Drag the cylinder to the bottom right hand corner. In order to simplify the creation of circuit diagrams, the components automatically snap to grid in the drawing area. > Try to move the cylinder onto a non-permissible area, for example outside the window. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 31 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits Outside a permissible area the mouse cursor changes to the prohibited sign ; the component cannot be dropped. > Drag a second cylinder onto the drawing area and notice that the second cylinder is now highlighted. > Highlight, say, select the first cylinder by clicking on it. > Delete the cylinder by clicking on pressing the Del key. (cut) or under Edit Delete or by The commands in the Edit menu correspond only to the selected components. > Drag onto the drawing area a configurable 4/n-way valve, a pump unit, and a tank. 32 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits > Arrange the components in the following manner: © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 33 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits Double click the valve to assign an operation mode to it. A dialog box appears: Description of the dialog box: 34 • “Left/Right Actuation” For both sides the actuation modes of the valve can be defined individually; it can be one or more of the categories “manual”, “mechanical”, or “hydraulic/electrical”. An operation mode is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a symbol. If for a category no operation mode is desired, simply choose the blank symbol from the list. Moreover, for each side of the valve the attributes “spring-returned” and “piloted” can be set. • “Description” Enter here a name for the valve. This name is used in the state diagram and in the parts list. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits • “Valve Body” A configurable valve has at most four positions. For each of the positions a valve body element can be chosen individually. Such an element is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a symbol. If for a position no element is desired, simply choose the blank symbol from the list. • “Initial Position” This button defines the valve’s initial position (sometimes also called normal position or neutral position), which is the position without having any operation applied to the valve. Note that this setting is only exploited if it physically does not contradict a springreturned setting, possibly defined above. > Choose from the left-hand side in the topmost list a manual operation with snap in, and select the “spring-returned” option in the right field. Close the dialog box via OK. Now the valve should look as follows: > Move the mouse cursor over the left cylinder connection . In Edit Mode, the mouse cursor changes to a cross-wires pointer when it is above a component connection . , > Press the left mouse button while the mouse cursor is above the cylinder connection. Move the mouse cursor and notice how the . cross-wires pointer gains arrows © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 35 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits > Keep pressing the mouse button, and move the cross-wires pointer to the upper left valve connection. Notice how the arrows on the . cross-wires pointer turn inward > Release the mouse button. Immediately a line appears between the two chosen connections: FluidSIM automatically draws a line between the two chosen connections. The mouse cursor changes to the prohibited sign when it is not possible to draw a line between two connections. > Move the mouse cursor to a line. 36 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits In the Edit Mode, the mouse cursor changes to a line-selection symbol , when it is positioned over a line. > Press the left mouse button and move the line-selection symbol to the left. Release the mouse button. Immediately, the line is redrawn: In the Edit Mode the components and lines can be selected, moved, or deleted by clicking on Edit Delete or by pressing the Del key. > Connect the remaining components. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 37 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits The circuit diagram should look somewhat like the following one: The circuit diagram has been completely drawn and connected. Attempt to simulate this circuit. > Start the simulation by clicking on with the F9 key). 38 (or under Execute Start or © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits During simulation all pressures and flow rates are calculated, all lines are colored, and the cylinder’s piston extends. After the cylinder has been extended, the pressure in the cylinder supply line must inevitably increase. This situation is recognized by FluidSIM and the parameters are recalculated; the pressure downstream of the pump unit increases to the value, as defined by the pump unit safety guard. In order to keep the value of the maximum pressure low, the pump unit must be equipped with a pressure relief valve. > Activate the Edit Mode by clicking on with the F5 key). © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM (or under Execute Stop or 39 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits > Drag a pressure relief valve and a second tank into the window. In reality, to connect a component to an existing line requires a Tconnection . FluidSIM automatically creates a T-connection when you draw a line from a connection to an existing line. draw a line between the input > Using the cross-wires cursor connection of the pressure relief valve to the line connecting the pump unit and the valve. Notice how the arrows in the cross-wires . turn inwards > Release the mouse button. The T-connection appears on the line at the point where the mouse button was released. > Connect the tank to the pressure relief valve. > When possible, draw the line so that the wiring diagram is arranged clearly. 40 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits The circuit diagram should now appear somewhat like the following diagram: > Save the circuit by clicking on or File Save . FluidSIM automatically opens the File Selector dialog box, if the title is new; here you must give the circuit a name. > Start the simulation by clicking © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM . 41 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits The cylinder’s piston extends. As soon as the piston fully extends, a new situation arises. This situation is recognized by FluidSIM and is recalculated. The pressure relief valve opens and the distribution of pressure is shown: FluidSIM not only animates manually operated components during changeover, but nearly all components with multiple states. The following figure shows a pressure relief valve in closed and open position: 42 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits Recall that in the Simulation Mode, manually operated valves and switches can be switched with a mouse click: > Move the mouse cursor over the left-hand side of the valve. The mouse cursor becomes a hand with an extended index finger indicates that the valve can be switched. and > Click on the left side of the valve and hold the mouse button down. When you click on a valve, the real behavior of the valve is simulated. In our example the valve is switched to crossover position and a recalculation is initiated automatically. As a result, the pressure relief valve closes and the cylinder retracts. As soon as the cylinder reaches its left stop, the pressure relief valve opens again. Components whose switching status is not locked remain activated as long as the mouse button is held down. > Stop the simulation, which also brings you to Edit Mode. Select from the component library the state diagram component, and place it onto the drawing area. The state diagram records the state quantities of important components and depicts them graphically. > Move the state diagram to a free place in the drawing. Drag the cylinder and drop it onto the state diagram. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 43 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits > Start the simulation and observe the state diagram. Note that several state diagrams can be used in the same circuit; however, several components may also share the same state diagram. A component is added by simply dropping it onto the state diagram. If a component is dropped a second time on the diagram, it will be removed from there. State quantities of the following components can be recorded and displayed in the state diagram: 44 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 3. Introduction to Simulating and Creating Circuits Component State Cylinder Position Way valve Position Manometer Pressure Flow meter Flow Pressure or switching valve State Switch State The example is now finished. Further editing and simulation concepts are described in the next chapter. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 45 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits This chapter contains advanced concepts and functions, which can be used when simulating and creating circuits with FluidSIM. 4.1 Additional Editing Functions In addition to the commands that were introduced in section 3.3, the Edit Mode in FluidSIM provides you with a higher level of important editing functions: Setting the Paper Size In Edit Mode the size of the paper is indicated by a red rectangle. The default setting of the paper size is “DIN A4, portrait”. The default setting can be changed in the menu File Drawing Size... . The size and the orientation of the paper can be set here. If the drawing size exceeds the paper size of your printer, the total area of several smaller papers can be tiled with the drawing. 46 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits For orientation purposes, under File Properties... additional information can be stored along with each drawing. The text that is entered in description is shown in the preview window below the respective diagram. Undoing Editing Steps By clicking on or Edit Undo and with Edit Redo , each step given in the Edit Mode can be undone in the following manner: ( Edit Undo ), the last editing step that was taken By clicking on is undone. FluidSIM recalls the last 128 editing steps, which can be undone. The function Edit Redo serves as a way to “withdraw the last undone step”. When using to undo an editing step, you may go to far. By clicking under Edit Redo , the circuit is returned to its original state was initiated. The function Edit Redo can be invoked before undo until there are no more undo steps to be redone. The function Edit Undo applies to all possible editing steps in the Edit Mode. Multiple Selection A component can be highlighted, that is to say selected, by clicking on it with the left mouse button. However, by clicking on another component with the left mouse button, the first component is no longer selected, but the second component is. Only one component at a time may be selected when clicking with the left mouse button. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 47 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits If, while you are clicking on components, you hold down the Ctrl key, the components that are already selected will remain so. In addition, the component underneath the mouse cursor will also be selected, if not already selected, or de-selected, if already selected. In this sense, the component’s state of selection is reversed. Another efficient concept for selecting multiple components is by using the rubber band. The rubber band is opened by pressing and holding down the left mouse button, and then moving the mouse cursor. The mouse cursor cannot be located directly over a component if the rubber band shall be opened. 48 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits All components enclosed, either partially or fully, by the rubber band, are selected. All components and lines of the current circuit diagram can be selected by clicking under Edit Select All or typing Ctrl A . Editing functions such as dragging or moving, copying and, deleting apply to all selected components. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 49 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Right Mouse Button When you click the mouse button on the right in a FluidSIM window, the appropriate context menu is opened. If the mouse cursor is located above a component or component connection, the item will become selected. If this component was not yet selected, then a possibly existing selection of other components will be de-selected. Clicking the right mouse button on a component (connection) is actually a short cut for the following two actions: Clicking the left mouse button on the component (connection) and opening a menu. Double Clicking with the Mouse Double clicking the left mouse button on a component (connection) is a short cut for the following two actions: Selecting the component (connection) and clicking on Edit Properties... . Copying Selected components can be copied to the clipboard by clicking on or Edit Copy ; the component can then be inserted in the circuit diagram by clicking on or Edit Paste . In the same way it is possible to paste the contents of the clipboard into another graphic or word processing program. Within a circuit diagram selected components can also be copied by holding down the Shift key and moving them. The mouse cursor changes then to the copy symbol . Copying between Windows 50 Components can simply be copied between windows by selecting the desired components and dragging them in the other window. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Aligning Objects To align objects, firstly select these objects and then click on the icon or on the appropriate entry in the Edit Align menu. Reference object is always the object which lies furthermost in the desired direction. If, for instance, several components shall become aligned left, all but one objects are moved to the left so that they align with the left-most object. Note that hydraulic and electrical components obey the constraint that their connections must lie on the grid. As a consequence, an alignment may not always coincide with the symbol bounding. Rotation Selected components can be rotated by 90°, 180° or 270°. There is a short cut for rotating a single component in steps of 90° : pressing the Ctrl key and double clicking on the component. Deleting Lines If only one component connection is selected, its connected (but deselected) lines can be deleted using Edit Delete or by pressing the Del key. This concept provides an alternative way to delete lines. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 51 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Configuring Way Valves The body of a valve or its operation concept can be changed by doubleclicking the valve. The following dialog box is opened. Description of the dialog box: 52 • “Left/Right Actuation” For both sides the actuation modes of the valve can be defined individually; it can be one or more of the categories “manual”, “mechanical”, or “hydraulic/electrical”. An operation mode is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a symbol. If for a category no operation mode is desired, simply choose the blank symbol from the list. Moreover, for each side of the valve the attributes “spring-returned” and “piloted” can be set. • “Description” Enter here a name for the valve. This name is used in the state diagram and in the parts list. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits • “Valve Body” A configurable valve has at most four positions. For each of the positions a valve body element can be chosen individually. Such an element is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a symbol. If for a position no element is desired, simply choose the blank symbol from the list. • “Initial Position” This button defines the valve’s initial position (sometimes also called normal position or neutral position), which is the position without having any operation applied to the valve. Note that this setting is only exploited if it physically does not contradict a springreturned setting, possibly defined above. Setting Line Type The type of each fluidic line can be changed from the standard line type, “Main Line”, to the special line type “Control Line”. Being in Edit Mode, double clicking on a fluidic line or selecting the line and choosing the menu entry Edit Properties... brings up a dialog box in which you can set the line type. A control line is shown dashed. Note that—aside from a different appearance—changing line type has no impact respecting simulation. Setting Blind Plugs Before starting a simulation, FluidSIM checks for open connections and, on request, will fit a blind plug. You can set or delete such blind plugs in the Edit Mode by double clicking on the desired hydraulic connection. A dialog box appears, in which you can either set or remove a blind plug for the selected connection. Another way to go about changing blind plugs is to select the desired connection and then click under Edit Properties... , which will open the desired dialog box. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 53 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Hydraulic connections that are fitted with a blind plug are indicated clearly with a crossbar. Zoom Features The content of windows can be enlarged by clicking on or View or View Zoom Out . The short cut keys Zoom In or reduced by using for this function are > and < respectively. If your mouse device is equipped with a mouse wheel you can roll the wheel while holding down the Ctrl key to zoom in.and out, respectively If you click on or View Zoom by Rubber Band and then draw a rectangle with the rubber band, the selected area will be shown enlarged. You can also switch between the current and previous view of a window by or View Previous View . clicking on or View Fit to Window fits the entire circuit to the window; or shows the circuit diagram without enlargement or reduction. View Standard Size 54 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Background Grid By clicking on , the background grid is shown. By clicking under , a dialog box appears that allows you to select between grid types and line resolution. Options Grid... Description of the dialog box: Grouping Objects • “Width” The grid width defines how close together the lines of the grid should be. You can choose between “Coarse”, “Medium”, or “Fine”. • “Style” There are three types of grid to choose from “Point”, “Cross”, or “Line”. • “Display Grid” This selection displays or hides the background grid. If objects shall be subsumed under a single group, select them and click Edit Group . Groups can be nested. The objects of a group can be selected, moved, deleted, or copied only all at once. However, component properties can be edited individually, as usual, by either double clicking the object or choosing the respective entry in the component’s context menu. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 55 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Ungrouping Objects To ungroup a collection of objects, click Edit Ungroup . Note that only the outermost group is resolved; repeated ungrouping will resolve nested groups. 4.2 Additional Simulation Functions This section describes in detail additional functions that apply to the simulation of circuit diagrams. Simultaneous Actuation of Several Components During the Simulation Mode, it is sometimes necessary to actuate more switches or valves simultaneously. It is possible in FluidSIM to simulate just such an actuation by means of setting a component in a permanently actuated state. A button (or a manually operated valve) will become permanently actuated when clicking on it while holding down the Shift key. This permanent actuation will be released by a simple click on the component. Switching to the Edit Mode If a component is dragged from the component library to the circuit in the drawing area, and the simulation has been paused , FluidSIM automatically switches to the Edit Mode. Editing and Simulating in Parallel In FluidSIM it is possible to open more than one circuit diagram at a time. Each circuit can either be simulated or edited. This fact means that the Simulation Mode and the Edit Mode are applied uniquely and independently to each window containing a circuit diagram. 56 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits This concept means that it is possible to edit one circuit diagram, while other circuits are in the background running in simulation: It’s in the nature of hydraulics that the simulation of circuits is a demanding problem. Therefore, when using a lower-performance computer, the editing of new circuit diagrams often appears jerky when simulations of other circuits are simultaneously running in the background. So that working in the Edit Mode goes more smoothly, all simulations performed in the background should be stopped. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 57 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits 4.3 Linking Components Automatically Insertion of T-connections 4.4 Current Path Numbering and Switching Elements Table In order to make circuit design efficient, FluidSIM provides more functions to facilitate component linking. FluidSIM automatically inserts a T-connection when a line is drawn from a component connection . to an already existing line. This functionality applies to hydraulic as well as electrical lines. The automatic generation of current paths simplifies the identification of switches and relays when constructing electrical circuits. Along with the generated switching element tables FluidSIM makes it easy to understand which switches are controlled by which relays. To make the automatic labeling feature a satisfactorily working concept, the following points should be obeyed. • The +24V current path should form the top horizontal line. • The 0V current path should form the bottom horizontal line. • The electric make/break/changeover switches should be placed above the relays. • The relays should be placed closed to the bottom 0V current path. • All connections of a vertical current path should align. • The horizontal distances between the paths should be equal and of reasonable distance. If the automatic numbering or the label positions are not entirely satisfying, a manual adjustment of a few lines or components will yield the desired layout quality in most cases. If two separated electrical circuits cause an unfavorable numbering, try to increase the distance between these circuits. The automatic current path numbering can enabled or disabled via View / Display current path numbering and switching elements table . 58 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits 4.5 Displaying Quantity Values The values for all or only selected quantities of a circuit can also be displayed without measuring instruments. > Click under the View menu on Quantity Values... to open the dialog box for the display of quantities: For each of the listed quantities (“Velocity”, “Pressure”, ...) a display mode can be chosen. When displaying pressure values it can be chosen between two different units, “Bar” and “MPa”. This setting affects the display of pressure values at connections, at components, and within state diagrams. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 59 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Description of the dialog box: • “None” No values are displayed for this quantity. • “Particular” Values are displayed at those connections that the user has previously chosen. • “All” Values are displayed at all connections for this quantity. • “Display Measurement Units” Enable this option if both state values and the related units shall be displayed. For each quantity there is a key short cut for toggling between the three display modes. The “Shortcut” column of the dialog box for the quantity display shows the appropriate keys. Selecting connections for the display of single parameters is explained here: > Open a circuit diagram. > Change into the Edit Mode and double click on a component connection, or click under the Edit menu on Properties... . A dialog box with the connection settings opens. The field “Show Values” defines the state values to be displayed when the “selected”option in the state values dialog box is chosen. However, if the “no”option in the state values dialog box is chosen, even the checked state values are not displayed. 60 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits The settings for the display behavior for state values belong to the current circuit diagram only. Hence, for several open circuit diagrams, different view options can be defined. By clicking on Options Save Settings Now , the view option settings of the current circuit are saved and serve as default for newly opened circuit diagrams. Special Features of the Quantity Display Vector quantities are characterized by an absolute value along with a direction. To indicate the direction within a circuit diagram the signs “+” (into or toward a component) and “–” (out of or away from a component) are used. An arrow may also be used to display direction. FluidSIM uses both representations: Quantity Flow Velocity Direction indicator Sign, arrow Sign Force Sign Current Sign The arrow as a direction of flow indicator can be turned on or off by clicking under View Display Flow Direction . The arrow for the direction of flow will be shown clear the component connection, that is, as long as the flow is other than zero. If the total value of a quantity is extremely near to zero (< 0.0001), no numerical value will be displayed. Rather, the symbol “> 0” for a small positive value or “< 0” for a small negative value is shown. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 61 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits 4.6 Displaying State Diagrams The state diagram records the state quantities of important components and depicts them graphically. Note that several state diagrams can be used in the same circuit; however, several components may also share the same state diagram. A component is added by simply dropping it onto the state diagram. If a component is dropped a second time on the diagram, it will be removed from there. > Being in Edit Mode click on Edit Properties... . The following dialog box opens: 62 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Description of the dialog box: • “Display Interval” Defines start and end point in time for state value recording. These boundaries must not be known prior to a simulation but can be set afterwards since FluidSIM records always all state values during the entire simulation period. If the “Adjust automatically”-option is enabled, boundaries of the time interval are ignored. The timeline is scaled such that the entire simulation time is always displayed. • “Log File” The state values be written to a file. To enable this option enter the complete path of a file and set a reasonable step width. Note that a large amount of data can be written the step width is very small. Hence, if necessary, shorten the simulation interval or increase the step width. If the option “Record state changes only” is enabled, FluidSIM lists only values if at least one state variable incurred a state change. This option simplifies the detection of interesting simulation points- • “Color” Defines the color of the diagram. It is set by clicking on the downarrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a color. • “Fill Area” Defines whether the entire diagram or only its frame is filled with specified the color. • “Layer” Sets the drawing layer of the diagram. It is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a layer. Depending on drawing layer the diagram may be invisible or not selectable. In such a case the drawing layer must be activated via View Layers... before the diagram can be modified. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 63 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits State quantities of the following components can be recorded and displayed in the state diagram: Component 4.7 Superficial Circuit Checking State Cylinder Position Way valve Position Manometer Pressure Flow meter Flow Pressure or switching valve State Switch State Before a simulation is started, the circuit diagram can be checked to see if there are any graphic drawing mistakes present. The mistakes that lead to errors include the following: 1. objects outside of the drawing area 2. lines that cross through components 3. superimposed lines 4. superimposed components 5. superimposed connections or connections that do not go together 6. open hydraulic connections 7. components that have the same identification assigned 8. mismatched labels (see section 4.8) 9. lines that cross through connections to which they are not connected 64 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits The following circuit diagram contains mistakes of type 2, 3, 4, and 6: > Click on or Execute Check Superficially . Message boxes should now appear, which inform the user of the graphic mistakes. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 65 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits After the instructions, you may decide if the circuit should be simulated anyway: In the case that you start a circuit with open hydraulic connections FluidSIM automatically closes these connection with blind plugs. 4.8 Coupling Hydraulics, Electrics and Mechanics 66 In the same way FluidSIM allows you to create hydraulic circuit diagrams, the software also allows you to design electrical circuits. The components for the electrical circuits can be found in the component library and dragged from there to be inserted on the drawing area. Electrical components are connected in the same way that fluidic components are. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits The following illustration shows a small example: > Create this circuit diagram on your computer. > Start the simulation and observe that the indicator light is illuminated. There are also electrical components that link electrical circuits with hydraulic circuits. These linking components include switches that are hydraulically operated and solenoids that control directional valves. Electrical circuits are drawn independently of hydraulic circuits. Therefore, there needs to be a way to create definite links between electrical components (such as a control solenoid) and hydraulic components (such as a directional valve). So-called labels bridge the difference and link both circuit diagrams together. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 67 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits A label has a specific name and can be assigned to a component. If two components have the same label name they are linked together, although no apparent line is visible between them. Entering a label takes place in a dialog box, which can be opened by either double clicking on the desired component or selecting the component and then clicking Edit Properties... . Labels can be established on the left and right sides of an electrically operated valve by double clicking on the appropriate side, as opposed to clicking in the middle of the component. The following example explains how labels can be used in FluidSIM. > Activate the Edit Mode by clicking on or Execute Stop . > Create the circuit diagram as shown in the following figure: 68 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits So that the valve can be controlled by the solenoid, you have to link the components with a label. > Double click on the control solenoid or simply select the control solenoid and click under Edit Properties... . The following dialog box appears: Description of the dialog box: • “Label” This text field gives the label its name. A label can be up to 32 characters in length consisting of letters, numbers, and symbols. > Enter a name for this label, for example “Y1”. > Double click on the outside of the valve solenoid to open the dialog box for the label name. > Input the same label name as for the solenoid, for example “Y1”. The solenoid is now linked to the valve. In practice the valve solenoid would not be directly controlled by the switch, rather via an intermediate relay. This component has been neglected here for the sake of simplicity. > Start the simulation. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 69 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits The electrical current as well as the pressure and flow distribution are computed; the pressures are shown in color. If you want to see the exact values of the quantities at hand, you can mark them by clicking under View Quantity Values... . The marked quantities are displayed next to the components’ connections. Section 4.5 applies here. > Operate the electrical switch. As a result the valve switches and the cylinder’s piston extends: Electrically or hydraulically operated valves can only be switched manually, when there is no control signal applied. 70 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Aside from a manual or electrical operation, valves can be controlled mechanically, either through a cylinder piston or a magnet mounted at the piston. Such a coupling is realized in the same way an electrical coupling is established: By means of labels, which are assigned to the cylinder’s distance rule and the mechanical valve connection. > Draw a configurable valve on the drawing area and furnish it with a mechanical actuator. > Double click the mechanical actuator. A dialog opens where a string for the related label can be entered. If the same label is assigned to the cylinder’s distance rule, the valve will become actuated mechanically if the cylinder piston reaches its predefined position. Display Styles for Labels If a label shall be displayed framed, similar to the display of component descriptions, click onto View Labels... . The following dialog box opens: © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 71 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits In the dialog box for each label of the circuit its style, framed or not framed, can be defined. 4.9 Operating Switches This section describes how to operate switches by means of cylinders, relays, pressure, or other switches. Switches at Cylinders Limit switches, proximity switches, and mechanically operated valves can be activated by the piston of the cylinder. Therefore, it is necessary to use a distance rule at the cylinder to position the switches correctly: > Drag a cylinder and a distance rule to the drawing area. > Drag the distance rule near to the cylinder. When the distance rule is dropped near the cylinder, it automatically snaps in the right position. Move the cylinder just slightly and the distance rule moves with it. If you move the cylinder more than a centimeter in distance, the connection between distance rule and cylinder is broken, and the distance rule does not travel with. The correct position for a distance rule depends on the type of cylinder. Distance rules can be set above the cylinder, before the cylinder (on the moving piston), or at both positions at the same time: > Double click on the distance rule. 72 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits The following dialog box appears: Description of the dialog box: • “Label” The text insertion fields on the left are for naming labels from proximity switches or limit switches in electrical circuits, which are actuated by the movement of the cylinder’s piston. • “Position” The text insertion fields on the right are for defining the exact position of the switches on the cylinder. > Insert “Y1” as the label name in the first row and “35” for its position. Close the dialog box by clicking on “OK”. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 73 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Immediately following, a mark with the appropriate label appears beneath the distance rule: As a consequence, the cylinder will activate the switch or the valve labeled “Y1” if its piston has traveled by 35 mm. To define a label in the electrical circuit double click on the respective component; to define a label at a mechanical actuator of a valve double click the respective “connection” of the valve. Relays By using relays, more than one switch can be actuated simultaneously. It is therefore necessary to couple the relay with the appropriate switches. Thus in FluidSIM also relays possess labels, which can be used to couple relays and switches in the previously described way. By double clicking on a relay, the dialog box for a label name appears. The following illustration shows an electrical circuit in which a relay operates two break switches and two make switches at the same time: Besides simple relays, relays with switch-on delay, relays with switch-off delay, and relay counter exist. These relays are used when the linked switch should be actuated after a preset time interval or a number of pulses received. By double clicking on these relays, a dialog box appears where the appropriate values can be entered. 74 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Coupling Mechanical Switches To mechanically couple mechanical (manually operated) switches in FluidSIM, you have to use labels. When more than one mechanical switch has the same label, all these switches operate with the switching of only one. Automatic Switch Altering FluidSIM recognizes delay switches, limit switches, and pressure switches by the nature of their usage and by their labels and supplies the corresponding symbol for the switch in the electrical circuit: for switch-on delayed, for switch-off delayed, for mechanical operated switches, and for pressure operated switches. The representation of switches that are actuated by cylinders can be determined by selecting the corresponding switch type in the component’s properties dialog: This means that there do not exist special symbols for these switches in the FluidSIM component library. Instead the symbols for simple switches can be utilized: © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 75 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits 4.10 Adjustable Components Certain components contain parameters that can be set in the Edit Mode. A number of these components have been discussed in earlier sections. The following table gives a complete overview: Component Adjustable parameter Check valve Opening pressure Counterbalancing valve Nominal pressure Cylinder Name, force, max. stroke, piston position, piston area, piston ring area Diaphragm type accumulator Gas pre-charge pressure, nominal pressure at flow Flow control valve Nominal flow Hose Length Pressure reducing valve Nominal pressure Pressure relief valve Nominal pressure at flow Pressure switch Switching pressure Pump unit Operating pressure, flow Delay relay Delay time Relays counter Counting pulses Shut-off valve Opening level One-way flow control valve Opening level Throttle valve Opening level The dialog box for setting these parameters can be opened with a double click or Edit Properties... . 76 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits 4.11 Settings for Simulation By clicking Simulation... or Sound... under the Options menu, parameters and options can be set for simulation. Simulation Parameters By clicking under Options Simulation... a dialog box appears with parameters for simulation: Description of the dialog box: • “Line Colors” During simulation the electrical, the hydraulic and the digital lines get colored, depending on their state. The mapping from a state to a color is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a color. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 77 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits 78 • “Slow-motion Factor” The slow-motion factor controls whether the simulation should go more slowly then it would in reality. With a slow-motion factor of 1:1, the simulation should proceed in real-time. • “Piston Movement” With the setting “Keep Real-time” FluidSIM animates the piston as it would move in reality (real-time). The slow-motion factor is still considered. The requirement for the observance of real-time requires a powerful computer. The setting “Smooth” uses the available power of a computer to its best advantage. The goal here is to run the simulation without a sticky piston movement. Hence the movement of the piston can be faster or slower than the piston movement in reality. • “Label designation” By default, FluidSIM does not distinguish between uppercase and lowercase characters in label identifiers of mechanical or electrical connections. I. e., label identifiers are automatically converted to uppercase. Now, using the option “Display uppercase and lowercase”, label identifiers are treated case sensitively. Case sensitivity can be enabled for both display purposes and a more strict label identity checking. In the former case, upper- and lowercase characters, say, for instance “a” and “A”, are displayed as such, but treated as the same character. In the latter case, which is enabled by the option “Distinguish between uppercase and lowercase”, “a” and “A” are treated as different labels. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits • Sound Parameters “Digital Technique (Compatibility with Siemens LOGO!Soft)” It is a useful convention in the field of digital technology setting open input ports of AND, NAND, and NOT components to "Hi". Otherwise, e. g. an AND gate with three input ports would not function as expected if only two of its input ports were connected. Many constant "Hi" connections may clutter up a circuit unnecessarily, and hence FluidSIM can be configured to set open input ports of the respective components always to "Hi". This option can be disabled of course. If open input ports have been detected at the start of the simulation, FluidSIM issues a warning message. The display of this message can also be disabled. By clicking under Options Sound... a dialog box appears with parameters for sound settings: Description of the dialog box: • “Enable Sound” An acoustic signal can be activated or deactivated for each of the following four component types: switch, relay, valve, and buzzer. If there is no sound hardware, the settings can be set but not applied. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 79 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits 4.12 OPC and DDE communication with Other Applications FluidSIM can exchange data with other applications; thus it may coupled with programmable logic controllers, SPS, for instance. Prerequisite for such a coupling is the ability of the partner application to provide an “OPC interface” and to act as a so-called “DDE client”, respectively. From within a FluidSIM circuit the DDE coupling is realized by means of two electrical DDE components, each of which providing eight inputs and outputs respectively. Further information and examples regarding the DDE communication can be found on the FluidSIM-CD in the DDE directory. > Firstly, enable the option “Use OPC” in the Options OPC/DDE Connection... . > Drag an input (or output) component from the component library and open the property dialog box by double clicking the component or by clicking on Edit Properties... . The following dialog box opens: Description of the dialog box: • 80 “OPC Server” Enter the OPC server here or click on Select ... and select a server from the list. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits • “Item” Enter the data item here or click on Select ... and select an item from the list. • “Reverse Function” Inverts the logical values of the DDE components. Normally, current flow corresponds to a logical 1. > Select the option “Use DDE” by clicking Options OPC/DDE Connection... . > Select a DDE component from the library, place it onto the drawing area, and open its property dialog box by either double clicking or via Edit Properties... . The following dialog box opens: © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 81 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Description of the dialog box: 4.13 Settings for the OPC/DDE communication 82 • “Label” Label of the DDE component. This label is used from within the partner application to request or to set values in FluidSIM via DDE. • “FPC Address” If FluidSIM is coupled with an application that also provides FPC addressing support, the addresses of assembly, word, and byte can be entered here. These settings are necessary only if the option FPC mode is active. • “Reverse Function” Inverts the logical values of the DDE components. Normally, current flow corresponds to a logical 1. Clicking on Options OPC/DDE Connection... opens the following dialog box with settings for the OPC and DDE communication: © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 4. Advanced Concepts in Simulating and Creating Circuits Description of the dialog box: • “Do not apply remote control” This option disables OPC and DDE communication in FluidSIM. If this option is checked FluidSIM will not respond on attempts to open a connection by other applications. • “OPC mode” Choose this option, if FluidSIM shall be coupled with other applications via OPC. • “Buffer events” Enable this field, if FluidSIM shall buffer all events and process them in a first-in-first-out manner. If this option is disabled, events that occur during high computational load may go lost. • “DDE mode” Choose this option, if FluidSIM shall be coupled with other applications via DDE. • “Server” Defines the name under which name FluidSIM logs on the partner application. As the case may be, this name must be told the partner application as the server name. • “Topic” A topic is necessary to agree upon a common label for the data exchange. As the case may be, the topic must be told the partner application. • “FPC Addressing Mode” This option must be checked if FluidSIM is coupled with an application that also provides FPC addressing support. The usage of the OPC/DDE interface is introduced in Chapter 4.12. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 83 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics Beside the creation and simulation of electro-hydraulic circuit diagrams, FluidSIM also supports teaching basic hydraulic knowledge. This knowledge is presented in the form of texts, overview pictures, sectional views, exercises, and educational films. Functions that realize the selection of this instruction material are found under the Didactics menu. One group of these functions refers to information about single, selected components. Another group of functions refers to ordered overviews of the didactics material, allowing the selection of an interesting topic. Finally, it is also possible to select and link together arbitrary topics into so-called “presentations”. Appendix B, “The Component Library”, and C, “Didactics Material Survey”, offer a complete and concise summary of the instructional material in FluidSIM. The following sections contain a description of the functions found under the Didactics menu. 84 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics 5.1 Information about Single Components The first three entries under the Didactics menu refer to selected components and are context sensitive. More precisely: When a component in the current circuit diagram window is selected, or all selected components are of the same type, the menu entry Component Description will be enabled. In the case that a photo or a further illustration exists relative the selected components, the following functions can also be utilized: Component Photo and Component Illustration . In the case that varying types of components have been selected, the choice of components is not clear, and none of the above three menu entries will be enabled. If the current window shows a picture from the didactics material, the menu entry Topic Description will be enabled. Component Descriptions All components possess a page with a technical description. This page contains the diagram symbol for the component according to the DIN standard (“Deutsche Industrienorm”), a textual description of the component’s function, the designations of the connections, and a listing of the adjustable parameters along with their value ranges. > Select the one-way flow control valve, and click on the menu item Component Description under the Didactics menu. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 85 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics The following page opens: Under the heading “Related Topics”, but also when appropriate in the component description, cross references for related instruction material and components are defined. By clicking on a cross reference, the related page will automatically be displayed. Component Photos In FluidSIM most components possess an accompanying photo. > Select for example a cylinder and click on Component Photo in the Didactics menu. 86 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics The following photo appears on the screen: In the case that a component cannot exist singularly in a real system, FluidSIM displays a photo of the assembly group that this component belongs to. Examples for such components include the indicator light, relays, switches, and the electrical power supply. Components, that do not exist in reality, simply have no photo. Examples include the text component and the distance rule. Component Illustrations Component illustrations provide useful information relating a component’s function. This may include a sectional view of the component, but also illustrations of the component’s usage within a circuit diagram. For several components, their sectional view can be animated like a cartoon. > Select a 4/2-way hand-lever valve and click on Component Illustration under the Didactics menu. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 87 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics The following dialog box appears: Description of the dialog box: • 88 “Topics” This field contains a listing of sectional views, animations, and circuits which refer to the functional characteristics of a single component. By double clicking on a line in the list, the dialog box disappears, and a window with the selected information is opened. The highlighted bar in the topics list can be moved by mouse click or by using the arrow keys; however, the highlighted bar will not respond to any movement of the scrollbars. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics • “Preview” When the “Preview” setting is activated, the picture that pertains to a selected topic appears underneath the topics list. > Click on the line for topic [74.1] 4/ 2-way valve, three pistons (1) . The following picture appears: Often it is easier to understand the functional nature of a component, when its behavior is visualized through the use of animation. For this reason, several components possess different sectional views showing the component at different states. These sectional views can be animated in much the same way as a flip book. > Select a 3-way pressure reducing valve, and click on Component Illustration in the Didactics menu. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 89 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics > Double click on a topic referring a sectional view that can be animated. > Click on or Execute Start to start the animation. An animation can be “frozen” with or by clicking on Pause in the or Execute Stop stops an animation, whereas or Execute menu. Execute Reset restarts an animation. In addition, there is a loop mode for animation. When this mode is is clicked. The turned on, an animation will run and repeat itself until loop mode can be activated in the dialog box for the didactics options, which is opened by clicking on Didactics... Options . When more than one topic pertains to a component, or there exist additional topics to similar components, a dialog box containing a listing of these topics is opened when clicking on Component Illustration . Topic Descriptions FluidSIM also provides a textual description for all topics in the didactics material. If the current window contains a picture from the didactics material, for example a sectional view of a component or an exercise, a page with the related topic description can be opened by clicking on Didactics Topic Description . > Open the topic 32by clicking on Working Principle... in the Didactics menu. > Click on Topic Description in the Didactics menu. 90 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics The following page opens: Beneath the textual description, also a miniaturized representation of the related picture is given. 5.2 Selecting Didactics Material from a List The entries Hydraulics Basics... , Working Principle... , and Exercise... under the Didactics menu present the didactics material of FluidSIM organized in the form of three topics lists. From these lists topics can be chosen and viewed independently of the current window and possibly selected components. Hydraulics Basics Under this menu entry those overview pictures, sectional views, and animations are comprised that aid in teaching basic hydraulic knowledge. Here you can find information for such topics as the representation of diagram symbols and their meaning, animations relating to element designations, and simple circuit diagrams that demonstrate the interaction of individual components. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 91 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics > Click on Hydraulics Basics... under the Didactics menu to open a dialog box containing the topics list for basic concepts in hydraulics. Description of the dialog box: • 92 “Topics” This field contains a listing of topics pertaining to basic hydraulic knowledge. By double clicking on a line in the list, the dialog box disappears, and a window with the selected information is opened. The highlighted bar in the topics list can be moved by mouse click or by using the arrow keys; however, the highlighted bar will not respond to any movement of the scrollbars. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics • “Preview” When the “Preview” setting is activated, the picture that pertains to the selected topic appears underneath the topics list. Clicking on “OK” has the same function as double clicking on a line in the topics list; clicking on “Cancel” closes the dialog box without choosing a topic. If the chosen topic is an animation, it can be started by clicking on (see section 5.1). © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 93 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics Working Principles Sectional views that refer to the function of single components can be found under Working Principle... in the Didactics menu. For several components, their sectional view can be animated. In the same way that a topics list is opened for the hydraulics basics, a dialog box containing a list of topics is opened when clicking on Didactics Working Principle... . Description of the dialog box: • 94 “Topics” This field contains a listing of sectional views that refer to the function of single components. By double clicking on a line in the list, the dialog box disappears, and a window with the selected information is opened. The highlighted bar in the topics list can be moved by mouse click or by using the arrow keys; however, the highlighted bar will not respond to any movement of the scrollbars. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics • Exercises “Preview” When the “Preview” setting is activated, the picture that pertains to the selected topic appears underneath the topics list. FluidSIM provides 11practice assignments with standard exercises in the field of electro-hydraulics. Each assignment consists of three pictures. The first picture shows the problem, and the second picture shows one attempt at solving to demonstrate a basic idea. The third picture shows the complete solution in the form of a circuit diagram. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 95 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics > Click on Didactics Exercise... to open a dialog box that contains the exercises. Description of the dialog box: • 96 “Topics” This field contains a listing of exercises, which are always based on three pictures. By double clicking on a line in the list, the dialog box disappears, and a window with the selected information is opened. The highlighted bar in the topics list can be moved by mouse click or by using the arrow keys; however, the highlighted bar will not respond to any movement of the scrollbars. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics • “Preview” When the “Preview” setting is activated, the picture that pertains to the selected topic appears underneath the topics list. > By double clicking on its name in the dialog box, choose the exercise Roller conveyor (flow resistance) . The following window is opened: To go on to the next picture, you must either click on or set the exercise to an automatic continuation (see section 5.6). © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 97 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics 5.3 Presentations: Combining Instructional Material Sometimes you may want to examine a topic from different angles or combine individual topics into a lesson. For this purpose FluidSIM offers the concept entitled “presentation”. There are a number of already prepared presentations, which can be found on the FluidSIM installation disks. However, editing presentations or creating new presentations is also possible with FluidSIM. All presentations can be found under Presentation... in the Didactics menu. > Click on Didactics Presentation... . The following dialog box appears: 98 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics Description of the dialog box: • “Available Presentations” This field contains a list of already created presentations. • “New Presentation...” Clicking on “New Presentation...” opens a second dialog box for the creation of a new presentation. • “Edit Presentation...” Clicking on “Edit Presentation...” opens a second dialog box to begin editing a presentation. • “Preview” When the “Preview” setting is activated, the picture that pertains to the selected presentation appears underneath the topics list. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 99 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics > Click on “New Presentation” to open the following dialog box. Description of the dialog box: • 100 “Description” In this text field a short description of the presentation can be entered. This text may consist of up to 128 characters and will appear with the other presentations, the next time the presentation dialog box is opened. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics • “Available Topics” This field contains a list of all available topics dealing with “Hydraulic Basics”, “Working Principles”, and “Exercises”. Moreover, there exist two pictures that can be used to announce a refreshment and a lunch break respectively. A double click on a line in the “Available Topics” list inserts this line in the “Selected Topics” list above the highlighted bar. In this way a presentation can be created or altered. Moreover, a user can integrate his own circuit diagrams, DXF files, BMP- and WMF-picture files, or even multimedia files such as sounds or video clips. To do so, click on “User File...”: A dialog box opens that allows for the selection of the desired data source on the file system. • “Selected Topics” This field contains a list of topics chosen for the current presentation. • “Insert” Clicking on “Insert” is the same as double clicking a line in the “Available Topics” list: The selected line in “Available Topics” will be inserted in the “Selected Topics” list. • “Delete” Clicking on “Delete” deletes the selected line of the “Selected Topics” list. • “Preview” When the “Preview” setting is activated, the picture that pertains to the selected topic appears underneath the respective list. Within both topics lists the highlighted bar can be moved using the arrow keys. Maybe it will be necessary to click and select the list you want to work with. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 101 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics After creating a new presentation and closing the dialog box by clicking on “OK”, FluidSIM asks you to name the presentation file. Presentation files have the extension .shw and are located in the subdirectory shw under the fl_sim_h directory. The structure of a presentation file is described more thoroughly in section 7.2. 5.4 Extended Presentations in the Microsoft PowerPoint Format 102 FluidSIM 3 contains an additional large set of presentations written in the Microsoft PowerPoint Format. To use these presentations, PowerPoint must not be installed on your PC since FluidSIM installs the necessary viewer at its installation time. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics > Click on Extended Presentation... to open the dialog box of a presentation. > Select the item “Actuators” to open the related presentation in full screen mode. Most of the topics form a picture sequence, which can be viewed in a single-step manner using the left mouse button or the spacebar. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 103 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics > Move two single steps forward in the current presentation. When clicking the right mouse button, a context menu is opened by which, among others, the presentation can be closed or particular pictures picked out. The files of the extended presentations are in the subdirectory ppx of the FluidSIM installation. You can add new PowerPoint presentations on your own by copying the related files (format: “ppt” or “pps”) into the ppx-directory. Like the other didactics material (illustrations of function, component photos, circuit drawings, educational films, etc.), the PowerPoint presentations can linked and used within presentations (cf. Section 5.3). 104 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics 5.5 Playback of Educational Films The FluidSIM CD-ROM contains 15educational films, which last between 1 to 10 minutes in length and cover a specific area of electro-hydraulics. > Click on Didactics Educational Film... to open the dialog box that contains a list of the educational films. Description of the dialog box: • “Available Educational Films” This field contains a list of available educational films. By double clicking on a line in the list, the dialog box closes and the media playback starts playing the selected film. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 105 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics • “Preview” When the “Preview” setting is activated, a typical scene from the film appears underneath the list of titles. > Click on The Hydraulic Power Unit to start the playback of the selected film: 106 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics Underneath the window for the media playback, you will the find the control elements to start, stop, and wind the film. A detailed description of the media playback is available under the standard Microsoft Windows® help. 5.6 Settings for Didactics By clicking on Didactics... Options , a dialog box appears that contains the settings for didactics: Description of the dialog box: • “Animation Speed” This setting defines the speed at which the animations should run. • “Spool Presentation” A presentation in FluidSIM can be set to automatically run. For this the setting “Automatically after ...Seconds” must be activated. The time span that can be entered defines how long FluidSIM waits before switching to the next topic of the presentation. By clicking , the presentation will immediately change to the next topic in on the presentation. With the setting set to “Manually”, no automatic switching will take place during the presentation. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 107 5. Learning, Teaching, and Visualizing Hydraulics • “Loop” Defines whether a running presentation is reset and started over again after all topics have been displayed. This is known as loop mode. If an animation is running unattached to a presentation, for example when started via Didactics Component Illustration , this setting defines as to whether or not the animation will automatically repeat itself. 108 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions This chapter develops further concepts and functions of FluidSIM. 6.1 Drawing Layers Components in FluidSIM that cannot be simulated, such as texts, DXF import data, rectangles, circles, state diagrams, and parts lists, can be assigned to one of eight drawing layers. Each layer can be shown or hidden as well as set locked or unlocked. These properties are defined under View Layers... ; here also a layer can be given a name. Components of FluidSIM that can be simulated are always on layer 1. • “Description” The layer name is displayed in the dialog box of an object’s properties instead of the layer number. • “Display” If the option “Show” is disabled, the respective drawing layer is invisible, and, of course, can not be edited. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 109 6. Special Functions • “Edit” If the option “Edit” is disabled, the respective drawing layer is still visible but cannot be edited. I. e., the objects that belong to such a locked layer can neither be selected, nor moved or deleted. By this concept e. g. a drawing frame can be protected. To edit objects on a locked layer, first unlock the layer. The identifiers of components and connections in FluidSIM’s standard circuit library stand on drawing layer two. By disabling the “Show”option for this layer, the identifiers are made invisible. 6.2 Graphic Primitives By selecting a rectangle and clicking on Edit Properties... , or by simply double clicking it, its property dialog box is opened. Rectangles Description of the dialog box: 110 • “x” Defines the x-coordinate of the rectangle. Instead of providing a number, the rectangle can also be moved with the mouse. • “y” Defines the y-coordinate of the rectangle. Instead of providing a number, the rectangle can also be moved with the mouse. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions • “Width” Defines the width of the rectangle. Instead of providing a number, the rectangle can also be resized by dragging the mouse: If the mouse pointer is moved onto the rectangle’s border, the mouse , , or . Now the pointers becomes a resize indicator, rectangle can be resized as indicated by holding down the left mouse button. • “Height” Defines the height of the rectangle. Instead of providing a number, the rectangle can also be resized by dragging the mouse: If the mouse pointer is moved onto the rectangle’s border, the mouse , , or . Now the pointers becomes a resize indicator, rectangle can be resized as indicated by holding down the left mouse button. • “Color” Defines the color of the rectangle’s border. A color is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a color. • “Fill Area” Defines whether the entire area or only the border of the rectangle is colored. • “Line Style” Defines the line style of the rectangle. A line style is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a style. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 111 6. Special Functions • Ellipses “Layer” Defines the drawing layer of the rectangle. The drawing layer is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a layer. Depending on the settings of drawing layer, the rectangle may not be visible or may not be selectable. To display an invisible rectangle or to change its properties in such a case, the drawing layer must be activated via the menu View Layers... . By selecting an ellipse and clicking on Edit Properties... , or by simply double clicking it, its property dialog box is opened. Description of the dialog box: 112 • “Center x” Defines the x-coordinate of the ellipse center. Instead of providing a number, the ellipse can also be moved with the mouse. • “Center y” Defines the y-coordinate of the ellipse center. Instead of providing a number, the ellipse can also be moved with the mouse. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions • “Radius rx” Defines the x-radius of the ellipse. Instead of providing a number, the ellipse can also be resized by dragging the mouse: If the mouse pointer is moved onto the ellipse’s border, the mouse pointers . Now the ellipse can be becomes a resize indicator, , , or resized as indicated by holding down the left mouse button. • “Radius ry” Defines the y-radius of the ellipse. Instead of providing a number, the ellipse can also be resized by dragging the mouse: If the mouse pointer is moved onto the ellipse’s border, the mouse pointers . Now the ellipse can be becomes a resize indicator, , , or resized as indicated by holding down the left mouse button. • “Starting Angle” Defines the ellipse’s start angle, specified in degree. A value of zero degree corresponds to the three o’clock watch hands position. • “Ending Angle” Defines the ellipse’s end angle, specified in degree. A value of zero degree corresponds to the three o’clock watch hands position. • “Color” Defines the color of the ellipse’s border. A color is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a color. • “Fill Area” Defines whether the entire area or only the border of the ellipse is colored. • “Line Style” Defines the line style of the ellipse. A line style is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a style. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 113 6. Special Functions • 6.3 Text Components and Identifications “Layer” Defines the drawing layer of the ellipse. The drawing layer is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a layer. Depending on the settings of drawing layer, the ellipse may not be visible or may not be selectable. To display an invisible ellipse or to change its properties in such a case, the drawing layer must be activated via the menu View Layers... . The concept of text components in FluidSIM gives the user a way in which to describe components in diagrams, assign identification texts, or to provide commentary on the diagram. The text and the appearance of text components can be customized to the user’s liking. Text components function in much the same as other fluidic or electrical components in FluidSIM. The dummy text component Text can be found in the component library, and it can be dragged onto the drawing area. However, text components contain no connections. As long as the setting Options Protect Text Components remains switched off, the text components can be marked, dragged, deleted, and rotated in the same way that other components are handled. When this setting is activated, the text components can neither be marked nor moved or deleted. This concept allows the text components to be anchored in the background. They are out of the way and cannot interfere with changes or manipulations made to the circuit diagram while in the Edit Mode. > Drag the text component from the component library to the drawing area. > Make sure that Options Protect Text Components is switched off. 114 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions > Double click on the text component or click under Edit Properties... to open the dialog box for entering new text. Description of the dialog box: • “Text” In this field the text to be displayed is entered. A new line is entered by holding down the Ctrl-key while hitting the Return key. • “Alignment” Activates horizontal text alignment. • “Font...” By clicking on “Font...”, a Microsoft Windows® common dialog box opens, which allows you to set the font attributes for the given text. • “Frame Text” Draws a border around the text. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 115 6. Special Functions • “Layer” Defines the drawing layer of the text component. The drawing layer is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a layer. Depending on the settings of drawing layer, the text component may not be visible or may not be selectable. To display an invisible text component or to change its properties in such a case, the drawing layer must be activated via the menu View Layers... . The dialog box can be closed by clicking on “OK”. As a result the text along with its font attributes is inserted into the drawing area. > Click on Options Protect Text Components to protect the text. The protected text can no longer be selected. Therefore, components can be placed over the text. 6.4 Parts Lists With FluidSIM parts lists can be generated automatically. A parts list is represented by a “parts list component”, which can be inserted, moved, or deleted like every other component. The parts list is updated automatically while a drawing is edited. The automated update may slow down the drawing process of large circuits and thus, a parts list component should be inserted in the end of a drawing process. Inserting a Parts List > Open the circuit demo1.ct. 116 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions > Select the parts list component from either the Insert menu or the component library and add it to the drawing. Move the parts list such that it overlaps no other component. The parts list component analyzes all components of the diagram and generates table with columns for the component identifications and the component designations. In this connection, FluidSIM uses existing labels and texts as component identifications. The sorting of the table can be customized to the user’s liking; moreover, the parts list can be exported as a text file. Also note that more than one parts list component can be inserted in a diagram. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 117 6. Special Functions Properties of Parts Lists > Double-click on a parts list component or select a parts list component and click on Properties... in the Edit menu. Description of the dialog box: • 118 “Parts List” With the “Accumulated Parts List” option enabled, all components of the same type become comprised into a single row. As a consequence, the first column of the parts list component shows the number of the comprised components. With the “Single Position Parts List” option enabled, each component gets its own row within the parts list. The first column of the parts list component then shows a possible existing identification. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions Exporting Parts Lists • “Sort Lines” The lines of a parts list can be sorted in “ascending” order, in “descending” order, by the “component description”, by the “component number”, or by the “component designation”. • “Layer” Defines the drawing layer of the parts list component. The drawing layer is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a layer. Depending on the settings of drawing layer, the parts list component may not be visible or may not be selectable. To display an invisible parts list component or to change its properties in such a case, the drawing layer must be activated via the menu View Layers... . Aside from printing a parts list component, it can also be exported in the form of a text file. > Select a parts list component click on File Parts list Export... . A file selector box opens where an existing file can be selected or a new file name can be entered. After a file has been specified and the file selector box been closed, a dialog box opens where a column separator can be defined. • “Tabulator” The tab-character is used as column separator. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 119 6. Special Functions 6.5 Printing a Window’s Contents • “Semicolon” The semicolon is used as column separator. • “Other” The entered character is used as column separator. FluidSIM contains a practical printing function that is always available, whether you are in the Edit Mode or the Simulation Mode. The contents of any window in FluidSIM can be printed. > Click on File Print... to open the print preview dialog box: 120 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions Description of the dialog box: • “Printer” This list contains all available local as well as network printers. A printer is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a printer. • “Properties...” Opens a dialog box with available printer options. • “Copies” In the number field “Number of copies” the desired number of copies is typed in. If the printout consists of several pages you can check the “Collate” to have the pages sorted automatically. • “Scale factor” In the number field “Scale factor” enlargement or reduction of the circuit diagram is typed in as a percentage. The print preview window then re-scales the circuit diagram according to the size proportion that was given. If the paper size in combination with the chosen scaling factor exceeds the printer’s printing area, the diagram is printed in a tiled fashion. The expected number of pages is indicated in the printer preview dialog box. Pressing the “Fit to paper size” button sets the scale factor so that the circuit diagram fills out the entire paper area. • “Margin adjustment” In order to take the printable regions of different output devices into account, or enlarge the margin of a printout, an offset in mm can be defined for the left as well as the upper margin. Positive values move the drawing to the right or down, negative values move the drawing to the left or up. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 121 6. Special Functions • “Alignment” In some cases it could be useful to rotate or to mirror the drawing. E. g. some printer drivers do not support rotating by themselves. Printing begins by clicking on “OK”. 6.6 DXF Export FluidSIM contains a filter module to export circuit diagram in the DXF format. Hence circuit diagrams from FluidSIM can be imported into a CAD program, where they can still be edited. > Click on DXF Export... under the File menu to export the actual circuit diagram. If no new name is given for the DXF file, the exported circuit diagram file is saved with the extension .dxf. The exported drawings in the DXF format differ from those in FluidSIM in the following manner: 1. Component connections are shown without circles. 2. The DIN symbol is inserted for the cylinder. 3. The text font is set to STANDARD for the text components. 122 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions 6.7 DXF Import Files that are of the DXF format type can be imported, retaining most of the DXF element attributes. Clearly, imported circuit diagrams or symbols cannot be simulated since the DXF standard does provide for a definition language of physical behavior models. However, the import functionality is useful if a circuit diagram shall contain elements that cannot be realized from within FluidSIM. For example, CAD drawing frames or terminal strip plans, which have been created by means of another CAD program, can be inserted into a FluidSIM drawing. Depending on whether a single symbol or a complex drawing is to be imported, particular conventions relating the grouping should be obeyed. Having selected a DXF file via File Open... , the dialog box for the DXF import opens. Description of the dialog box: • “Scale Drawing” The scaling factor defines scaling in percent that is applied to DXF file. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 123 6. Special Functions • “Each group represents an object” Enable this option if the DXF file contains several symbols. Note that symbol elements that belong together can only be identified as such, if they have been grouped within the CAD program in such a way, that the outermost group of the symbol occurs in the ENTITIES section. This means among others that no two symbols can belong to the same group. However, different symbols are allowed to share blocks; the import filter of FluidSIM creates copies for shared blocks. • “Entire drawing represents a single object” If this option is enabled, the entire drawing is treated as a single object. • “Ignore ungrouped objects” Enable this option if only for the grouped elements objects shall be generated. The elements mentioned in section ENTITIES are not considered. If this option is disabled, FluidSIM comprises all ungrouped elements within a single object. Elements that have been imported can be placed on each of the eight drawing layers. Moreover, they can be equipped with a designation, which is displayed in the parts list. If you have imported a CAD frame, it makes sense to place this frame on a drawing layer whose “Edit”-option is disabled: This way the frame is anchored and will not interfere when placing components. 124 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions By double clicking on an imported DXF symbol, the following dialog box is opened: Description of the dialog box: • “Description” In this field a designation can be entered, which is also displayed in the parts list. • “Layer” Defines the drawing layer of the symbol. The drawing layer is set by clicking on the down-arrow at the right-hand side of the list and selecting a layer. Depending on the settings of drawing layer, the symbol may not be visible or may not be selectable. To display an invisible symbol or to change its properties in such a case, the drawing layer must be activated via the menu View Layers... . © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 125 6. Special Functions 6.8 Using and Organizing Component Libraries Rearranging a Component Library 126 The components in the component library can be rearranged according to their usefulness and the desire of the user. > Enlarge the window of the component library. > Using the rubber band, select for example the following twelve components: © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions > Drag the selected components, for example up and to the right: © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 127 6. Special Functions > It is also possible to rearrange the components in the library horizontally, in just a few steps: It is not possible for the user to add components to or delete components from the standard component libraries. However, own libraries can be constructed at the user’s will. 128 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions Building New Component Libraries In addition to the standard component libraries, which show the FluidSIM-components in total view, hierarchical view, or according to the FluidSIM Version 2 -style, new libraries can be built. A sample component library has automatically been set up during the FluidSIM installation. > Choose from the Library menu the library “Frequently Used Way Valves”. In contrast to the FluidSIM standard libraries both the arrangement and the contents of such user-defined libraries can defined, by means of operations that add and delete components. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 129 6. Special Functions To display available libraries, to create a new one, or to rename an existing one, choose the respective entry from the Library menu. The first three entries of this menu belong to the standard libraries. Below, separated by a line, stand the user-defined libraries. The bottom entries of the Library menu realize the functions for creating a new library, New... , for renaming an existing user-defined library, Rename... , and for deleting a user-defined library, Delete . The latter two entries relate to active library window. When clicking on Library New... a dialog box opens, where a description of the new library can be entered: The text that has been entered here is shown as a menu entry in the Library menu. The text can be modified anytime, by opening the library and clicking on Library Rename... . Inserting Components Via Menu In FluidSIM, several alternative concepts exist to insert a component into a circuit diagram. One concept is “Drag-and-Drop”, which has been used in the preceding examples. Alternatively, components can be selected through the Insert menu, either by navigating along the hierarchical menu structure or by entering one or more search strings. While mousing a component description in the menu, the related symbol is shown either in the preview window of the search dialog or in the upper left corner of the FluidSIM main window. 130 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions > Open a new circuit window, select the menu item Insert / Find Component... and enter one or more search strings; e. g., valve, hand. Description of the dialog box: • “Words” In this field one or more search items can be entered in order to find a particular component. The order of the search items does not play a role, they are combined by a logical “AND”. Also note that partial matches are allowed. I. e., if you are unsure respecting the correct spelling of a component name, simply partion this name into several comma-separated search strings. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 131 6. Special Functions • “Similarity” Determines the accuracy of the match between “Exact” and “Fuzzy”. This setting can be used to allow a tolerance respecting different spelling variants or typing errors. • “Results” Contains a list of component descriptions, which contain the provided search strings. This list is ordered with respect to the accuracy of the match. By double-clicking onto a line in the list the dialog box is closed and the related component is inserted in the circuit diagram. The selection marker in the list can be moved by simply clicking the mouse, but also by using the arrow keys. Note that the selection marker does not follow the scroll bars. • “Preview” If the “preview” option is enabled, the component symbol of the selected entry is shown below the list. Recall that a component can also be searched by navigating along the hierarchical menu structure. 132 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions > Open a new diagram window and navigate through the menu hierarchy until you have reached the component “pressure control valve with manometer”. Observe the preview window in the left corner while navigating. After a symbol has been chosen, it is inserted in the current diagram and gets selected. It then can be moved and connected as usual. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 133 6. Special Functions 6.9 Managing Projects FluidSIM allows of including various settings and files in a project file with a unique name, thereby facilitating project management. When opening a project, the previously saved project settings are used as default. The project menu realizes a quick access of all files that belong to a particular project. Creating a New Project Before a new project is created some preparatory actions to facilitate project management and to save several process steps at a later stage must be undertaken. > Open all files to be added to the new project. This may include, for example, preview windows for often used symbols, libraries as well as circuit files. All files that are open when creating a new project will be automatically added to the project. > Select Project New... and enter a file name for the new project. Project files have the extension prj and should, for best results, reside in the same ct subdirectory as the circuit files of the project. After having entered the file name in the dialog box, the system creates the project file with all open files. > Close all windows which you don’t need right now, and arrange the remaining windows according to your preferences. Any closed windows that belong to the project can be opened at any time by clicking Files or Overviews in the project menu. > Save the settings and the window arrangement as default for this project by clicking Options Save Settings Now . 134 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions Entering Project Properties To enter project data, select Properties... from the Project menu. The text entered in the description field will be displayed in the status line of the main window while the project is open. Adding Files to a Project To add a new symbol, a library, or a circuit file to a project, open or activate the appropriate window, then click Add Current Window in the Project menu. Depending on whether the window is a circuit file or a preview window, it is automatically added to Files , Overviews , and Presentations respectively. Removing Files from a Project To remove a symbol, a library, or a circuit file from a project, open or activate the appropriate window. Then click Delete Current Window in the Project menu. Opening Project Files To open the files and previews (overviews) of a project, go to the Project menu and click Files , Overviews , or Presentations , whatever is appropriate. Alternatively, you may open the files by selecting Open... from the file menu or by selecting them from the list of files that were last opened, by selecting them from preview windows, or by using “Drag-and-Drop” in the File Manager or Windows Explorer. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 135 6. Special Functions 6.10 Saving Settings FluidSIM distinguishes between three types of settings: global settings, circuit diagram specific settings, and window specific settings. Although most of these settings have already been in discussed in preceding sections, this section comprises the possible settings from FluidSIM and their relationship to one another. Global Settings The global settings are found under the Options and the View menu and belong to the following groups. Global settings for various display features: 1. View Large Mouse Cursor Activates or deactivates the large mouse cursor. 2. View Toolbar Displays or hides the toolbar. 3. View Status Bar Displays or hides the status bar. Global settings in the dialog boxes: 1. Options Simulation... 2. Options Sound... 3. Options Didactics... 4. Options Grid... Other global settings: 1. Options Protect Text Components Switches the protection for the text components on or off. 2. Options Create Backup Files Enables or disables the automatic creation of a backup file for circuit diagrams. Backup files have the file name extension bak. The backup files are created when the circuit diagram is saved and are updated each time the circuit diagram is saved. 3. 136 Options Default Directory on Network © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 6. Special Functions Defines the default directory for circuit diagrams and presentation files. If this option is enabled the default directory for the mentioned files is on the network file server. Otherwise, the default directory is on the local PC. This menu entry is available only in the network version. 4. Options Save Settings on Exit Determines whether the global settings and the circuit diagram specific settings of each open circuit diagram should be saved before exiting FluidSIM. All global settings can be saved with Options Save Settings Now . By clicking on Save Settings Now under the Options menu, the circuit diagram specific settings of the current circuit will also be saved. These settings then become the default for all new circuit diagrams that are created. The following settings belong in the circuit diagram specific category: display of quantity values, the flow direction indicator, and the background grid (see next section). Circuit Diagram-Specific Settings The following belong to the circuit diagram specific settings: 1. View Quantity Values... 2. View Display Flow Direction 3. View Display Grid These settings can be adjusted for each open circuit diagram individually, although they cannot be saved as such. Instead, the user has a way to define a default setting for the creation of new circuit diagrams: By clicking on Save Settings Now under Options , the display settings of the current circuit diagram are saved as the default. These default settings apply to the display of quantities, the flow direction indicator, and the background grid of each newly opened circuit diagram. The term “current circuit” refers to the selected circuit diagram window. A selected window will always be fully visible and its title bar will be highlighted. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 137 6. Special Functions Window-Specific Settings The following settings are window specific: 1. zoom factor 2. window size 3. window position Window-specific settings can be saved by clicking on Save Settings Now under the Options menu. 138 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 7. Help and Advanced Tips This chapter serves as the first place to find help, when dealing with questions that come from working with FluidSIM. The second section of this chapter provides background information for advanced users. 7.1 The Most Frequently Occurring Problems When attempting to perform certain actions, you are prompted to insert the FluidSIM CD. FluidSIM cannot find certain installation directories on the hard disk. Probably not all of the software components were loaded at the time of installation. Either insert the CD or reinstall the missing software components. Component cannot be moved or deleted. Make sure that you are in the Edit Mode ( moved or deleted in the Edit Mode. ); components can only be Components cannot be dragged onto the drawing area. Make sure that you are in the Edit Mode. Components cannot be moved or deleted in the Edit Mode. Make sure that you have selected a component and not a component connection. A line cannot be drawn between two connections. Make sure to check the following points: 1. FluidSIM is in the Edit Mode. 2. No other connections are selected. 3. Both connections do not have a blind plug. 4. Both connections are of the same type. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 139 7. Help and Advanced Tips The parameters of a component cannot be changed. Make sure that FluidSIM is in the Edit Mode or that the simulation has been paused ( ). The hard disk is running non-stop and the simulation is going slowly. There is not enough memory available. A workaround is to quit other running applications or to quit Microsoft Windows® and restart the computer. Already drawn lines, which are reported to be superimposed, cannot be found. Press the Del key immediately after accepting the message; then draw a new line. FluidSIM does not behave normally. Exit both FluidSIM and Microsoft Windows® , and then restart Microsoft Windows® and FluidSIM. You are getting negative values for pressure. Negative values for pressure mean that from a physical standpoint, the power supply unit is not providing the necessary output. Often, the reason is that there is a too high tensile load on a cylinder. In reality this situation can lead to different reactions, depending on apparent loads and the power supply unit involved. For this reason FluidSIM simply indicates a negative pressure value. 140 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 7. Help and Advanced Tips The pressure drop on a pressure relief valve is higher than its preset targeted nominal value. There is really no mistake here: A pressure relief valve has a preset nominal pressure threshold, which is related to a certain pressure flow. If the flow should increase beyond this value, a larger pressure drop will occur, according to the resistance characteristics of the valve. The pressure relief valve is also not in the position to guarantee a certain pressure in all circumstances. Text components cannot be selected. Make sure that the option Protect Text Components has not been activated. Valves cannot be switched. Electrically operated valves can be switched by hand only if no sort of control signal is applied. Certain editing functions are not available in the context menu. The context menu contains a practical subset of possible editing functions. Probably the operation that you would like to utilize applies only to one component at a time; if this is the case check to see that only one component is selected. There is no pressure drop in the circuit, although a T-connection is apparently open. T-connections are considered to be different from other connections: As an aid in drawing, they must not be provided with blind plugs because they are automatically closed if no line is connected. The simulation time runs irregularly, although the slow-motion factor has been set to 1:1, and “Keep real-time” has been activated. Both a complex circuit diagram and a slow computer could be reasons for the inability of FluidSIM to guarantee adherence to real-time. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 141 7. Help and Advanced Tips At certain connections arrows for the flow direction are not displayed. The option Display Flow Direction has been activated. The arrows only appear when a connection actual has a flow passing through it. This situation is not to be confused with a high pressure at a connection. The animation is not repeated, although the “Loop” option has been activated. The “Loop” option only applies to an animation that is not contained in part of a presentation. FluidSIM is not behaving as expected, and you have already exited Microsoft Windows® and started FluidSIM new again many times. Highly likely is that temporary files are corrupt. Attempt to completely delete the contents of the fl_sim_h\tmp directory. Paste is not available from the menu, although a Copy operation has already taken place. Only selected objects can be copied to the clipboard. If no objects are selected, only the picture will be copied to the clipboard. The playback of the educational films appears jerky. The playback of video sequences on any computer requires quite a bit of power. Besides that, enlargement of the video window requires even more complex computations. The following points should be considered: 1. In the Device menu of the Media Player, under the Configure... menu, set the size to normal. 2. Exit all other programs; stop all running simulations and animations in FluidSIM. 3. Set the number of colors to 256. 142 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 7. Help and Advanced Tips No educational film will start playing. Video playback requires suitable hardware and software. Moreover, FluidSIM needs access to the movie files on the CD-ROM. The student version of FluidSIM is being loaded each time you start, although you have purchased the full version. The FluidSIM CD contains both the student version and the full version of FluidSIM. During the installation procedure you are asked whether the full version or the student version shall be installed. The mouse cursor is not switching as described, especially on top of connections. Make sure that the option Large Mouse Cursor has not been activated. The large mouse cursor is designed to be used with a projector; here the switching of the mouse cursor is undesirable. DXF Export... is not available from the menu. Make sure that you are in the Edit Mode and that the window is not empty. The text that was exported using the DXF filter does not appear as it did in FluidSIM. The DXF format does not sufficiently support textual objects. I.e., CAD programs may not possess the ability to translate all fonts, font attributes, font colors, and special symbols. Infeasible pressure values are shown at some connections. FluidSIM neglects dynamical effects in component behavior. As a result, no pressure values can be computed in circuit sections that are shut off. Anyway, to give an idea of the pressure magnitude, FluidSIM performs a reasonable estimation respecting such values. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 143 7. Help and Advanced Tips 7.2 Tips for the Advanced User This section contains some technical information about different concepts in FluidSIM. Data Formats of the Clipboard When information from a FluidSIM window is copied to the clipboard, both a meta file and a bitmap are generated. When pasting into another application (a word processing program or a drawing program), the program automatically finds the format that will contain the most information. However, it could be intended to insert a circuit diagram, for example into Microsoft Word® , as a bitmap as opposed to the meta file representation. In this case you simply paste the contents of the clipboard into bitmap editor such as Paintbrush, and then recopy it back to the clipboard. Following this action, Microsoft Word® then will find the bitmap when pasting from the clipboard. Media Playback When playing the educational films of FluidSIM, the Windows Media Player is loaded. Further hints are described in the Microsoft Windows® Help under the media playback topic. Opening FluidSIM files via the Explorer Normally, to open a file from within FluidSIM, you would click on Open... under the File menu. It is also possible to open files via the Explorer. There are two possible ways to go about doing this: 1. You can connect files with FluidSIM that have the same extension, for example ct. By double clicking on a file with this extension, it will be opened by FluidSIM. If FluidSIM is not running at this time, it will be started by the File Manager. 2. Select the files that are to be opened in the usual way in the Explorer. Here the window of the Explorer with the selected files should either appear next to an open FluidSIM window or next to the FluidSIM program icon on the desktop. You can open the files by dragging them over FluidSIM. Opening FluidSIM Files by Command Line Entry 144 Besides the possibilities listed above for opening FluidSIM files, you can also open files by entering an appropriate command line. Once in the Start menu, click on Run... and enter the file name after the program name. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 7. Help and Advanced Tips Reorganization of the Internal Memory While working with FluidSIM, particular information is cached in the memory for performance purposes. In some cases it is desirable to free up memory or to force a window refresh. By pressing the ESC key, FluidSIM reorganizes its memory, removes the cached data, rebuilds the internal data structures, and refreshes all windows. If the topmost window is a circuit diagram preview window, the contents of the corresponding directory will also be read as new. Changing the Sound Files If your computer is equipped with an audio playback facility, sounds can be played during the changeover of relays, switches, and valves or during the activation of a buzzer. You can add your own sounds to replace the preselected ones by replacing the sound files in the snd directory. The sound file for the switches and relays is named switch.wav, the sound file for a valve is named valve.wav, and the sound file for the activation of the buzzer is named horn.wav. File Operations via Preview Windows Aside from opening circuit diagrams by double clicking on a circuit’s miniature representation, a preview window does also provide some File Manager functionality. Analogous to the Edit Mode for objects in a circuit diagram, the miniaturized circuit diagrams can be selected, deleted, copied between overview windows (or moved by holding down the Shift key), copied to the clipboard, or dragged into the a circuit diagram window. Please remember, that delete operations and move operations take place on the file system. Therefore, if a miniaturized circuit diagram is deleted, its related file will also be deleted in the file system. Creating Presentation Files This section describes how presentations can be created using a common text editor: more specifically, not using FluidSIM. The file names of presentation files have the extension .shw. A shw file has the following structure: © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 145 7. Help and Advanced Tips The first line contains the description of the presentation, which also appears in the selection box. The following lines contain the numbers of the topics for the presentation in corresponding order. When a shw file is created by FluidSIM, the topic numbers are written within brackets, followed by the appropriate name for the topic. The shw file for the presentation named Exercises does appear as follows: Exercises [107.1] Horizontal grinding machine (pump delivery) [108.1] Bending machine (directly-controlled pressure relief valve) [109.1] Roller conveyor (flow resistance) [110.1] Embossing press (activation of a single acting cylinder) [111.1] Ladle (activation of a double acting cylinder) [112.1] Paint drying oven (4/3-way valve) [113.1] Clamping device (closing speed) [114.1] Hydraulic crane (speed reduction) [115.1] Feed control for a lathe (speed control) [116.1] Planing machine (by-pass circuit) [117.1] Drilling machine (pressure regulator) The brackets and the topic names can be left out, when the file is manually created. I.e., the contents of the presentation Exercises could look like the following: Exercises 107.1 108.1 109.1 110.1 111.1 146 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 7. Help and Advanced Tips 112.1 113.1 114.1 115.1 116.1 117.1 FluidSIM automatically inserts the brackets and topic names, if you select this file in the presentation dialog box for editing purposes and then exit the dialog box by clicking on “OK”. Network Installation of FluidSIM If several PCs are running in a network, a complete installation of FluidSIM must only be performed once, on the network file system. Then on the local PCs merely the license information and a few configuration files are required. This concept serves several purposes: the saving of disk space on the local hard disks, the simplification of software maintenance, the quick distribution of circuit diagrams, or the installation of new releases of FluidSIM. The installation of the network version happens within the following steps: > Perform a standard installation of FluidSIM on the network file system. Note that the local PCs must be authorized to read the FluidSIM files on the network file system. > Use the network option when installing FluidSIM on the other local PCs by calling the installation program as follows: setup.exe -N During a local installation, the installation program asks for the network path of the FluidSIM bin-directory. Thus FluidSIM must have been installed on the network file system before any local installation can be performed. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 147 . Help and Advanced Tips An aside: The PC used during the FluidSIM standard installation on the network file system also reads and writes the FluidSIM configuration files on the network. Moreover, a FluidSIM de-installation from this PC will delete the FluidSIM program files, and, consequently, FluidSIM is no longer available on the network. If these side effects are to be avoided, the network installation of FluidSIM can be performed manually: > Install FluidSIM without the network option on a local PC, using its local hard drive. > Copy the entire FluidSIM directory on the network file system. > De-install FluidSIM from the local PC. The license connector will be credited with the license, and the FluidSIM files reside on the network without having wasted a license. > Now perform the local installation procedure as described above. If local PCs are not equipped with a CD-ROM drive, and if these PCs have no access to a CD-ROM drive of some other PC, the educational films may also be played from the network file system: If sufficient disk space is left on the network file system, the movie files can be copied to the installation folder during the setup procedure 148 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM A. FluidSIM Menus This chapter contains a complete listing of the menus in FluidSIM and can be utilized as a quick-reference guide. The term “current circuit” refers to the selected circuit diagram window. A selected window will always be fully visible and its title bar will be highlighted. A.1 File New Ctrl +N Opens a new window to create a circuit diagram. The default name for the new circuit diagram is noname.ct. If a circuit with this name already exists, a number is appended to the title noname to create a unique file name. Open... Ctrl +O Opens the File Selector dialog box, which allows you to select and open a circuit diagram. Save Ctrl +S Saves the current circuit diagram. The circuit diagram window remains open. Save As... Opens the File Selector dialog box, and you can save the current circuit under a different name. This name appears in the title bar of the circuit diagram window and becomes the new name for the circuit. Circuit Preview Ctrl +U Opens the circuit diagram preview windows. Double clicking on a miniature circuit diagram will load the circuit. Circuit diagrams can be selected and deleted in the preview window. When saving circuit diagrams, the preview window is automatically updated. In the fluidsim directory, subdirectories can be created for the saving of circuit diagrams. FluidSIM recognizes all circuit diagram directories and generates appropriate circuit diagram preview windows. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 149 A. FluidSIM Menus DXF Export... Opens the File Selector dialog box, and you can then export the current circuit diagram in the DXF format. If no new name is given for the DXF file, then it is saved under the circuit diagram name with the file extension .dxf. The DXF export filter allows the graphic information from the circuit diagram to be exported to other CAD systems. Parts list Export... The file selector box is opened; the contents of the selected parts list is saved as a text file. When file name has been specified, another dialog box opens where a character can be declared as column separator. Properties... Opens a dialog box where the circuit properties can be defined. Drawing Size... Opens a dialog box where the paper size can be defined. Print... Ctrl +P Opens the Print Preview dialog box, which allows you to print the current circuit diagram with an optional scaling factor. Previously Opened Files Displays a list with the eight previously opened files. When selecting one entry of this list the associated file is opened. The list is sorted: The most recently opened file forms the topmost entry. Exit Alt+F4 Quits FluidSIM. 150 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM A. FluidSIM Menus A.2 Edit Undo Alt+Backspace Undoes the last edit step. Up to 128 previous editing steps, which have been stored, can be made undone. Redo Alt+Shift +Backspace Withdraws the last action performed by Edit Undo . The function can be used up until there are no more undo steps to be redone. Cut Shift +Del Cuts the selected components and saves them to the clipboard. Copy Ctrl +Ins Copies the selected components to the clipboard. In this way circuit diagrams and parts of diagrams can be inserted easily as vector graphics, for example into word-processing applications. Paste Shift +Ins Inserts components from the clipboard onto the drawing area of the current circuit diagram. Delete Del Deletes the selected components from the circuit diagram. If a connection is selected and deleted, a possibly connected line or fitted blind plug is deleted. However, the component is not deleted. Select All Ctrl +A Selects all components and lines of the current circuit diagram. Group Ctrl +G Groups the selected objects. Groups can be nested by applying the grouping operation recursively on already existing groups. Ungroup Ungroups the selected groups. Each ungroup operation removes only the outermost group when applied to a selection that contains nested groups. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 151 A. FluidSIM Menus Align Aligns the selected objects. Rotate Rotates the selected components in 90° angles. If only one component is to be rotated (counterclockwise), this action is accomplished by holding down the Ctrl key and double clicking on the component. If additionally the Shift key is held down, rotation happens in a clockwise fashion. Properties... Opens a dialog box that contains the parameters for a single, selected component. This dialog box will also contain an input field for a label name, as long as a label can be assigned to the component. If a fluidic line is selected, a dialog box will appear in which you can change the line type from the standard line type, “Main Line”, to the special line type “Control Line”. Note that—aside from a different appearance—changing line type has no impact respecting simulation. If a fluidic connection is selected, a dialog box will appear containing input fields for the selected connection. The input fields define which of the quantities are to be displayed and, in the case of a hydraulic connection, if the connection is fitted with a blind plug or a muffler. 152 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM A. FluidSIM Menus A.3 Execute Check Superficially F6 Checks the current circuit diagram for mistakes in drawing. Stop F5 Switches the current circuit diagram in the Edit Mode. Start F9 Starts the simulation or, as the case may be, animation in the current circuit diagram. Pause F8 Pauses the current circuit diagram during simulation without leaving the Simulation Mode. The simulation can then be re-animated from this point and continue as if it had not been halted. If Pause is clicked while being in the Edit Mode, the circuit diagram switches to the Simulation Mode without starting the simulation. In this manner, the components’ states can be set before the simulation is started. Reset Sets an already running or paused simulation back to the initial state. The simulation is immediately restarted. Single Step Stops the simulation after it has run only a little bit. The simulation will run for a short time period and is then paused ( ). The single step mode can be applied at any time to an already running simulation. Simulate until State Change Starts the simulation until a state change happens; the simulation is then paused ( ). A state change occurs when a cylinder piston travels a stop, a valve switches, a relay or a switch is actuated. The state change mode can be applied at any time to an already running simulation. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 153 A. FluidSIM Menus Next Topic Switches to the next topic in a presentation. A.4 Library Hierarchical View Opens a library window where the FluidSIM components are organized hierarchically, i. e. within a tree. Total View Opens a library window that shows a total view of all FluidSIM components. FluidSIM Version 2 Opens a library window that shows the original component library of the FluidSIM Version 2. If only these components are used, the constructed circuit diagrams can be opened and simulated by all previous versions of FluidSIM. New... Opens a dialog box for the creation of a user-defined component library. User-defined component libraries can be rearranged according to the user’s will—and, in contrast to the FluidSIM standard libraries, components can be added or deleted from them. Rename... Opens a dialog box to rename a user-defined component library. Delete Deletes that user-defined component library whose overview window is currently active. 154 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM A. FluidSIM Menus A.5 Insert A hierarchically organized menu from which an object can be selected and inserted in the current circuit diagram. Find Component... F3 Opens the dialog for the string-based search of components. A.6 Didactics Component Description Opens the page with the technical description for the selected component. This page contains the DIN symbol of the component, a textual description of the component’s function, the connection designations, and a listing of the adjustable parameters including their value ranges. Component Photo Opens a window containing a photo of the selected component. In the case that a component cannot exist singularly in a real system, FluidSIM displays a photo of the assembly group that this component belongs to. There is no photo for components that do not have a counterpart in reality. Component Illustration Opens for the selected component either a window containing a sectional view or a dialog box with a list of topics relating the component’s function. In the latter case the selection may include sectional views of the component, but also illustrations of the component’s usage within a circuit diagram. For several components, their sectional view can be animated like a cartoon. Topic Description Opens for a window with a didactics material picture, for example a sectional view of a component or an exercise, the page with the textual description of the topic. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 155 A. FluidSIM Menus Hydraulics Basics... Opens a dialog box that contains a topics list of hydraulics basics. Here, those overviews, functional illustrations, and animation are comprised that are useful when teaching basic concepts of hydraulics. By clicking on a topic in the list, the dialog box closes, and a window with a picture of the chosen topic appears. Working Principle... Opens a dialog box with sectional views that focus on the function of single components. For several components, their sectional view can be animated like a cartoon. By double clicking on a topic in the list, the dialog box closes, and a window with the chosen sectional view appears. Exercise... Opens a dialog box with exercises related to electro-hydraulics. By double clicking on a topic in the list, the dialog box closes, and a window with the chosen exercise appears. Each exercise consists of three pictures, which can be spooled manually or automatically. Presentation... Opens a dialog box that can be utilized to recall available presentations along with creating new presentations. Presentations allow for the combination of individual topics into a lesson, ideal for teaching hydraulics. Extended Presentation... Opens a dialog box that can be utilized to recall available Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. The files of the extended presentations are located in the ppx subdirectory of your FluidSIM installation. You can add PowerPoint presentations on your own by copying the respective “ppt”-files or “pps”-files to the ppx subdirectory. 156 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM A. FluidSIM Menus Educational Film... Opens a dialog box with educational films related to electro-hydraulics. By double clicking on a topic in the list, the dialog box closes, and the media playback starts playing the selected film. A.7 Project New... The file selector box is opened, and a new project can be created. Project files get the file extension prj. Open... The file selector box is opened, and a project can selected and opened. Close The current project is closed and the standard settings are loaded. Add Current Window Adds the current window to the list of project files. Delete Current Window Removes the current window from the list of project files. Properties... Opens a dialog box where the project properties can be defined. Files Shows the list of files that belong to the current project. Overviews Shows the list of preview windows that belong to the current project. Presentations Shows the list of presentations that belong to the current project. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 157 A. FluidSIM Menus A.8 View The functions of the View menu are circuit diagram specific, that is, they only apply to the current circuit diagram. Thus it is possible to apply individually different display options to each circuit diagram, which is loaded. Sort Symbols Alphabetically Sorts the symbols of the current preview window with respect to their description and extension respectively. Standard Size Displays the circuit diagram without enlargement or reduction. Previous View Switches between the last view and the current enlargement of the current circuit diagram. Fit to Window Sets the scale factor so that the entire circuit diagram can be displayed in the window. The proportion between height and width remains unaltered. Zoom by Rubber Band Changes the mouse cursor to a rubber band, allowing a section of a window to be selected and then enlarged. Zoom In > √ Enlarges the diagram at a factor of 1.4 ( 2). To repeat this action twice means a doubling in the diagram’s size. 158 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM A. FluidSIM Menus Zoom Out < √ Reduces the diagram at a factor of 1.4 ( 2). To repeat this action twice means a cutting in half of the diagram’s size. Quantity Values... A Opens a dialog box for the display of quantities. For each of the quantities “Velocity”, “Pressure”, ..., different types of display options can be defined (“None”, “Particular”, “All”). Display Flow Direction D Turns on or off the arrow as a direction of flow indicator. The arrow for the direction of flow will be shown near the component connection, that is, as long as the flow is other than zero. Display counter values and delay times T Displays or hides the current values of components with counting and delay behavior. Display current path numbering and switching elements table N Displays or hides the current path numbering and the switching elements table in electrical circuits. Show Connection Descriptors C Enables or disables the display of the component´s connection descriptors. Labels... Opens a dialog box for the label display style. It can be defined whether or not the labels are drawn framed. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 159 A. FluidSIM Menus Display Grid G Activates the background grid, according to the set style. The style of the grid can be chosen under Options Grid... . Layers... Opens a dialog box for renaming and activating the FluidSIM drawing layers. For drawing object that cannot be simulated, such as texts, DXF imports, rectangles, circles, state diagrams, or parts lists, up to eight drawing layers are provided. The FluidSIM components that can be simulated live always on the drawing layer number one. Large Mouse Cursor M Activates or deactivates the large mouse cursor. Toolbar Displays or hides the toolbar. Status Bar Displays or hides the status bar. 160 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM A. FluidSIM Menus A.9 Options Simulation... Opens a dialog box with settings for the simulation. Here, parameters such as the maximum recording time, the slow-motion factor, and the priority are defined. OPC/DDE Connection... Brings up a dialog box with OPC and DDE options, respectively. These settings relate the communication behavior when coupling FluidSIM with other applications. Sound... Opens a dialog box in which the acoustic signal is switched on for the following component types: switch, relay, valve, and buzzer. Didactics... Opens a dialog box with settings for the didactics. These settings include factors that apply to animation speed and repeat mode. Grid... Opens a dialog box allowing you to activate the background grid and select its style (“Point”, “Cross”, “Line”) and its resolution (“Coarse”, “Medium”, “Fine”). Protect Text Components Enables or disables the protection of text components. Protected text components can neither be marked nor moved or deleted. Create Backup Files Enables or disables the automatic creation of a backup file for circuit diagrams. Backup file names have the extension bak. The backup files are created when the circuit diagram is saved and are updated each time the circuit diagram is saved. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 161 A. FluidSIM Menus Default Directory on Network Defines the default directory for circuit diagrams and presentation files. If this option is enabled the default directory for the mentioned files is on the network file server. Otherwise, the default directory is on the local PC. This menu entry is available only in the network version. Save Settings Now Saves the current global and window specific settings. Defines the circuit diagram specific settings of the current circuit diagram as the default settings. Global settings pertain to the toolbar and the status bar, to the simulation, sound, didactic, and grid options, to the creation of backup files, as well as quitting FluidSIM. Window specific settings pertain to zoom levels, window size, and window position. The quantity display, as well as the flow direction indicator and the background grid are considered circuit diagram specific. Save Settings on Exit Defines as to whether or not the current global and window specific settings should be saved upon quitting FluidSIM. 162 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM A. FluidSIM Menus A.10 Window Cascade Shift +F5 Arranges the circuit diagram windows in an overlapping format. Tile Horizontally Arranges the circuit diagram windows next to each other. Tile Vertically Shift +F4 Arranges the circuit diagram windows below to each other. Arrange Icons Arranges the iconified windows on the desktop. Window list Opens a dialog box with all currently opened windows. The windows can be activated, minimized or closed by clicking the appropriate buttons. A.11 ? Contents... F1 Opens a help window pertaining to a list of contents from the FluidSIM online help. How to Use Help Describes how help can be used. Addendum to the User Manual Opens a help window pertaining to the additions to the handbook for FluidSIM. Note that this menu entry must not be available. About FluidSIM... Opens the Program Information box about FluidSIM. Among others, the FluidSIM version number and the number off the license connector looked up. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 163 B. The Component Library In FluidSIM each component in the component library is assigned a physical model. Using these models, FluidSIM first creates a global behavior model of the circuit which is then processed during simulation. This chapter provides for a short description of the components in FluidSIM’s component library. If the component has adjustable parameters, their value ranges are given. A number in brackets after the value range indicates the default setting for the parameter. 164 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library B.1 Hydraulic Components Service Components Pump unit The pump unit supplies a constant volumetric flow. The operating pressure is limited by the internal pressure relief valve. The pump unit has two tank connections. Adjustable parameters: Flow: 0 ... 16 l/min (2 l/min) Operating pressure: 0 ... 350 bar (60 bar) Pump unit (simplified) Simplified representation of the detailed pump unit. The component does not have tank connections in the circuit diagram. Adjustable parameters: Flow: 0 ... 16 l/min (2 l/min) Operating pressure: 0 ... 350 bar (60 bar) Tank The tank is integrated into the pump unit and has a pressure of 0 bar. It can be inserted into the circuit diagram as an independent component. Hose with quick-action coupling The hose is available in 4 lengths: 600 mm, 1000 mm, 1500 mm, and 3000 mm. Dependent on the length of a hose different resistance values are considered during simulation. Adjustable parameters: Length: 0 ... 3000 mm (600 mm) © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 165 B. The Component Library Diaphragm accumulator with shutoff block Stores the pressure and is equipped with a pressure relief valve to prevent overpressure. Note that FluidSIM simplifies dynamical connections during simulation. In this connection the accumulator is loaded in time-discrete steps rather than by a continuous flow. Adjustable parameters: Gas pre-charge pressure: 1 ... 350 bar (10 bar) Nominal pressure: 0 ... 350 bar (60 bar) at flow: 0 ... 16 l/min (2 l/min) Filter The filter limits the contamination of the fluid respecting a certain tolerance value in order to reduce the risk of damage at the components. Connection (hydraulic) A hydraulic connection is a place where a hydraulic line can be attached to. To simplify the line drawing process, a connection appears as a small circle in Edit Mode. Hydraulic connections can be shut by means of a blind plug. An open hydraulic connection may result in leaking oil; FluidSIM® 3 Hydraulics thus pops up a warning message, if some hydraulic connection was left open. Note that at each hydraulic connection values for the flow and pressure can be displayed. 166 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Line (hydraulic) A hydraulic line links two hydraulic connections. Note that a hydraulic connection may be a simple hydraulic connection or a T-junction. A hydraulic line causes no pressure drop, i. e., it has no fluidic resistance. From a drawing point of view, FluidSIM distinguishes between control lines and main lines. The former is represented by a dashed line, the latter is represented by a solid line and establishes the default case. Adjustable parameters: Line Type: One of {Main Line or Control Line} (Main Line ) T-junction (hydraulic) A T-junction joins up to three hydraulic lines, thus having a single pressure potential. Note that Tjunctions are introduced automatically by FluidSIM when dropping the line drawing cursor onto another line in Edit Mode. Configurable Way Valves Configurable 2/n way valve The configurable 2/n way valve is a way valve with two connections, where both its body elements and its operation modes are user-definable. Additionally, the hydraulic connections can be closed with blind plugs. Configurable 3/n way valve The configurable 3/n way valve is a way valve with three connections, where both its body elements and its operation modes are user-definable. Additionally, the hydraulic connections can be closed with blind plugs. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 167 B. The Component Library Configurable 4/n way valve The configurable 4/n way valve is a way valve with four connections, where both its body elements and its operation modes are user-definable. Additionally, the hydraulic connections can be closed with blind plugs. Configurable 5/n way valve The configurable 5/n way valve is a way valve with five connections, where both its body elements and its operation modes are user-definable. Additionally, the hydraulic connections can be closed with blind plugs. Mechanically Actuated Directional Valves 2/2-way stem-Actuated valve (i) If the cylinder piston actuates the stem, flow is enabled from P to A. This valve is derived from a configurable 2/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 2/2-way stem-Actuated valve (ii) If the cylinder piston actuate the stem, the flow from P to A is shut off. This valve is derived from a configurable 2/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 3/2-way hand-lever valve In normal position the connection P is closed and A to T opened. When manually actuated T is shut off and P to A opened. This valve is derived from a configurable 3/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 168 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library 4/2-way hand-lever valve (i) In normal position the connection P is open to B and A to T. When manually actuated the valve is set to parallel position. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 4/2-way hand-lever valve (ii) In normal position the connection P is open to A and B to T. When manually actuated the valve is set to crossover position. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 4/3-way hand-lever valve with shutoff position (i) In normal position all connections are closed. When manually actuated the valve is set to parallel or crossover position. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 4/3-way hand-lever valve with shutoff position (ii) In normal position all connections are closed. When manually actuated the valve is set to crossover or parallel position. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 169 B. The Component Library 4/3-way hand-lever valve with floating position (i) In normal position the connections A and B are open to T. When manually actuated the valve is set to parallel or crossover position. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 4/3-way hand-lever valve with floating position (ii) In normal position the connections A and B are open to T. When manually actuated the valve is set to crossover or parallel position. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 4/3-way hand-lever valve with bypass position (i) In normal position the connections A and B are closed and P to T opened. When manually actuated the valve is set to parallel or crossover position. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 4/3-way hand-lever valve with bypass position (ii) In normal position the connections A and B are closed and P to T opened. When manually actuated the valve is set to crossover or parallel position. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 170 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Solenoid-actuated Directional Valves 4/2-way solenoid valve (i) In normal position the connection P is open to B and A to T. When actuated by the control solenoid, the valve is set to parallel position. If no current is flowing through the control solenoid, the valve can be manually actuated. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 4/2-way solenoid valve (ii) In normal position the connection P is open to A and B to T. When actuated by the control solenoid, the valve is set to crossover position. If no current is flowing through the control solenoid, the valve can be manually actuated. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 4/3-way solenoid valve with shutoff position (i) In normal position all connections are closed. When actuated by the control solenoids, the valve is set to parallel or crossover position. If no current is flowing through the control solenoids, the valve can be manually actuated. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 171 B. The Component Library 4/3-way solenoid valve with shutoff position (ii) In normal position all connections are closed. When actuated by the control solenoids, the valve is set to crossover or parallel position. If no current is flowing through the control solenoids, the valve can be manually actuated. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 4/3-way solenoid valve with floating position (i) In normal position the connections A and B are open to T. When actuated by the control solenoids, the valve is set to parallel or crossover position. If no current is flowing through the control solenoids, the valve can be manually actuated. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 4/3-way solenoid valve with floating position (ii) In normal position the connections A and B are open to T. When actuated by the control solenoids, the valve is set to crossover or parallel position. If no current is flowing through the control solenoids, the valve can be manually actuated. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 172 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library 4/3-way solenoid valve with bypass position (i) In normal position the connections A and B are closed and P to T opened. When actuated by the control solenoids, the valve is set to parallel or crossover position. If no current is flowing through the control solenoids, the valve can be manually actuated. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. 4/3-way solenoid valve with bypass position (ii) In normal position the connections A and B are closed and P to T opened. When actuated by the control solenoids, the valve is set to crossover or parallel position. If no current is flowing through the control solenoids, the valve can be manually actuated. This valve is derived from a configurable 4/n way valve. You find this valve in the component library “Frequently used Way Valves”, under the Library menu. Shutoff Valves Shutoff valve The shutoff valve can be manually opened or closed. Adjustable parameters: Opening level: 0 ... 100 % (100 %) Check valve If the input pressure is at least 1 bar (and 5 bar resp.) higher than the output pressure, the check valve opens. Otherwise it is shut. Adjustable parameters: Pre-tensioning pressure: One of {1, 5} bar (1 bar) © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 173 B. The Component Library Check valve with pilot control If the input pressure is higher than the output pressure, the check valve opens. Otherwise it is shut. In addition, the check valve can be opened via a control line, allowing flow in both directions. Shuttle valve If one of the two input pressures is larger than zero, the shuttle valve opens (OR function) and the higher input pressure becomes the output pressure. Two-pressure valve If both input pressures are larger than zero, the twopressure valve opens (AND function) and the higher input pressure becomes the output pressure. Pressure Control Valves Pressure relief valve In normal position the valve is closed. If the opening pressure is reached at P, T opens. When the pressure drops below the preset level, the valve closes again. The flow direction is indicated by the arrow. The pressure drop that is caused by a pressure relief valve that opens depends on its nominal pressure respecting some definite flow. Thus, for a precise behavior specification of a pressure relief valve both its nominal pressure and a flow must be specified. Together these values denote a definite characteristic curve of the valve. Adjustable parameters: Nominal pressure: 0 ... 350 bar (50 bar) at flow: 0 ... 16 l/min (2 l/min) 174 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Pressure relief valve with pilot control In normal position the valve is closed. If the opening pressure is reached at P, T opens. When the pressure drops below the preset level, the valve closes again. In simple terms, the pilot pressure is generated by the input pressure. The flow direction is indicated by the arrow. The pressure drop that is caused by a pressure relief valve that opens depends on its nominal pressure respecting some definite flow. Thus, for a precise behavior specification of a pressure relief valve both its nominal pressure and a flow must be specified. Together these values denote a definite characteristic curve of the valve. Adjustable parameters: Nominal pressure: 0 ... 350 bar (50 bar) at flow: 0 ... 16 l/min (2 l/min) Shutoff/counteracting valve If the opening pressure is reached at the control line connection, the valve opens from P to T. Adjustable parameters: Nominal pressure: 0 ... 350 bar (50 bar) 3-way pressure reducing valve The pressure reducing valve maintains a constant output pressure despite fluctuating input pressure. The output pressure can only be lower than the input pressure. Adjustable parameters: Nominal pressure: 0 ... 350 bar (10 bar) © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 175 B. The Component Library Pressure Switches Analog pressure sensor The pressure switch takes the pressure and actuates the associated electrical pressure switch if the preset switching pressure is exceeded. Adjustable parameters: Switching pressure: 0.001 ... 350 bar (30 bar) Flow Control Valves Throttle valve The setting of the throttle valve is set by means of a rotary knob. Please note that by the rotary knob no absolute resistance value can be set. This means that, in reality, different throttle valves can generate different resistance values despite identical settings. Adjustable parameters: Opening level: 0 ... 100 % (100 %) One-way flow control valve The setting of the One-way flow control valve is set by means of a rotary knob. A check valve (see check valve) is located parallel to the throttle valve. Please note that by the rotary knob no absolute resistance value can be set. This means that, in reality, different throttle valves can generate different resistance values despite identical settings. Adjustable parameters: Opening level: 0 ... 100 % (100 %) 2-way flow control valve If the pressure is sufficient, the preset flow is maintained to a constant level in the direction of the arrow. Adjustable parameters: Nominal flow: 0.01 ... 16 l/min (1 l/min) 176 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Flow divider valve The flow divider valve divides the flow from P into two equal flows at A and B. Actuators Double acting cylinder Double acting cylinder with piston rod on one side. The piston of the cylinder contains a permanent solenoid which can be used to operate a proximity switch. Adjustable parameters: Force: -1000 ... 1000 Newton (0 Newton) Max. stroke: 10 ... 6000 mm (200 mm) Piston position: 0 ... Max. stroke mm (0 mm) Piston Area: 0,1 ... 805 qcm (2,01 qcm) Piston Ring Area: 0,05 ... 425 qcm (1,23 qcm) Double acting cylinder with shock adsorber at stroke end The piston of the cylinder is controlled by the connected pressure loads. The shock adsorber can be adjusted by means of two adjustment screws. The piston contains a permanent solenoid which can be used to operate a proximity switch. Adjustable parameters: Force: -1000 ... 1000 Newton (0 Newton) Max. stroke: 10 ... 6000 mm (200 mm) Piston position: 0 ... Max. stroke mm (0 mm) Piston Area: 0,1 ... 805 qcm (2,01 qcm) Piston Ring Area: 0,05 ... 425 qcm (1,23 qcm) © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 177 B. The Component Library Double acting cylinder with in and out piston rod and shock adsorber at stroke end The piston of the cylinder is controlled by the connected pressure loads. The shock adsorber can be adjusted by means of two adjustment screws. The piston of the cylinder contains a permanent solenoid which can be used to operate a proximity switch. Adjustable parameters: Force: -1000 ... 1000 Newton (0 Newton) Max. stroke: 10 ... 6000 mm (200 mm) Piston position: 0 ... Max. stroke mm (0 mm) Piston Area: 0,1 ... 805 qcm (2,01 qcm) Piston Ring Area: 0,05 ... 425 qcm (1,23 qcm) Single acting cylinder By connecting a sufficiently high pressure load, the piston of the cylinder is extended to its stop. To move the piston back, an external force must be applied. Adjustable parameters: Force: -1000 ... 1000 Newton (0 Newton) Max. stroke: 10 ... 6000 mm (200 mm) Piston position: 0 ... Max. stroke mm (0 mm) Piston Area: 0,1 ... 805 qcm (2,01 qcm) Piston Ring Area: 0,05 ... 425 qcm (1,23 qcm) Hydraulic motor The hydraulic motor transforms hydraulic energy into mechanical energy. 178 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Measuring Devices Manometer The manometer measures the pressure at its connection. Flow meter The flow meter consists of a hydraulic motor connected to an RPM gauge. B.2 Electrical Components Electrical connection 0V 0V connection of the power supply. Power Supply Electrical connection 24V 24V connection of the power supply. Connection (electrical) An electric connection is a place where an electric line can be attached to. To simplify the line drawing process, a connection appears as a small circle in Edit Mode. Note that at each electric connection values for the voltage and current can be displayed. Line (electrical) A electrical line links two electrical connections. Note that a electrical connection may be a simple electrical connection or a T-junction. A electrical line causes no voltage drop, i. e., it has no electrical resistance. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 179 B. The Component Library T-junction (electrical) A T-junction joins up to three electrical lines, thus having a single voltage potential. Note that Tjunctions are introduced automatically by FluidSIM when dropping the line drawing cursor onto another line in Edit Mode. Signal Devices Indicator light If current flows, the indicator light is displayed in the user-defined color. Adjustable parameters: Color: One of {16 standard colors} (Yellow ) Buzzer If current flows, a flashing ring around the buzzer is shown. Moreover, if “buzzer” is activated in the menu under Options Sound... , the buzzer is activated if a sound hardware is installed. General Switches Break switch General break switch that is tailored depending on the type of component that actuates it. For example, if the break switch is linked via a label to a switch-off delay relay, the break switch changes to a switch-off delay break switch in the circuit diagram. Make switch General make switch that is tailored according to the component that actuates it. For example, if the make switch is linked via a label to a switch-on delayed relay, the make switch changes to a switch-on delayed make switch in the circuit diagram. 180 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Changeover switch General changeover switch that is tailored according to the component that actuates it. For example, if the changeover switch is linked via a label to a switch-on delayed relay, the changeover switch changes to a switch-on delayed changeover switch in the circuit diagram. Delay Switches Break switch (switch-on delayed) Switch with delayed opening after pickup. Switchon delayed break switches are created by using a general break switch and setting a label. Make switch (switch-on delayed) Switch with delayed closing after pickup. Switchon delayed make switches are created by using a general make switch and setting a label. Changeover switch (switch-on delayed) Changeover switch with delayed changeover after pickup. Switch-on delayed changeover switches are created by using a general changeover switch and setting a label. Break switch (switch-off delayed) Switch with delayed closing after dropout. Switchoff delayed break switches are created by using a general break switch and setting a label. Make switch (switch-off delayed) Switch with delayed opening after dropout. Switchoff delayed make switches are created by using a general make switch and setting a label. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 181 B. The Component Library Changeover switch (switch-off delayed) Changeover switch with delayed changeover after dropout. Switch-off delayed changeover switches are created by using a general changeover switch and setting a label. Limit Switches Limit switch (break) Switch that is opened by a cam attached to the cylinder rod. The switch closes immediately when the cam has passed the switch. Limit switches are created by using a general break switch and setting a label. Switch with roll (break) Switch that is opened by a cam attached to the cylinder rod. The switch closes immediately when the cam has passed the switch. Switches with roll are created by using a general break switch, setting a label and selecting the switch type in the component’s properties dialog. Reed contact (break) Switch that is opened by a cam attached to the cylinder rod. The switch closes immediately when the cam has passed the switch. Reed contacts are created by using a general break switch, setting a label and selecting the switch type in the component’s properties dialog. Limit switch (make) Switch that is closed by a cam attached to the cylinder rod. The switch opens immediately when the cam has passed the switch. Limit switches are created by using a general make switch and setting a label. 182 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Switch with roll (make) Switch that is closed by a cam attached to the cylinder rod. The switch opens immediately when the cam has passed the switch. Switches with roll are created by using a general make switch, setting a label and selecting the switch type in the component’s properties dialog. Reed contact (break) Switch that is closed by a cam attached to the cylinder rod. The switch opens immediately when the cam has passed the switch. Reed contacts are created by using a general make switch, setting a label and selecting the switch type in the component’s properties dialog. Limit switch (changeover) Switch that is changed over by a cam attached to the cylinder rod. The switch changes back immediately when the cam has passed the switch. Limit switches are created by using a general changeover switch and setting a label. Switch with roll (changeover) Switch that is changed over by a cam attached to the cylinder rod. The switch changes back immediately when the cam has passed the switch. Switches with roll are created by using a general changeover switch, setting a label and selecting the switch type in the component’s properties dialog. Reed contact (changeover) Switch that is changed over by a cam attached to the cylinder rod. The switch changes back immediately when the cam has passed the switch. Reed contacts are created by using a general changeover switch, setting a label and selecting the switch type in the component’s properties dialog. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 183 B. The Component Library Manually Operated Switches Pushbutton (break) Switch that opens when actuated and closes immediately when released. In FluidSIM switches can be actuated permanently (locked) when continuing to hold down the mouse button and pushing the Shift key. This permanent actuation is released by a simple click on the component. Pushbutton (make) Switch that closes when actuated and opens immediately when released. In FluidSIM switches can be actuated permanently (locked) when continuing to hold down the mouse button and pushing the Shift key. This permanent actuation is released by a simple click on the component. Pushbutton (changeover) Switch that changes over when actuated and changes back immediately when released. In FluidSIM switches can be actuated permanently (locked) when continuing to hold down the mouse button and pushing the Shift key. This permanent actuation is released by a simple click on the component. Detent switch (break) Switch that opens and locks when actuated. Detent switch (make) Switch that closes and locks when actuated. 184 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Detent switch (changeover) Switch that changes over and locks when actuated. Pressure Switches Pressure switch (break) Switch that opens when the preset switching pressure of the hydraulic pressure switch is exceeded. Pressure switches are created by using a general break switch and setting a label. Pressure switch (make) The switch closes when the preset switching pressure of the hydraulic pressure switch is exceeded. Pressure switches are created by using a general make switch and setting a label. Pressure switch (changeover) The switch changes over when the preset switching pressure of the hydraulic pressure switch is exceeded. Pressure switches are created by using a general changeover switch and setting a label. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 185 B. The Component Library Proximity Switches Magnetic proximity switch Switch that closes when a solenoid is brought near by. In the Simulation Mode the proximity switch can also be actuated by clicking on it. Inductive proximity switch Switch that closes when the induced electro-magnetic field is changed. In the Simulation Mode the proximity switch can also be actuated by clicking on it. Capacitive proximity switch Switch that closes when its electrostatic field is changed. In the Simulation Mode the proximity switch can also be actuated by clicking on it. Optical proximity switch Switch that closes when the light barrier is interrupted. In the Simulation Mode the proximity switch can also be actuated by clicking on it. 186 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Relays Relay The relay picks up immediately when current is supplied and drops out immediately when current is removed. Relay with switch-on delay The relay picks up after a preset time when current is supplied and drops out immediately when current is removed. Adjustable parameters: Delay time: 0 ... 100 s (5 s) Relay with switch-off delay The relay picks up immediately when current is supplied and drops out after a preset time when current is removed. Adjustable parameters: Delay time: 0 ... 100 s (5 s) Relay counter The relay picks up after a predefined number of current pulses has been counted between the connections A1 and A2. If a potential is supplied between the connections R1 and R2, the counter is reset to its predefined value. In the Simulation Mode the relay counter can also be reset by clicking on it. Adjustable parameters: Counter: 0 ... 9999 (5 ) © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 187 B. The Component Library OPC/DDE Components FluidSIM Output Port The FluidSIM output realizes the communication with other applications. FluidSIM Input Port The FluidSIM input realizes the communication with other applications. B.3 Electrical Components (American Standard) Electrical connection 0V (ladder) 0V connection of the power supply. Power Supply Electrical connection 24V (ladder) 24V connection of the power supply. 188 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library General Switches Break switch (ladder) General break switch that is tailored depending on the type of component that actuates it. For example, if the break switch is linked via a label to a switch-off delay relay, the break switch changes to a switch-off delay break switch in the circuit diagram. Make switch (ladder) General make switch that is tailored according to the component that actuates it. For example, if the make switch is linked via a label to a switch-on delayed relay, the make switch changes to a switch-on delayed make switch in the circuit diagram. Delay Switches Break switch (switch-on delayed, ladder) Switch with delayed opening after pickup. Switchon delayed break switches are created by using a general break switch and setting a label. Make switch (switch-on delayed, ladder) Switch with delayed closing after pickup. Switchon delayed make switches are created by using a general make switch and setting a label. Break switch (switch-off delayed, ladder) Switch with delayed closing after dropout. Switchoff delayed break switches are created by using a general break switch and setting a label. Make switch (switch-off delayed, ladder) Switch with delayed opening after dropout. Switchoff delayed make switches are created by using a general make switch and setting a label. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 189 B. The Component Library Limit Switches Limit switch (break, ladder) Switch that is opened by a cam attached to the cylinder rod. The switch closes immediately when the cam has passed the switch. Limit switches are created by using a general break switch and setting a label. Limit switch (make, ladder) Switch that is closed by a cam attached to the cylinder rod. The switch opens immediately when the cam has passed the switch. Limit switches are created by using a general make switch and setting a label. Manually Operated Switches Pushbutton (break, ladder) Switch that opens when actuated and closes immediately when released. In FluidSIM switches can be actuated permanently (locked) when continuing to hold down the mouse button and pushing the Shift key. This permanent actuation is released by a simple click on the component. Pushbutton (make, ladder) Switch that closes when actuated and opens immediately when released. In FluidSIM switches can be actuated permanently (locked) when continuing to hold down the mouse button and pushing the Shift key. This permanent actuation is released by a simple click on the component. Pushbutton (changeover, ladder) Switch that changes over when actuated and changes back immediately when released. In FluidSIM switches can be actuated permanently (locked) when continuing to hold down the mouse button and pushing the Shift key. This permanent actuation is released by a simple click on the component. 190 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Pressure Switches Pressure switch (break, ladder) Switch that opens when the preset switching pressure of the hydraulic pressure switch is exceeded. Pressure switches are created by using a general break switch and setting a label. Pressure switch (make, ladder) The switch closes when the preset switching pressure of the hydraulic pressure switch is exceeded. Pressure switches are created by using a general make switch and setting a label. Relays Relay (ladder) The relay picks up immediately when current is supplied and drops out immediately when current is removed. Relay with switch-on delay (ladder) The relay picks up after a preset time when current is supplied and drops out immediately when current is removed. Adjustable parameters: Delay time: 0 ... 100 s (5 s) Relay with switch-off delay (ladder) The relay picks up immediately when current is supplied and drops out after a preset time when current is removed. Adjustable parameters: Delay time: 0 ... 100 s (5 s) © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 191 B. The Component Library B.4 Digital Components Constants and Connectors Digital input Digital inputs are designated with an “I”. In FluidSIM digital components can be used inside and outside a digital module. If a digital input is used inside a digital module, you can determine the input connector of the digital module in question with which the digital input shall be linked by allocating a number “I0” to “I7”. If there is an analog signal of more than 10V at the chosen input of the digital module, the digital input is set to “Hi”. If a digital input is used outside a digital module, there is an additional analog electrical connection at the digital input. If there is an analog signal of more than 10V at this connection, the digital input is set to “Hi”. As an alternative you can click on the digital input with the left mouse button in order to set it to “Hi”. Another click resets the value to “Lo”. Digital output Digital outputs are designated with an “Q”. The output connects a digital signal through from its input to its output. In FluidSIM digital components can be used inside and outside a digital module. If a digital output is used inside a digital module, you can determine the output connector of the digital module in question with which the digital output shall be linked by allocating a number “Q0” to “Q7”. If the status of the digital output is “Hi”, a potential of 24V is set at the corresponding output connector of the digital module. If a digital output is used outside a digital module, there is an additional analog electrical connection at the digital output. If the status of the digital output is “Hi”, a potential of 24 V is set a this connection. 192 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Memory bits Memory bits are designated with a “M”. Memory bits are virtual outputs, with a value at their output analog to that at their input. When the simulation start is activated, you can define by using the property dialog box if the output Q shall be set to “Lo” or to “Hi”, independent on the input value. After the simulation start the value at the output is set to the value of the input. Logic level HI At the output Q you have the logic level “Hi”. Logic level LO At the output Q you have the logic level “Lo”. Connection (digital) An digital connection is a place where a digital line can be attached to. To simplify the line drawing process, a connection appears as a small circle in Edit Mode. Note that at each digital connection its level “Lo” / “Hi” can be displayed. Line (digital) A digital line links two digital connections. Note that a digital connection may be a simple digital connection or a T-junction. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 193 B. The Component Library T-junction (digital) A T-junction joins up to three digital lines, thus having a single digital level. Note that T-junctions are introduced automatically by FluidSIM when dropping the line drawing cursor onto another line in Edit Mode. Basic Functions AND The output Q of the AND is only “Hi” when all inputs are “Hi”, that is, if they are closed. If an input pin of this module is not connected, its status is automatically “Hi”. Edge-triggered AND The output Q of the edge-triggered AND is only “Hi” when all inputs are “Hi” and if at least one input was “Lo” in the previous cycle. If an input pin of this block is not connected, its status is automatically “Hi”. NAND (AND not) The output Q of the NAND is only “Lo”, when all inputs are “Hi”, that is, if they are closed. If an input pin of this block is not connected, its status is automatically “Hi”. NAND With Edge Evaluation The output Q of the NAND with edge evaluation is only “Hi”, if at least one input is “Lo” and if all inputs were “Hi” in the previous cycle. If an input pin of this block is not connected, its status is automatically “Hi”. OR The output Q of the OR is only “Hi”, if at least one input is “Hi”, that is, if it is closed. If an input pin of this block is not connected, its status is automatically “Lo”. 194 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library NOR (OR not) The output Q of the NOR is only “Hi” when all inputs are “Lo”, that is, if they are switched off. As soon as any input is switched on (status “Hi”), the output of the NOR is set to “Lo”. If an input pin of this block is not connected, its status is automatically “Lo”. XOR (exclusive OR) The output Q of the XOR is “Hi”, if the inputs are nonequivalent. If an input pin of this block is not connected, its status is automatically “Lo”. NOT (Negation, Inverter) The output Q is “Hi” if the input is “Lo”. The NOT block is an input status inverter. Special Functions © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 195 B. The Component Library Digital module The digital module is used for a compact embedding of a digital switching circuit into a electrohydraulic circuit. The digital module offers 8 electrical inputs and outputs, which transfer their states to its digital switching circuit in the inner part. Therefore the digital switching circuit does not need much space in the electrohydraulic circuit for the display of the digital module as a rectangle with a total number of 18 connections. By making a double-click with the left mouse button on the digital module you come to the digital circuit in the inner part of the module. A new window opens. It shows the digital circuit and can be handled in the usual way. The standard configuration in the inner part of a new inserted digital module is a row with 8 inputs and 8 outputs each. They correspond to the inputs and outputs of the module in the electrohydraulic circuit. In order to be able to test the digital circuit during the set-up, it can be simulated separated from the electrohydraulic circuit. As soon as the processing window of the digital module is closed or the original circuit window is put into the foreground, the previously effected changes in the digital circuit are automatically adopted into the digital module of the electrohydraulic circuit. Inside the digital module only digital components can be inserted. Furthermore, an encapsulating of additional digital modules inside a module is not possible. However, you can use several digital modules in one electrohydraulic circuit. Please note that the digital circuit inside a digital module only works correctly if corresponding potentials are set at the electrical power supply units of the module (+24 V) and (0 V). 196 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library On delay An output with on delay is not switched on until a specified time has expired. When the status of input Trg changes from “Lo” to “Hi”, the on delay time starts. If the status of input Trg is “Hi” at least for the duration of the configured time, the output Q is set to “Hi” on expiration of this time. The output follows the input with on delay. The time is reset, when the status of the input changes again to “Lo” before the time has expired. The output is reset to “Lo”, when the status at the input is “Lo”. Adjustable parameters: On delay time: 0 ... 100 s (3 s) Off delay The output is not reset until a configured time has expired. When the input status turns to “Hi”, the output Q is switched instantaneously to “Hi”. If the status at input Trg changes from “Hi” to “Lo”, the off delay starts. After expiration of the configured time, the output is reset to “Lo” (off delay). When the input Trg is switched on and off again, the off delay restarts. The input R (Reset) is used to reset the delay time and the output before the configured time has expired. Adjustable parameters: Off delay time: 0 ... 100 s (3 s) © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 197 B. The Component Library On/Off delay An output with on/off delay is switched on after a specified time and is reset on expiration of a second specified time. As soon as the status at input Trg changes from “Lo” to “Hi”, the configured on delay time starts. If the status at input Trg remains “Hi” at least for the duration of the configured time, the output Q is set to “Hi” on expiration of the on delay time (the output follows the input on delayed). If the status at input Trg changes again to “Lo”, before the configured on delay time has expired, the time is reset. When the status at input returns to “Lo”, the configured off delay time starts. If the status at the input remains “Lo” at least for the duration of the configured off delay time, the output is set to “Lo” on expiration of that time (the output follows the input off delayed). If the status at the input returns to “Hi” before this time has expired, the time is reset. Adjustable parameters: On delay time: 0 ... 100 s (3 s) Off delay time: 0 ... 100 s (3 s) Retentive On delay A specified time starts after an input pulse. The output is set on expiration of this time. As soon as the status at the input Trg changes from “Lo” to “Hi”, the specified time starts. After expiration on the configured time, the output Q is set to “Hi”. Further switching actions at input Trg have no influence on the running time. The output and the time are only reset to “Lo” when the status at input R is “Hi”. Adjustable parameters: On delay time: 0 ... 100 s (3 s) 198 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Latching Relay Input S sets output Q. Another input R resets the output Q. A latching relay is a simple logic memory. The output value depends on the input states and on the previous output status. Pulse Relay A short one-shot at the input is used to set and reset the output. Output Q status is toggled at every “Lo” to “Hi” transition of the status at input Trg, that is, the output is switched on or off. Use input R to reset the pulse relay to initial state, that is, the output is set to “Lo”. Wiping Relay - Pulse Output An input signal generates a signal of specified length at the output. The output status is switched to “Hi” after the input Trg is set to “Hi”. The configured time is started at the same time and the output remains set. After expiration of the configured time, the output is reset to the status “Lo” (pulse output). If the input status changes from “Hi” to “Lo” before the specified time has expired, also the output follows immediately with a with a “Hi” to “Lo” transition. Adjustable parameters: Delay time: 0 ... 100 s (3 s) © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 199 B. The Component Library Edge-triggered Wiping Relay An input signal generates a signal of specified length at the output (retriggering). The output status is switched to “Hi” after the input Trg is set to “Hi”. The configured time is started at the same time. After expiration of the configured time, the output Q status is reset to “Lo” (pulse output). If the input status changes again from “Lo” to “Hi” (retriggering), before the specified time has expired, the time is reset and the output remains switched on. Adjustable parameters: Delay time: 0 ... 100 s (3 s) Timer Switch With the timer switch you can create timer switches referring to days, weeks and years. Upon reach of the specified on-transition time, the output Q of the timer switch is set to “Hi” and upon reach of the specified off-transition time to “Lo”. If you have chosen the option “repeat all”, the on and off transition is repeated each time according to the specified repetition time. Adjustable parameters: On time: 0 ... 1000 s (10 s) Off time: 0,1 ... 1000 s (30 s) Repeat every: 0,1 ... 1000 s (60 s) 200 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library Up/Down Counter Depending on the configuration of the input Dir, an internal value is counted up or down through an input pulse. The output is set when the configured count value is reached. With every status change at the input Cnt from “Lo” to “Hi”, the internal counter is increased (Dir = “Lo”) or decreased (Dir = “Hi”) by one unit. If the internal counter is equal or larger compared to the specified value, the output Q is set to “Hi”. You can use the reset input R to reset the internal count value and the output to “Lo”. As long as R=“Hi”, also the output is “Lo” and the pulses at input Cnt are not counted. Adjustable parameters: Counter: 0 ... 9999 (5 ) Symmetric Clock Generator A timing signal with a configurable period is given at the output. Via the duration of the pulses you can determine the length of the on and off times. Via the input En (for Enable) you can switch on the clock generator, that is, the clock generator sets the output to “Hi” for the duration of the pulse, subsequent the output to “Lo” for the duration of the pulse and so on, until the input status is “Lo” again. Adjustable parameters: Impulse time: 0,1 ... 100 s (0,5 s) © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 201 B. The Component Library Asynchronous Pulse Generator The pulse profile of the output can be changed via the configurable pulse duration and pulse pause duration. It is possible to invert the output with input INV. The input INV only negates the output, if the block is enabled via EN. Adjustable parameters: Impulse time: 0,1 ... 100 s (3 s) Impulse pause time: 0,1 ... 100 s (1 s) Frequency Threshold Trigger The output is switched on and off depending on two frequencies which can be specified. The threshold trigger measures the signals at input Fre. The pulses are captured across a measuring interval which can be specified. If the frequency measured within the measuring interval higher than the input frequency, the output Q is switched to “Hi”. Q is switched again to “Lo” when the measured frequency has reached the value of the output frequency or if it is lower. Adjustable parameters: On frequency: 0,1 ... 10 pulses/sec (6 pulses/sec) Off frequency: 0,1 ... 10 pulses/sec (2 pulses/sec) Time interval: 0,1 ... 100 s (5 s) 202 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM B. The Component Library B.5 Miscellaneous Miscellaneous Connection (mechanical) A mechanical connection constitutes a place holder for the label of a valve solenoid. To simplify clicking, a mechanical connection appears as a small circle in Edit Mode. Valve solenoid The valve solenoid switches the valve. By means of a label the valve solenoid can be linked to a valve that is solenoid operated. Valve solenoid (ladder) The valve solenoid switches the valve. By means of a label the valve solenoid can be linked to a valve that is solenoid operated. Distance rule The distance rule is a device for attaching switches at the cylinder. The labels at the distance rule define links to the actual proximity switches or limit switches in the electrical circuit. Status indicator In Edit Mode, the status indicator is automatically displayed at those components that are actuated in the circuit’s initial position. Cam switch In Edit Mode, the cam switch is automatically displayed at those mechanically operated way valves that are actuated in the circuit’s initial position. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 203 B. The Component Library Text The concept of text components in FluidSIM gives the user a way in which to describe components in diagrams, assign identification texts, or to provide commentary on the diagram. The text and the appearance of text components can be customized to the user’s liking. State diagram The state diagram records the state quantities of important components and depicts them graphically. Parts list The parts list component creates from the components of a circuit diagram a table, which contains for each component its designation and its description. Rectangle Rectangles are graphic primitives, which can also be used within circuit diagrams. Ellipse Ellipses are graphic primitives, which can also be used within circuit diagrams. 204 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey This chapter provides a comprehensive listing of those parts of the didactics material in FluidSIM that are not covered by chapter B “The Component Library”. Basically, this material consists of the components’ behavior illustrations, the animations, the exercises, and the educational films, which all can be activated under the Didactics menu. icon The subsequent sections are arranged thematically. The indicates that an animation exists for the related topic. The last section gives an overview of the educational films. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 205 C. Didactics Material Survey C.1 Basics of Hydraulics 1 Lathe Machine-tool construction is a typical area of application of hydraulics. With modern CNC machine tools, the tools and workpieces are clamped by hydraulic means. Feed motions and the spindle drive can also be hydraulically powered. ☞ This can also serve as an example of hydraulic circuit with two pressure ranges, for example, 30 bar for machining and 90 bar for clamping. 2 Press with elevated reservoir This is an application in which extremely high forces are required. Due to the suspended cylinder and the tractive load, special measures are required for the activation of the advance stroke. This in turn requires specially- designed press drives. ☞ A special feature is the elevated reservoir, which utilizes the static pressure in the pressure medium. 3 Mobile hydraulics: Excavator On this hydraulic excavator, not only all working movements (linear drives) but also the propulsion of the vehicle (rotary drive) are hydraulically powered. The primary drive of the excavator is an internal-combustion engine. ☞ A model calculation can be used here to demonstrate an advantage of hydraulics - large forces with relatively small components. 206 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey C.2 Components of a Hydraulic Plant 4.1 Structure of a hydraulic system This simplified block diagram shows the division of hydraulic systems into a signal control section and a hydraulic power section. This signal control section is used to activate the valves in the power control section. ☞ The material depicted in these electronic slides is concerned in the main with the hydraulic power section and the three “levels” of this which are shown. 4.2 Hydraulic power section The diagram of the hydraulic power section is complemented in this case by a circuit diagram to allow correlation of the various function groups; the power supply section contains the hydraulic pump and drive motor and the components for the preparation of the hydraulic fluid. The energy control section consists of the various valves used to provide control and regulate the flow rate, pressure and direction of the hydraulic fluid. This drive section consists of cylinders or hydraulic motors, depending on the application in question. 4.3 Block diagram of a control system In analyzing and planning an actual control task, it can be helpful to use a differentiated block diagram showing the actual levels to be found on the machine. ☞ The light arrows show the signal flow, while the solid dark arrows show the energy flow. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 207 C. Didactics Material Survey 5.. Interaction of components The animations show the sequences in a basic hydraulic circuit in simplified form - the actuation and spring return of the final control element (4/2-way valve), the advance and return of the drive component (double acting cylinder) and the opening and closing of the pressure relief valve. ☞ The representations of the actuator and final control element are based on the relevant circuit symbols. This can be used as a preparation for the introduction of circuit symbols. 6.1 Action related numbering First of all the control chain is numbered sequentially according to the principle. The first actuator is given the supplementary number .0 and the associated final control element the supplementary number .1. The remaining elements get even numbers if they influence the advance stroke and uneven numbers if they influence the return stroke. ☞ The numbering should always be entered in the circuit diagram and also on the machine to enable systematic fault-finding. 6.2 Numbering in accordance with DIN ISO 1219-2 The DIN ISO Standard 1219-2 defines the code structure of the components as a string consisting of the following four parts: number of the plant, number of the circuit, component designation, and component number. If the entire system consists of a single plant only, the plant number may be dropped. ☞ (see topic 6.1) 208 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 6.3 Numbering in accordance with parts list Another method used in practice is to number all the components in a hydraulic system consecutively. The numbers then correspond to the numbers in the parts list. ☞ This method is used particularly with complex controls systems, for which a control-chainrelated numbering system can not be used due the overlaps involved. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 209 C. Didactics Material Survey C.3 Symbols 7 Circuit symbols for energy transfer (1) The symbols shown are used in circuit diagrams for energy transfer and hydraulic-fluid preparation. ☞ In the interests of clarity, the lines in the circuit diagram should be drawn without cross-overs as far as possible. 8 Circuit symbols for energy transfer (2) The direction of the arrows in the circuit symbols for the heater and cooler correspond to the direction of heat flow. 9 Circuit symbols for energy conversion Hydraulic pumps are shown by a circle with a part representation of a drive shaft. Triangles in the circles show the direction of flow. The triangles are shown solid, since pressure fluid is used in hydraulics. ☞ If the pressure medium is gaseous, as in the case of pneumatics, the triangles are shown in outline. 10 Circuit symbols for hydraulic motors The symbols for hydraulic motors are distinguished from the symbols for hydraulic pumps by the fact that the arrows showing the direction of flow are the other way round. 210 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 11 Circuit symbols for single acting cylinders Single acting cylinders have one port, i.e. pressure fluid can be applied only to the piston side. With these cylinders, the return stroke is produced either by external force, shown in the symbol by an opening bearing cap, or by a spring is shown within the symbol in this latter case. 12 Circuit symbols for double acting cylinders Double acting cylinders have two ports to allow pressure fluid to be applied to both cylinder chambers. The symbol for a differential cylinder is distinguished from the symbol for a double acting cylinder by the two lines added to the end of the piston rod. The area ratio is generally 2:1. In the case of cylinders with double- ended piston rods, the symbol shows that the piston areas are of equal size (synchronous cylinders). 13 Circuit symbols for directional control valves (1) Designations for directional control valves always give firstly the number of ports and then the number of switching positions. Directional control valves always have at least two ports and at least two switching positions. The number of squares shows the number of possible switching positions of a valve. Arrows within the squares show the direction of flow. Lines shown how the ports are interconnected in the various switching positions of the valve. The designations always relate to the normal position of the valve. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 211 C. Didactics Material Survey 14 Circuit symbols for directional control valves (2) This illustration shows the circuit symbols for 4/2and 5/2-way valves. ☞ There are two general methods for the designation of ports, using either the letters P, T, R, A, B and L or consecutively using A, B, C, D etc.; the first method is the preferred one in the relevant standard. 15 Circuit symbols for directional control valves (3) The illustration shows the circuit symbols for 4/3way valves with various mid-positions. 16 Circuit symbols for manual operation The switching position of a directional control valve can be changed by various actuation methods. The symbol for the valve is accordingly supplemented by a symbol indicating the actuation methods shown, such as pushbuttons and pedals, a spring is always necessary for resetting. Resetting can, however, also be achieved by actuating the valve a second time, for example in the case of valves with hand levers and detents. ☞ The various actuating methods possible are listed in DIN ISO 1219. 17 Circuit symbols for mechanical actuation This illustration shows the symbols for stem or push button, spring and roller stem. 212 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 18 Circuit symbol for pressure valves Pressure valves are represented using squares. The flow direction is indicated by an arrow. The valve ports can be designated as P (supply port) and T (tank return port) or as A and B. The position of the arrow within the square indicates whether the valve is normally open or normally closed. Adjustable pressure valves are indicated by a diagonal arrow through the spring. Pressure valves are divided into pressure relief valves and pressure regulators. 19 Circuit symbols for flow control valves A distinction is made in flow control valves between types which are affected by viscosity and those which are unaffected. Flow control valves unaffected by viscosity are termed orifices. A 2-way flow control valve consists of restrictors, one adjustable restrictor which is unaffected by viscosity (orifice) and a regulating restrictor (pressure compensator). These valves are represented by a rectangle containing the symbol for the adjustable restrictor and an arrow to represent the pressure compensator. The diagonal arrow through the rectangle indicates that the valve is adjustable. 20 Circuit symbols for non-return valves The symbol for non-return valves is a ball which is pressed against a seat. Delockable non-return valves are shown by a square containing the symbol for a non- return valve. The pilot control for unlocking the non- return valve is indicated by a broken line at the pilot port. The pilot port is designated by the letter X. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 213 C. Didactics Material Survey 21 Circuit symbols for measuring devices The illustration shows the symbols for measuring devices used in hydraulics. 214 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey C.4 Some Physical Fundamentals 22 Hydrostatic pressure Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure created above a certain level within a liquid as a result of the weight of the liquid mass. Hydrostatic pressure is not dependent on the shape of the vessel concerned but only on the height and density of the column of liquid. ☞ Hydrostatic pressure can generally be ignored for the purpose of studying hydraulics (exception: see topic 2). 23 Pressure propagation If a force F acts on an area A of an enclosed liquid, a pressure p is produced which acts throughout the liquid (Pascal’s Law). ☞ Hydrostatic pressure has been ignored here. The term pressure propagation is also used to mean the pulse velocity in liquids (approx. 1000 m/s). 24 Power transmission If a force F1 is applied to an area A1 of a liquid, a pressure p results. If, as in this case, the pressure acts on a larger surface A2 , then a larger counterforce F2 must be maintained. If A2 is three times as large as A1, then F2 will also be three times as large as F1 . ☞ Hydraulic power transmission is comparable to the mechanical law of levers. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 215 C. Didactics Material Survey 25.1 Displacement transmission (1) If the input piston of the hydraulic press travels a distance s1 , a volume of fluid will be displaced. This same volume displaces the output piston by the distance s2 . If the area of this piston is larger than that of the input piston, the distance s2 will be shorter than s1 . ☞ Hydraulic displacement transmission is comparable to the mechanical law of levers. 25.2 Displacement transmission (2) (see topic 25.1) 26.1 Pressure transfer (1) The fluid pressure p1 exerts a force F1 on the surface A1 which is transferred via the piston rod to the small piston. The force F1 thus acts on the surface A2 and produces the fluid pressure p2 . Since the piston area A2 is smaller than the piston area A1 , the pressure p2 must be larger than the pressure p1 . ☞ The pressure-transfer (pressureintensification) effect is put to practical use in pneumatic/hydraulic pressure intensifiers and also in purely hydraulic systems when extremely high pressures are required which a pump cannot deliver. 216 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 26.2 Pressure transfer (2) A pressure-transfer effect also occurs in conventional double acting cylinders with single piston rod. ☞ This effect also causes problems in hydraulics. If, for example, an exhaust flow control is fitted to a differential cylinder for the advance stroke, a pressure- intensification effect results in the piston-rod chamber. 27 Types of flow A distinction is made between laminar flow and turbulent flow. In the case of laminar flow, the hydraulic fluid moves through the pipe in ordered cylindrical layers. If the flow velocity of the hydraulic fluid rises above a critical speed, the fluid particles at the center of the pipe break away to the side, and turbulence results. ☞ Turbulent flow should be avoided in hydraulic circuits by ensuring they are adequate sized. 28a Diesel effect A pressure drop to the level of vacuum may occur at points of restriction, causing precipitation of the air dissolved in the oil. When the pressure rises again, oil bursts into the gas bubbles and spontaneous ignition of the oil/air mixture may occur. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 217 C. Didactics Material Survey 29 Cavitation Motion energy is required for an increase in the flow velocity of the oil at a restriction. This motion energy is derived from the pressure energy. If the vacuum which results is smaller than −0.3 bar, air dissolved in the oil is precipitated out. When the pressure rises again due to a reduction in speed, the oil bursts into the gas bubbles. ☞ Cavitation is a significant factor in hydraulic systems as a cause of wear in devices and connections. 29a Cavitation Local pressure peaks occur during cavitation. This causes the erosion of small particles from the wall of the pipe immediately after the reduced crosssection, leading to material fatigue and often also to fractures. This effect is accompanied by considerable noise. 30 Input and output power Various losses occur at the individual devices within a hydraulic control chain. These consist essentially of mechanical, electrical and volumetric losses. ☞ After an installation has been in service for some time, there will be a change in particular in the volumetric efficiency of the pump, as the result, for example, of cavitation (see topic 29). 218 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey C.5 Components of a Power Unit 31.1 Hydraulic power unit The hydraulic power unit (power supply unit) provides the energy required for the hydraulic installation. Its most important components are the reservoir (tank) , drive (electric motor), hydraulic pump, pressure relief valve (safety valve), filter and cooler. The hydraulic power unit may also act as a carrier for other devices (gauges, directional control valves). 31.2 Hydraulic power unit: Reservoir The hydraulic reservoir contains the hydraulic fluid required the operate the installation. Within the reservoir, air, water and solid matter are separated out of the hydraulic fluid. ☞ The size of the reservoir will depend on the practical application involved; for stationary systems, the volume of fluid delivered by the pump in 3 to 5 minutes can be taken as a guide. In mobile hydraulic systems, on the other hand, the reservoir contains only the maximum quantity of hydraulic fluid required. 32 Externally toothed gear pump The increase in volume which results when a tooth moves out of mesh produces a vacuum in the suction area. The hydraulic fluid is conveyed into the pressure area. The hydraulic fluid is then forced out of the tooth gaps by the meshing of the teeth and displaced into the above supply line. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 219 C. Didactics Material Survey 33 Internally toothed gear pump The inner gear is driven by a motor. The teeth of the inner wheel drive the outer gear wheel. The rotary motion creates a vacuum in the gaps between the teeth, causing hydraulic fluid to be sucked in. On the other side, the teeth engage once more and oil is displaced from the tooth chambers. 33a Internally toothed gear pump See previous individual illustration. ☞ The design can deliver pressures of up to approx. 175 bar. Hydraulic motors represent the reverse of the function principle. 34 Circuit diagram: Return flow filter An oil filter situated in the return line to the tank has the advantage that the filter is thus easy to maintain. A disadvantage, however, is that contamination is removed from the hydraulic fluid only after it has passed through the hydraulic components. ☞ This configuration is often used. 35 Circuit diagram : Pump inlet filter With this configuration, the pump is protected from contamination. The filter is, on the other hand, less easily accessible. ☞ If these filters have a too fine mesh, suction problems and cavitation effects may occur. Additional coarse filters upstream of the pump are recommended. 220 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 36 Circuit diagram: Pressure line filter Pressure filters can be installed selectively upstream of valves which are sensitive to contamination; this also enables smaller mesh sizes to be used. ☞ A pressure-resistant housing is required, which makes this configuration more expensive. 37 Circuit diagram: Contamination indicator It is important that the effectiveness of a filter can be checked by a contamination indicator. The contamination of a filter is measured by the pressure drop; as the contamination increases, the pressure upstream of the filter increases. The pressure acts on a spring- loaded piston. As the pressure increases, the piston is pushed against a spring. ☞ There are a number of different display methods. Either the piston movement is directly visible or it is converted into an electrical or visual indication by electrical contacts. 38 Water cooler With this design of cooler, hydraulic fluid is fed through tubes over which coolant (water) flows. The heat which is discharged can be re-used. ☞ The operating temperature in hydraulic installations should not exceed 50 - 60°C, since this would cause an unacceptable reduction in viscosity, leading to premature aging of the fluid. In comparison with air cooling, operating costs a higher due to the required coolant and the susceptibility to corrosion. Temperature difference of up to approx. 35°C can be handled. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 221 C. Didactics Material Survey 39 Air cooler Hydraulic fluid from the return line flows through a coiled pipe which is cooled by a fan. ☞ The advantages here are simplicity of installation and low operating costs. The noise of the fan may be a nuisance (see also topic 38). 40 Heating element Heaters are often required to ensure that the optimum operating temperature is reached quickly. Heating elements or flow preheaters are used for heating and pre-heating hydraulic fluid. ☞ If the viscosity is to high, the resulting increase in friction and cavitation leads to greater wear. 41 Circuit diagram: Hydraulic power unit The illustration shows the detailed circuit symbol for a hydraulic power unit. ☞ Since this is an combination unit, a dot/dash line is placed around the symbols representing the individual units. 222 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey C.6 Fundamentals of Valves 42 Actuating force With some types of poppet valves, the actuating force, which is dependent on pressure and area, may be very high. In order to avoid this, pressure compensation may be provided at the valves. 43 Poppet principle Valves are based either on the poppet principle or slide principle. In poppet valves, a ball, a cone or a disc is pressed by a spring against the seat of a passage. The high pressure per unit area which is created, means that valves of this kind provide a very efficient seal. The illustration shows a cone used as a sealing element. ☞ See also topics 69 and 71. 44 Slide principle This illustration shows the principle of a longitudinal slide valve. In order to allow the piston to move, it has a certain clearance and floats in hydraulic fluids. Ring grooves ensure an even film of oil and thus pressure equilibrium. The piston can thus be moved with minimal frictional losses. ☞ This type of valve cannot provide a perfect seal, which means that there is always a certain oil leakage. 45 Poppet valves In poppet valves, a ball, cone or occasionally a disk is pressed against a seat area to act as a sealing element. Valves of this type provide a very efficient seal. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 223 C. Didactics Material Survey 46 Piston overlap The switching characteristics of a valve are governed by, among other things, its piston overlap. A distinction is made between positive, negative and zero overlap. In the case of positive overlap, the port in question is completely covered by the piston, while with negative overlap it is less than completely covered. In the case of zero overlap, the distances between the control edges of the piston and of the port are exactly the same. ☞ The individual control edges of the pilot piston can have different overlaps. 47.1 Negative switching overlap In the case of negative overlap, flow from A to T is not quite closed when the inlet P is opened. This means that the pressure at port A rises slowly and the piston starts gently. ☞ In manufacturers’ data sheets, overlap positions are shown within dotted lines between the switching positions, or the overlap positions are shown in color or with a patterned background. 47.2 Positive switching overlap In the case of positive overlap, the left-hand piston does not open the passage from P to A until the tank has been completely isolated by the other piston. Pressure is immediately fed to the load device (cylinder or hydraulic motor) with the result that this starts abruptly. 48 Control edges The control edges of the pistons are often either sharp, chamfered or notched. The profiling of the control edges means that the throttling action of the flow when switching is gradual rather than abrupt. ☞ See also the example in topic 94. 224 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 49 Vertical interconnection system Vertical interconnection systems(“modular hydraulics”) mean that less space is required and that no piping is needed between the components. The circuit symbols directly marked on the components give greater clarity in the installation. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 225 C. Didactics Material Survey C.7 Pressure Valves 50.1 Pressure relief valve (1) In this design incorporating a poppet valve, a seal is pressed against the inlet port P by a pressure spring when the valve is in its normal position. ☞ In this situation, for example, an unloaded piston rod is executing an advance stroke and the entire pump delivery is flowing to the cylinder. 50.2 Pressure relief valve (2) As soon as the force exerted by the inlet pressure at A exceeds the opposing spring force, the valve begins to open. ☞ In this situation, for example, the piston rod is fully advanced; the entire pump delivery is flowing at the preset system pressure to the tank. 51.1 PRV used to limit system pressure This illustration shows a pressure relief valve within a basic hydraulic circuit (used to control a double acting cylinder). ☞ The resistances at the outlet (tank line, filter) must be added to the force of the spring in the pressure relief valve. See also the animation “Interaction of components” (topic 5). 51.2 Circuit diagram: PRV used to limit system pressure This illustration shows the same circuit as the previous illustration, but with the cut-away view of the PRV replaced by the appropriate circuit symbol. 226 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 52.. Circuit without brake valve One application of pressure relief valves is as brake valves; these prevent pressure peaks which may otherwise occur as the result of mass moments of inertia when a directional control valve is suddenly closed. The animation shows an (incorrect) circuit in schematic form in which the working line on the exhaust side has fractured due to the absence of a brake valve. ☞ The next animation (topic 53) shows the correct circuit. 53 Circuit diagram: Brake valve This illustration shows the correct circuit for the problem in topic 52. This circuit incorporates not only a brake valve on the piston-rod side but also a non-return valve on the inlet side via which oil can be taken in from a reservoir during the vacuum phase following the closure of the directional control valve. ☞ The following animation shows the events which occur in the two working lines. 53.. Circuit with brake valve The animation 53.1a shows in schematic form the behavior of the PRV during the braking phase, while 53.2a shows the behavior of the non-return valve (NRV) in the supply line and 53a shows the two events together in summary. ☞ The necessity of the brake valve can be demonstrated by the preceding animation (topic 52). © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 227 C. Didactics Material Survey 54 Circuit diagram: PRV as back-pressure valve Back-pressure valves counteract mass moments of inertia with tractive loads. The illustration shows a circuit with a back-pressure valve on the piston-rod side. On the return stroke, the PRV is by-passed by an NRV. ☞ The PRV must be pressure-compensated and the tank port must be capable of carrying a pressure load. 55 PRV, internally controlled, cushioned Pressure relief valves often incorporate cushioning pistons or flow control valves. The cushioning device shown provides fast opening and slow closing of the valve. This prevents damage caused by pressure shocks (smooth valve operation). ☞ Pressure shock arise, for example, when the pump delivers oil in an almost unpressurized condition and the supply port of the load device is abruptly closed by a directional control valve. 56.1 PRV, externally controlled (1) This pressure relief valve controls the flow in accordance with an external pressure setting. This pressure acts against an adjustable spring force. The passage from the supply port P to the tank port T remains closed as long as no load acts on the pilot piston. 56.2 PRV, externally controlled (2) Pressure can be fed to the pilot piston via the pilot port X. As soon as the pressure force at the pilot piston exceeds the preset spring force, the pilot piston is displaced, allowing free flow. 228 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 57.1 Sequence valve The example shows a circuit with a pressure relief valve used as a pressure sequence valve. The pressure at the pilot piston of the PRV rises via the pressure regulator. The PRV opens and the high-pressure pump delivers directly to the tank. As soon as the 2/2-way valve opens, the pressure drops. The pressure relief valve closes and the high pressure pump is connected to the system. 57.2 Circuit diagram: Sequence valve This illustration shows the same circuit as the previous illustration, but with the cut-away view of the sequence valve replaced by the appropriate circuit symbol. 58 Pressure relief valve Actual photograph of a PRV (Fa. Hydronorma). ☞ This illustration can be used if no actual component is available. 59.1 2-way pressure regulator (1) This valve is normally open. The outlet pressure (A) acts via a pilot line on the left-hand surface of the pilot piston against an adjustable spring force. ☞ Pressure regulators reduce the inlet pressure to an adjustable outlet pressure. It is appropriate to use these in hydraulic installations only if different pressures are required. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 229 C. Didactics Material Survey 59.2 2-way pressure regulator (2) When the pressure rises at outlet A, the force at the left-hand surface of the pilot piston becomes greater, the piston is displaced to the right and the throttle gap becomes narrower. This causes a pressure drop. ☞ In the case of slide valves, it is also possible to design the control edges in such way that the opening gap increases only slowly. This gives greater control precision. 59.3 2-way pressure regulator (3) When the preset maximum pressure is reached, the throttle point closes completely; the pressure set on the pressure relief valve is produced at the inlet P. 59.4 2-way pressure regulator (4) In the circuit illustrated, the piston rod of the cylinder is executing an advance stroke. The pressure at the outlet A of the pressure regulator is less than the system pressure at P and constant. 59.5 2-way pressure regulator (5) The piston rod of the cylinder is now in its forward end position. The pressure at outlet A thus continues to rise and the throttle point closes completely. 230 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 60 Circuit diagram: 2-way pressure regulator The illustration shows the same circuit as the previous illustration, but with the 2-way pressure regulator in the form of a circuit symbol. 61 Circuit diagram: 2-way pressure regulator It is appropriate to use PRVs only when different pressures are required in an installation. The mod of operation of pressure regulator will thus be explained here by taking an example with two control circuits. The first control circuit acts via a flow control valve on a hydraulic motor which drives a roller. This roller is used to stick together multi-layered printed circuit boards. The second control circuit acts on a hydraulic cylinder which draws the roller towards the boards at an adjustable reduced pressure. ☞ This example can be used as a preliminary stage to the introduction of the 3-way PR. If the 2-way PR is closed due to the fact that the preset maximum pressure has been reached, thickening of the material of the workpieces would cause an increase in the pressure on the outlet side of the PR to a higher value than desired. (See also the animation for topic 62.) 62.1 3-way pressure regulator (1) The 3-way pressure regulator can be regarded as a combination of a 2-way PR and a pressure relief valve (PRV). The PR is in its normal position here; only a low pressure has built up at the outlet A. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 231 C. Didactics Material Survey 62.2 3-way pressure regulator (2) When the pressure at A rises the result of external conditions, this pressure acts via a pilot line on the left-hand piston surface of the pilot piston against an adjustable spring force. Every pressure increase causes the throttle gap to become narrower, resulting in a pressure drop. 62.3 3-way pressure regulator (3) When the maximum preset pressure is reached, the throttle point closes completely. The pressure set on the system-pressure limiter is produced at the inlet P. 62.4 3-way pressure regulator (4) If the pressure rises above the preset value as the result of an external load at outlet A, the valve opens to allow flow from A to the tank port T (pressure-limiter function). ☞ 3-way pressure regulators are available with both positive and negative piston overlap. If a 3way pressure regulator is created by combining a 2-way pressure regulator and a pressure relief valve, the “overlap” is adjustable. 62.. 3-way pressure regulator The animation shows both the pressure-regulator and pressure-limiter function of a 3-way pressure regulator through the example of a roller which exerts a constant pressure on moving material of variable thickness. ☞ The final control element which is normally interposed has been omitted here in the interests of clarity. 232 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 63.1 3-way pressure regulator (5) A 3-way PR is shown here in a functional representation, incorporated into a model circuit diagram. The piston rod of the cylinder is subject to external force and the pressure regulator provides a pressure-limiter function. 63.2 3-way pressure regulator (6) The illustration shows the same circuit as the previous illustration, but with the functional representation of the 3-way pressure regulator replaced by a “detailed” circuit symbol. ☞ 3-way pressure regulators are available with both positive and negative piston overlap. If a 3way pressure regulator is created by combining a 2-way pressure regulator and a pressure relief valve, the “overlap” is adjustable. 63.3 Circuit diagram: 3-way pressure regulator The illustration shows the same circuit as the previous illustration, but with the standard circuit symbol for a 3-way pressure regulator. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 233 C. Didactics Material Survey C.8 Way Valves 64.1 2/2-way valve (1) The 2/2-way valve has a working port A, a supply port P and a leakage-oil port L. In the case of the valve shown here, of slide design, flow from P to A is closed in the normal position. ☞ A relief line leading to the leakage-oil port is provided to prevent a build-up of pressure in the spring and piston chambers. 64.2 2/2-way valve (2) The 2/2-way valve is actuated and the passage from P to A is open. ☞ 2/2-way valves are also available which are normally open from P to A. 65.1 2/2-way valve as by-pass valve This example shows a 2/2-way valve used as a by-pass valve; when the 2/2-way valve is actuated, the flow control valve 0V3 is by-passed, causing the piston rod of the cylinder to advance at maximum speed. 65.2 Circuit diagram: 2/2-way valve as by-pass valve The illustration shows the same circuit as the previous illustration, but with the functional representation of the 2/2-way valve replaced by a circuit symbol. 234 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 66 Circuit diagram: 2/2-way valve as final control element In its initial position, the cylinder is advanced. If the 2/2- way valve 0V1 is actuated, the entire volumetric flow passes to the tank and piston rod of the cylinder is reset by the external load m. If 0V1 is not actuated, the system pressure set on the pressure limiter 0V2 builds up and the piston rod advances. ☞ In the initial position, the pump operates against the preset system pressure, which has an unfavorable effect on the power balance of the circuit shown. 66.. 2/2-way valve as final control element The animations show the actuation and release of the 2/2-way valve, which causes the piston rod of the cylinder to advance and retract. 67 Circuit diagram for pressure-less pump recirculation The part circuit diagram shows a 2/2-way valve used as a by-pass valve to achieve pressure-less pump recirculation; if the valve is actuated, the pump no longer needs to operate against the preset system pressure. ☞ One application of this circuit is with 4/3-way valves which are closed in their mid-position in cases where, with the installation operational, it is desired to switch to pump recirculation (see also topic 78). © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 235 C. Didactics Material Survey 68 Circuit diagram: Pressure stage circuit The part circuit diagram shows a 2/2-way valve used as a selector switch for one of two preset system pressures (“pressure levels”); if the 2/2way valve is actuated, flow is enabled to a second system-pressure limiter. 69.1 3/2-way valve (poppet principle) (1) The 3/2-way valve has working port A, a supply port P and a tank port T. Volumetric flow can be routed from the supply port to the working port or from the working port to the tank port. The third port in each case is closed. In the normal position shown, P is closed and flow released from A to T. ☞ See also topic 71 (slide principle). 69.2 3/2-way valve (poppet principle) (2) The 3/2-way valve is actuated; flow is released from P to A, the outlet T is closed. ☞ 3/2-way valves which are normally open from P to A and T closed are also available. 70.1 3/2-way valve as final control element The circuit shows the 3/2-way valve in a functional representation as a final control element of a single acting cylinder. ☞ The non-return valve protects the pump in cases where the 3/2-way valve is actuated and the piston rod is subject to an external load. 236 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 70.2 Circuit diagram: 3/2-way valve as final control element The illustration shows the same circuit as the previous illustration, but with the circuit symbol for the 3/2-way valve. 70.. 3/2-way valve The animations show the actuation and release of the manual pushbutton for a 3/2-way valve, which causes the piston rod of the cylinder to advance and retract. 71.1 3/2-way valve (slide principle) (1) The 3/2-way valve has a working port A, a supply port P and a tank port T. The volumetric flow can be routed from the supply port to the working port, or from the working port to the tank port. The third port in each case is closed. In the normal position shown, P is closed and flow is released from A to T. ☞ See also the 3/2-way valve designed on the poppet principle (Topic 69). 71.2 3/2-way valve (slide principle) (2) The 3/2-way valve is actuated; flow is released from P to A, and the outlet T is closed. ☞ 3/2-way valves which are normally closed from P to A and T are also available. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 237 C. Didactics Material Survey 72 3/2-way valves as diverter In addition to their application as final control elements, 3/2-way valves can also be used as diverters. In this case, port T is connected to a further device, to which a switch-over can then be made. The part circuit diagrams show the facility to switch between the flow control valves with different settings and between heating and cooling. ☞ The circuit symbol is drawn reversed to simplify the representation of the circuit diagram. 73.1 4/2-way valve, two pistons (1) The 4/2-way valve has two working ports A and B, a supply port P and a tank port T. The supply port is always connected to one of the working ports, while the second working port is routed to the tank. In the normal position, there is flow from P to B and from A to T. ☞ In contrast to valves with three pistons, 4/2way valves with two pistons do not require a leakage-oil port (see topic 74). 73.2 4/2-way valve, two pistons (2) The 4/2-way valve is actuated, and there is flow from P to A and from B to T. ☞ 4/2-way valves are also available which are normally open from P to A and from B to T. 238 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 74.1 4/2-way valve, three pistons (1) This 4/2-way valve has two working ports A and B, a supply port P and a tank port T. The supply port is always connected to one of the working ports, while the second working port is routed to the tank. In the neutral position, there is flow from P to B and from A to T. ☞ 4/2-way valves with three pistons require a leakage-oil port, since hydraulic fluid would otherwise be trapped within the valve. 74.2 4/2-way valve, three pistons (2) The 4/2-way valve is actuated, and there is flow from P to A and from B to T. 75.1 4/2-way valve, three pistons (3) The circuit shows the 4/2-way valve in functional representation as a final control element of a double acting cylinder. ☞ The non-return valve protects the pump in cases where the piston rod of the cylinder is subject to an external load. 75.2 Circuit diagram: 4/2-way valve The illustration shows the same circuit as the previous illustration, but with the 4/2-way valve as a circuit symbol. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 239 C. Didactics Material Survey 76.1 4/3-way valve with pump bypass (1) From the logic point of view, 4/3-way valves are 4/2- way valves with an additional mid-position. There are various versions of this mid-position (in the mid-position in the example shown, the supply port P is directly connected to the tank T, see next illustration). In the switching position shown, there is flow from P to B and from A to T. ☞ 4/3-way valves are easy to construct as slide valves and of complex design as poppet valves. 76.2 4/3-way valve with pump bypass (2) The 4/3-way valve is in its mid-position; there is flow from P to T, while A and B are closed. Since the output from the pump flows to the tank, this switching position is called pump bypass or also pump recirculation. ☞ In the case of pump bypass, the pump needs to operate only against the resistance of the valve, which has a favorable effect on the power balance. 76.3 4/3-way valve with pump bypass (3) The valve is in its left-hand switching position; there is flow from P to A and from B to T. 77.1 4/3-way valve with pump bypass (4) The circuit shows the 4/3-way valve in functional representation as a final control element of a double acting cylinder. The valve is in its midposition; the pump delivery flows via the by-pass line within the pilot piston to the tank. ☞ The non-return valve protects the pump in cases where the piston rod of the cylinder is subject to an external load. 240 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 77.2 Circuit diagram: 4/3-way valve with pump bypass The illustration shows the same circuit as the previous illustration, but with the 4/3-way valve as a circuit symbol. 77.. 4/3-way valve with pump bypass The animations show the switching of the 4/3way valve into the three switching positions and the corresponding cylinder movements. During the advance stroke, movement can be halted by switching to the mid- position. ☞ As appropriate to the application in question, a circuit of this kind must be equipped with a brake valve to prevent damage to the installation when the valve is switched to the mid-position (see also topic 53). 78.1 4/3-way valve with closed mid-position (1) From the logic point of view, 4/3-way valves are 4/2- way valves with an additional mid-position. There are various versions of this mid-position (in the mid-position in the example shown, all ports are closed in the mid- position, see next illustration). In the switching position shown, there is flow from P to B and from A to T. 78.2 4/3-way valve with closed mid-position (2) The 4/3-way valve is in its mid-position; all ports apart from the leakage-oil port are closed. ☞ In this mid-position, the pump is operating against the system pressure set on the pressure relief valve. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 241 C. Didactics Material Survey 78.3 4/3-way valve with closed mid-position (3) The valve is in its left-hand switching position; there is flow from P to A and from B to T. 79.1 4/3-way valve with closed mid-position (4) The circuit shows the 4/3-way valve in functional representation as a final control element of a double acting cylinder. The valve is in its midposition; the pump is operating against the system pressure set on the PRV. ☞ If, with an operational installation, it is desired to switch to pump recirculation, this can be achieved by using an additional 2/2-way valve as a changeover valve (see part circuit-diagram in topic 67). 79.2 Circuit diagram: 4/3-way valve with closed mid- position The illustration shows the same circuit as the previous illustration, but with the 4/3-way valve as a circuit symbol. 80.1 4/3-way valve: overlap positions (1) The illustration shows the left-hand overlap position of a 4/3-way valve with positive overlap in the mid-position (closed mid-position). This overlap position is a mixture of positive and negative overlap; P is connected to A, B and T are closed. ☞ With 4/3-way valves, the types of overlap positions is generally specified in the data sheet. 242 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 80.2 4/3-way valve: overlap positions (2) The illustration shows the “right-hand” overlap position of a 4/3-way valve with positive overlap in the mid- position (closed mid-position). This overlap position, too, is a mixture of positive and negative overlap; P is connected to B, A and T are closed. 81 Directional control valve Actual photograph of a directional control valve with lever actuation (Fa. Denison). ☞ This illustration can be used if no actual component is available. 82 4/3-way module This 4/3-way module with hand-lever actuation is used in vertical interconnection systems (“modular hydraulics”). ☞ See also the illustration in topic 49. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 243 C. Didactics Material Survey C.9 Shutoff Valves 83.1 Non-return valve (1) Non-return valves block flow in one direction and allow free flow in the other. In the direction of flow shown, the sealing element is pressed against a seat by a spring and the hydraulic fluid. ☞ These valves are also available in designs without springs. Since there must be no leaks in the closed position, these valves are generally of poppet design. 83.2 Non-return valve (2) In the direction of flow shown, the valve is opened by the hydraulic fluid, which lifts the sealing element from the seat. 84 Circuit diagram: Pump protection In this circuit, the non-return valve is used to protect the pump. This prevents a load pressure from driving the pump in reverse when the electric motor is switched off. Pressure peaks do not affect the pump but are discharged via the pressure relief valve. 85.1 Graetz block (1) In the Graetz rectifier circuit (Graetz block), four non- return valves are combined to form a function unit. The circuit diagram shows how this operates in conjunction with a flow control valve; flow passes through this valve from left to right during both the advance and return strokes of the cylinder. The situation during the advance stroke is shown. ☞ During the advance stroke shown here, flow control is carried out on the inlet side. 244 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 85.2 Graetz block (2) The cylinder is on its return stroke. The rectifier circuit means that flow once again passes through the flow control valve from left to right. ☞ During the return stroke shown here, flow control is carried out on the outlet side. 85.. Graetz block The animation shows the actuation and spring return of a 4/2-way valve and the flow through the Graetz block during the advance and return strokes. ☞ Similar rectifier circuits are also used in conjunction with line filters or brake valves. 86.1 Delockable non-return valve (1) In the cases of delockable non-return valves, flow in the closed direction can be released by means of an additional pilot port (X). The illustration shows the valve in its normal position; flow from B to A is closed. 86.2 Delockable non-return valve (2) The released piston is pressurized via pilot port X. This lifts the sealing element from its seat and releases flow from B to A. ☞ In order to release the valve reliably, the effective area of the pilot piston must always be greater than the effective area of the sealing element. Piloted non-return valves are also available with lockable non-return function. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 245 C. Didactics Material Survey 87.1 Delockable non-return valve (3) The model circuit diagram shows how a load can be positioned by holding a cylinder using a suitable delockable non-return valve. The valve becomes active in the return stroke whereby the restriction on the piston side is released by actuation of the 3/2-way valve. ☞ See also the following animation on this topic. 87.2 Circuit diagram: Delockable non-return valve The illustration shows the same circuit as the previous illustration, but with the piloted nonreturn valve as a circuit symbol. 87.. Delockable non-return valve The 4/2-way valve is actuated, the hydraulic fluid passes through the non-return valve against the force of the return spring and the piston rod advances. When the 4/2-way valve is reset, the outlet on the piston side is closed by the nonreturn valve, and the cylinder remains advanced. The 3/2-way valve is now actuated, the pilot piston is reversed and the outlet flow released; the piston rod begins to retract. During the return stroke, the 3/2-way valve is brought temporarily into its normal position. This causes the outlet to be closed again, and the piston rod and load remain in their current position. When the 3/2-way valve is actuated again, the piston rod travels to its retracted end position. 246 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 88.1 Delockable double non-return valve (1) Delockable double non-return valves allow a load to be positioned reliably with the cylinder at a standstill, even if eternal leaks exist around the cylinder piston. When, as in the case, neither of the inlets A1 or A2 is pressurized, B1 and B2 are closed. 88.2 Delockable double non-return valve (2) When A1 is pressurized, the left-hand sealing element is lifted from its seat, enabling flow to B1 . At the same time, the pilot piston is displaced to the right, releasing flow from B2 to A2 . ☞ The opposite is true when inlet A2 is pressurized. 89.1 Delockable double non-return valve (3) The model circuit diagram shows a delockable double non-return valve used in conjunction with a 4/3-way valve to allow the vertical positioning of a load. In the mid-position of the final control element shown, ports A and B are connected to the tank. This means that the inlets A1 and A2 of the double non-return valve are pressure-less and both cylinder supply lines are closed. 89.2 Circuit diagram: Delockable double non-return valve The illustration shows the same circuit as the previous illustration, but with the delockable double non-return valve as a circuit symbol. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 247 C. Didactics Material Survey C.10 Flow Valves 90 Needle restrictor Throttle and orifice valves are used to achieve a certain pressure drop. This is done by creating a specific flow resistance. The needle flow control valve shown generates considerable friction due to its long narrowing. This means that the action of the flow control valve is difficult to adjust due to the fact that a small adjustment produces a large change in cross-section. ☞ One advantage is the simple and inexpensive design. Needle flow control valves can be used if the above- mentioned negative properties can be ignored for the purposes of a given control task. 91 Gap restrictor with helix Its short narrowing means that the action of this gap flow control valve is virtually independent of viscosity. The helix provides precise adjustability, since adjustment from fully open to fully closed requires a 360° turn. The helix is, however, very costly to produce. 92 Circuit diagram: Flow division using restrictor Throttle and orifice valves control the volumetric flow rate in conjunction with a pressure relief valve. The PRV opens when the resistance of the flow control valve becomes greater than that of the opening pressure set on the PRV. This produces a division of flow. ☞ The volumetric flow to the load device varies, i.e. the action of flow control valves is loaddependent. 248 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 93 Flow control valve Actual photograph of a flow control valve. ☞ This illustration can be used if no actual component is available. 94.1 One-way flow control valve (1) The one-way flow control valve is a combination of an orifice or throttle valve and a non-return valve. In the closed direction shown of the nonreturn valve, the volumetric flow passes via the variable throttle gap, which creates a considerable resistance. ☞ Speed reduction can be achieved by using a one-way flow control valve in conjunction with a pressure relief valve or a variable-delivery pump. The pressure rises upstream of the flow control valve until the PRV opens and routes part of the flow to the tank. 94.2 One-way flow control valve (2) In the reverse direction, from B to A, flow is unrestricted, since the ball in the one-way flow control valve allows free flow (non-return function). ☞ One-way flow control valves are available with a fixed restrictor and with variable flow control. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 249 C. Didactics Material Survey 95.1 2-way flow control valve (1) Flow control valves have the task of providing constant volumetric flow independently of pressure changes at the inlet or outlet of the valve. This is achieved firstly by means of an adjustable restrictor which is set to the desired volumetric flow. In order to keep the pressure drop across the throttle point constant, a second regulating restrictor (pressure compensator) is also required. The illustration shows the valve in its normal position. ☞ 2-way flow control valves always operate in conjunction with a pressure relief valve. The part of the flow which is not required is discharged via the PRV. 95.2 2-way flow control valve (2) When fluid flows through the valve, the pressure drop across the adjustable restrictor is kept constant by the pressure compensator, which varies the resistance at the upper throttle point in accordance with the load at the inlet or outlet. ☞ See also the animation for this topic. 96.1 2-way flow control valve (3) In the case of this flow control valve, the pressure difference is kept constant by a adjustable restrictor, i.e. between p1 and p2 . If the pressure p3 rises as the result of an external load, the overall resistance of the valve is reduced by opening the regulating restrictor. 96.2 Circuit diagram: 2-way flow control valve The model circuit diagram shows the arrangement of a 2-way flow control valve in the piston-side supply line in order to achieve a constant feed speed even under varying load. A non-return valve is fitted in the by-pass to allow the flow control valve to be by-passed on the return stroke. 250 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 96.. 2-way flow control valve The advancing piston rod encounters a load halfway through its stroke. The flow control valve nonetheless ensures that the advance speed remains constant. From 0 to 2.5 seconds (shown at button left) the piston rod is unloaded and the pressure conditions remain constant. When the piston rod encounters the load, the pressure p3 rises at the outlet of the flow control valve. (In order to allow the rapid control operations to be shown more clearly, the time scale now changes to 1/100ths of a second.) The flow control valve briefly raises the pressure p2 downstream of the adjustable restrictor. Following this, the regulating restrictor moves to the left, and p2 falls back to its original value, i.e. the pressure difference between p1 and p2 remains constant. The regulating operation shown is repeated a number of times, as the result of which p3 increases to 25 bar in several steps and the regulating restrictor opens more and more. (At the point at which 25 bar is reached, the time scale changes back to 0.25 seconds.) The piston rod now travels under load just as fast as previously without load. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 251 C. Didactics Material Survey C.11 Hydraulic Cylinders and Motors 97 Single acting cylinder In the case of a single acting cylinder, only the piston side is pressurized with hydraulic fluid. The cylinder can thus carry out work only in one direction. The fluid which flows into the piston chamber causes a pressure to build up the surface of the piston. The piston travels into its forward end position. The return stroke is effected by a spring, the dead weight of the piston rod or an external load. 98 Plunger cylinder In the case of plunger cylinders, the piston and rod form a single component. Due to the design of the cylinder, the return stroke can only be effected by external forces. The cylinders can therefore generally be installed only vertically. 99 Double acting cylinder In the case of double acting cylinders, both piston surfaces can be pressurized. A working movement can thus be performed in both directions. ☞ With double acting cylinders with a singlesided piston rod, different forces and speeds are obtained on the advance and return strokes due to the difference in area between the piston surface and annular piston surface. 100 Double acting cylinder with end position cushioning Cylinder with end position cushioning are used to brake high stroke speeds smoothly and prevent hard impacts at the end of the stroke. Shortly before the end position is reached, the crosssection for the outflow of fluid is reduced by the built-in cushioning pistons and then finally closed. The hydraulic fluid is then forced to escape through a flow control valve. 252 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 101.1 End position cushioning (1) The piston is a short distance before its end position; the hydraulic fluid on the piston-rod side must escape via the adjustable flow control valve above the piston rod ☞ This type of end position cushioning is used for stroke speed between 6 m/min and 20 m/min. At higher speed, additional cushioning or braking devices must be used. 101.2 End position cushioning (2) The piston rod is on its return stroke; in this flow direction, the non-return valve below the piston rod is opened, thus by-passing the flow control valve. The piston rod retracts at maximum speed. 101.. End position cushioning The illustration shows first the advance of the piston rod from a mid-position to the forward end position, with cushioning at the end of the advance movement. The non-return valve is open during the return stroke. ☞ Animation 101.3a also shows the opening of the pressure limiter after a certain pressure has been built up on the outlet side by the cushioning piston. 102 Double acting cylinder Actual photograph of a double acting cylinder. ☞ This illustration can be used if no actual component is available. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 253 C. Didactics Material Survey 103.. Automatic bleed valve When the cylinder is retracted, the piston of the bleed valve is closed. It is lifted as the piston rod advances. Air can then escape via the bleed hole until the hydraulic fluid reaches the piston and pushes it upwards. In the forward end position, the piston is pushed fully upwards by the hydraulic fluid and thus provides an external seal. ☞ Bleed valves should be fitted at the highest point in a piping system, since this is where any trapped air will collect. 254 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey C.12 Gauges 104 Piston pressure gauge Pressure gauges operate on the principle that pressure acting on a given area will produce a given force. In the case of piston pressure gauges, the pressure acts on a piston against the force of a spring. The pressure value is now shown on a scale either by the piston itself or by a pointer driven magnetically by the piston. 105 Bourdon-tube pressure gauge Most pressure gauges operate on the principle of a Bourdon tube. When hydraulic fluid flows into the tube, an identical pressure is produced throughout. Due to the difference in area between the outer and inner curved surfaces, the tube is bent. This movement is transferred to a pointer. ☞ This type of gauge is not protected against overload. A cushioning restrictor must be installed in the inlet connection prevent pressure surges from damaging the tube. 106 Flow meter The flow of oil to be measured passes through a movable orifice. The orifice consists of a fixed cone and a hollow piston mounted on a spring. The piston is pressed against the spring in proportion to the flow rate concerned. The measuring error of this type of flow meter is approx. 4%. Measuring turbines, oval disk meters or toothed-wheel gauges are used when higher accuracy is required. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 255 C. Didactics Material Survey C.13 Exercises 107.. Exercise: Horizontal grinding machine (pump delivery) Problem: The slide on a horizontal grinding machine is hydraulically actuated. A machine operator determines that the reciprocating movement of the machine is no longer reaching the desired speed. A possible cause of this is reduced pump delivery. To investigate this, it is necessary to plot a characteristic curve for the pump and compare this with the values achieved during initial commissioning. As an additional exercise, the circuit diagram and parts list for the necessary test assembly should be prepared. Solution: In order to draw the characteristic curve for the pump, the volumetric flow of hydraulic fluid delivered by the pump (Q) is plotted against the operating pressure achieved (p). The manufacturer’s characteristic curve exhibits a slight downward gradient, since the new pump manifests increasing internal leakage losses as necessary to provide internal lubrication. The newly-plotted curve shows a clear deviation; the leakage oil losses have become greater at higher operating pressures, the volumetric efficiency has become worse. The main reason for this is pump wear. Regarding the circuit diagram for the test assembly: The adjustable flow control valve 1V3 is adjusted in such a way that the pressure gauge 1Z1 shows the desired system pressure. The pressure relief valve 1V2 is used to limit the system pressure, while valve 1V1 acts as a safety valve for the pump. ☞ The measured values taken as the basis for this exercise do not allow for the characteristic curve of the electric motor. The motor characteristic thus forms part of the calculated error. 256 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 108.. Exercise: Bending machine (directly-controlled pressure relief valve) Problem: A bending machine is used to bend steel plates. The bending tools are driven by hydraulic cylinders. It is now desired to use the bending machine for considerably thicker steel plates than before. This requires a hydraulic system pressure of 45 bar against the previous 30 bar. According to the manufacturer’s data, the pump used is suitable for the higher operating pressure. Testing reveals, however, that the bending process is now much too slow. In this case, leakage losses in the piping or directional control valve are ruled out as the cause of the problem. A directly-controlled pressure relief valve (PRV) is installed as a safety valve. Measurements of the volumetric flow (Q) as a function of pressure (p) are available for this valve. A characteristic curve can than be used to determine whether the loss of speed in the bending process is due to the PRV. Solution: The volumetric flow which is discharged to the tank when the PRV opens is entered on the horizontal axis. The characteristic curve shows that the opening point of the PRV is 44 bar, although it is set to 50 bar. This means that part of the pump delivery is diverted at pressures greater than 44 bar. Pressures of more than 44 bar are achieved during the bending process. Since, however, the flow is divided from 44 bar onwards, the volumetric flow to the cylinder is reduced from this point and the bending process slows down. Measure to be taken: The PRTV can be set to 60 bar if the overall installation has been designed for this higher pressure. Flow diversion will then take place from a pressure of 54 bar onwards. ☞ An alternative solution would be to use a valve with a different response pressure. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 257 C. Didactics Material Survey 109.. Exercise: Roller conveyor (flow resistance) Problem: Steel blocks are transported on a roller conveyor. A hydraulic transfer station makes it possible to transfer blocks from one track to another. A pressure of at least 30 bar is required for the transfer of blocks by means of hydraulic cylinders. Every component through which the hydraulic fluid flows represents a resistance and causes a constant pressure loss. The question is, what pressure is to be set at the pressure relief valve. Solution: The total resistance is the sum of all the individual resistances. The resistance must be determined separately for the advance and return strokes. The overall balances do not include data for the pressure losses at the 4/2way valve. These can be determined from the flow characteristic for the 4/2-way valve, based on a volumetric flow of 8 l/min. In the calculation, allowance must be made for the resistance of the directional control valve on the inlet and outlet sides respectively. Allowance must also be made for the pressure intensification factor of 2:1 in the case of the differential cylinder. This enables values to be calculated as shown in the solution figure. In the case of the advance stroke, 6 bar hysteresis for the PRV (see exercise 108) must be added to the calculated 42.5 bar in order to ensure that the opening pressure is higher than the required operating pressure. The value finally chosen is 50 bar in order to make allowance for unknown variables such as pipe elbows and the static friction in the cylinder. ☞ In order to keep pressure losses in large installations to a minimum, it is advisable to select valves on the basis of their flow characteristics. It is better to select a valve which is one size too large than to accept large pressure losses. This furthermore reduces wear resulting from cavitation in the valves. 258 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 110.. Exercise: Embossing press (activation of a single acting cylinder) Problem: Additional hydraulic components are to be added to an embossing press to eject the finished workpieces. A single acting cylinder (1A) is to be fitted for this purpose. A proposed solution in the form of a circuit diagram with a 2/2-way valve is to be examined to see if it is suitable for this control problem. Following this, a circuit diagram with a 3/2-way valve as final control element is to be developed and a parts list prepared. A comparison is to be made of the behavior of these two circuits during the advance and return strokes. Solution: When a 2/2-way valve is used to activate a single acting cylinder, the final control element must be reversed and the hydraulic power unit switched off in order to retract the piston rod. The load acting on the piston rod must be larger than the resistance of the directional control valve. This solution cannot be used due to the presence of the second control chain (embossing cylinder). If a 3/2-way valve is used, a direct switch-over can be made from the advance stroke to the return stroke without switching off the hydraulic power unit. Halting at overlap positions, on the other hand (which are not required here), would be possible only by switching off the hydraulic power unit. ☞ The non-return valve fitted in each case protects the pump against oil back-pressure. This is necessary in case the hydraulic power unit is switched off with the cylinder advanced and under load. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 259 C. Didactics Material Survey 111.. Exercise: Ladle (activation of a double acting cylinder) Problem: Liquid aluminum is transferred from a holding furnace into a channel leading to a diecasting machine. A ladle is required for this. A double acting cylinder is used to enable the ladle to carry out the appropriate movements. A circuit diagram is provided for the activation of the cylinder with a 4/2-way valve as final control element. This must be examined to see if it is suitable for the control task concerned. The ladle must not be allowed to dip into the furnace when the valve is not actuated. A circuit diagram with a back-pressure valve must be developed to cater for the case in which the ladle is very heavy. Solution: The requirements of the exercise are met by the first circuit diagram only if the ladle represents a light load. If the ladle is very heavy, the advance speed could rise to an unacceptably high level during the advance stroke of the piston rod (ladle moving towards furnace), and the ladle could as a result plunge too quickly into the molten metal. This can be prevented by installing a back- pressure valve in the B line between the valve and cylinder (tractive load). ☞ If, as is required in this exercise, the power component must positively assume a defined end position when the installation is at rest, valves with spring return must be used, as in this case. Here, a 4/2-way valve with spring return has been used, since this ensures that the cylinder remains in the desired position if the hydraulic power unit is switched on unexpectedly. The required cylinder diameter and the return speed of the piston rod can also be calculated as additional optional tasks in the exercise: see the model calculations in the textbook. 260 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 112.. Exercise: Paint drying oven (4/3-way valve) Problem: Workpieces are fed continuously through a paint drying oven on a conveyor belt. In order to minimize the heat loss through the door, this should be opened only as much as required by the height of the workpieces. The hydraulic control system should be designed so that the door can be held reliably in position for a long period of time without slipping down. Firstly, a 4/3-way valve with suitable mid-position functions should be selected as a final control element. Secondly, a delockable non-return valve should be provided in the circuit diagram to act as a hydraulic safety device to prevent slippage of the door under load (i.e. its own weight) over a long period of time as the result of leakage losses in the directional control valve. The question is, which type of 4/3way valve has a suitable mid-position function? Solution: A 4/3-way valve with an “all ports closed” mid-position will solve the problem only if a poppet valve is used. If a slide valve would be used, the oven door would slip down slowly as the result of internal leakage losses. ☞ The second solution would be to fit a delockable non- return valve in the supply line to the piston rod side of the cylinder downstream of the directional control valve. In order to ensure that the non-return valve closes immediately when the door stops, both the outlets A and B of the directional control valve to the tank must be depressurized (A, B and T connected, P closed). © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 261 C. Didactics Material Survey 113.. Exercise: Clamping device (closing speed) Problem: Workpieces are clamped by a hydraulic cylinder. The closing speed must be reduced in order to prevent damage to the workpieces. The opening speed must, however, be maintained. The question here is how to incorporate the necessary one-way flow control valve in the circuit. Possible solutions must be examined to see what thermal side- effects occur and to determine the pressure load placed on the components concerned. Solution: The advance stroke can as a general principle be made slower by using either inlet or outlet flow control. Either solution can be used in this control; in comparison with outlet flow control, inlet flow control has the advantage that no pressure intensification will take place. The oil heated at the throttle point will, however, then pass through the power component. The resulting expansion of material is not, however, of significance for this simple vice. If the solution with outlet flow control is selected, it should be borne in mind that pressure intensification will take place in accordance with the area ratio of the differential cylinder of 2:1. The pressure relief valve will respond, i.e. flow division will occur, only when a pressure has built up on the piston-rod side which is approximately twice as high as the system pressure set on the PRV. The cylinder, flow control valve and connectors used must therefore be suitable for this intensified pressure. ☞ Precision drives for machine tools are a good example of cases in which it is essential to make allowance for expansion of the material of power components due to the passage through these of heated oil. 262 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 114.. Exercise: Hydraulic crane (speed reduction) Problem: Press tools of varying weights are inserted into a press by means of a hydraulic crane. A double acting cylinder raises and lowers the load. During the commissioning of the hydraulic crane, it has become apparent that the advance speed of the piston rod is too high. The solutions have been proposed to reduce this speed; a circuit with exhaust flow control and a circuit with a back-pressure valve. A suitable solution must be selected and reasons stated for this choice. Since the second solution is not capable of operating in this form, this must be rectified by correcting the circuit diagram. Solution: If the solution with exhaust flow control is selected, it must be borne in mind that the cylinder, flow control valve and connectors must be suitable for this intensified pressure. The solution chosen is the circuit with the backpressure valve; in this case, the load is clamped hydraulically and a pressure-intensification effect does not occur, since the pressure can be adjustable by means of the pressure relief valve as appropriate to the load. A non-return valve must be installed to provide a by-pass on the return stroke. ☞ Inlet flow control cannot be used to control a tractive load; the load forces oil out of the piston-rod chamber faster than oil can flow into the piston chamber. Vacuum is created and air will escape. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 263 C. Didactics Material Survey 115.. Exercise: Feed control for a lathe (speed control) Problem: The feed movement of a lathe has previously been carried out manually. In future, this is to be performed automatically by a hydraulic control system. The feed movement must be adjustable and remain constant even with changing tool loads. Since a simple throttle valve is not able to provide a constant feed speed under changing load, a 2-way flow control valve must be used. On the basis of a circuit diagram with data for the no- load situation, values for pressures, pressure differences and feed speed under load must be added. The circuit diagram must be modified to ensure that the flow control valve is not operative on the return stroke. Finally, the relationship must be investigated between Q of the PRV and the feed speed and between ∆p2 and the volumetric flow to the load device. Solution: In order to prevent the flow control valve from acting as a resistance on the return stroke, a non-return valve is installed parallel to this as a by-pass. The pressure at the PRV remains constant despite the effect of the load. The outlet flow from this is therefore a constant 7 l/min. A constant volumetric flow Q at the PRV in turn means a constant volumetric flow to the load device and thus constant feed speed. Regarding the last question: No matter whether operation is with or without a load, the pressure drop ∆p2 at the adjustable throttle remains constant. A constant pressure drop means a constant volumetric flow. ☞ Regarding the necessity for the non-return valve in the by-pass: When flow passes through 2way flow control valves in the reverse direction, they act either as flow control valves if the regulating restrictor is fully open or non-return valves if the regulating restrictor is closed. 264 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 116.. Exercise: Planing machine (by-pass circuit) Problem: The sliding bed of a parallel planing machine is actuated with the aid of a hydraulic control system. The power section of this hydraulic control system consists of a double acting differential cylinder. The area ratio of the full piston surface of this cylinder to the annular piston surface is 2:1. Since the pistonrod chamber is only half the volume of the piston chamber, the return stroke is twice as fast as the advance stroke. Machining has previously been carried out only during the advance stroke. In future, working movements are to be carried out in both directions. To make this possible, the hydraulic control system must be modified so that forward and return strokes are at the same speed. The speed should now also be adjustable. The connecting lines should be added to the given circuit diagram. The mode of operation of the circuit in the three switching positions should be described and the various piston speeds and forces compared. Solution: In order to achieve the same speed on the advance and return strokes, a differential circuit (by-pass circuit) can be used with differential cylinders with an area ratio of 2:1. Picture 116.2 shows the principle of a by-pass circuit with a 3/2-way valve. In the case of the parallel planing machine, the necessary differential circuit can be achieved by using the mid-position of a 4/3-way valve (A, B and P connected, T closed). In this switching position (advance stroke), the piston speed and force are twice as high as in the right-hand switching position (return stroke). In the left-hand switching position, on the other hand, the advance stroke is half as fast and the force twice as great as in the other two switching positions. The speed for the advance and return strokes can be adjusted by means of a flow control valve fitted upstream. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 265 C. Didactics Material Survey 116.. continued Exercise: Planing machine (by-pass circuit) ☞ It should also be noted that only half the force is available on the advance stroke at the midposition. In the case of a tractive load, the by-pass position has the advantage that the piston is hydraulically clamped. Differential circuits are used not only as synchronization circuits but also as rapid-traverse circuits when, for example, different speeds are required in the same direction with constant pump delivery. If it is desired to calculate forces and piston speeds using concrete values, the model values given in the TP 501 textbook can be used for this purpose. 266 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey 117.. Exercise: Drilling machine (pressure regulator) Problem: The drill feed and clamping device of a drilling machine are hydraulically actuated. The hydraulic control system contains two cylinders, a clamping cylinder 1A and a feed cylinder 2A. The clamping pressure at cylinder 1A must be adjustable, since different workpiece clamping forces are required. A pressure regulator is used for this. The return stroke of the clamping cylinder must be at maximum speed. The drilling feed must be adjustable for various feed speeds, which must however remain constant under varying load. It should also be noted that the drive spindle fitted to the piston rod of the drilling cylinder acts as a tractive load. The return stroke of the drilling cylinder should also be at maximum speed. A circuit should be drafted with the abovementioned characteristics. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 267 C. Didactics Material Survey 117.. continued Exercise: Drilling machine (pressure regulator) Solution: Pressure regulators can as general principle be used to reduce the general system pressure in a part of a hydraulic installation. If we consider the two control chains for the drilling machine without pressure regulation, we can observe the following undesirable effects: When 1V1 is actuated, the workpiece is first clamped at full system pressure. If 2V1 is now actuated, the system pressure will drop to the operating pressure of the drilling cylinder. The same applies to the pressure at the clamping cylinder. If the circuit is expanded to include the pressure regulator 1V3, this enables the clamping pressure to be adjusted. The system pressure upstream of the PRV will, however, continue to fall during the advance stroke of 2A. In order to maintain the preset clamping pressure at outlet A of the PRV reliably, the pressure at inlet P must be higher than this. This can be achieved by fitting the additional flow control valve 0V2 upstream of the final control element 2V1. Maximum return-stroke speed is achieved for the clamping cylinder by means of 1V2, which is used to by-pass 1V3. The flow control valve 2V3 means that the advancestroke speed of the drilling cylinder is independent of load and adjustable. Due to the tractive load of the attached spindle, however, an additional PRV must be fitted as a back-pressure valve. The non-return valves 2V2 and 2V5 provide a bypass during the return stroke and allow maximum speed to be achieved during this. ☞ A parts list can be specified to help in the drafting of this circuit. 268 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey C.14 Extensions 118a Refreshment break Announcement of a short break. ☞ Describe the objectives of the next session indicating what activities will take place. Also, review the achievements of the current session. 119 Lunch break Announcement of a longer break ☞ Describe the objectives of the next session indicating what activities will take place. Also, review the achievements of the current session. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 269 C. Didactics Material Survey C.15 Educational Films 270 No. Title Length 1 Introduction 2 Fundamentals: Pressure fluids 3:20 2:02 3 Fundamentals: Pressure and Flow Rate 2:41 4 Fundamentals: Transmission of Force and Displacement 1:35 5 Fundamentals: Pressure Transmission 0:53 6 Fundamentals: Types of Flow 2:10 7 Basic Design of Hydraulic Systems 1:13 8 The Hydraulic Power Unit 3:26 9 Hydraulic Drives 6:58 10 Valves 11 Valves: Directional Control Valves 3:12 12 Valves: Non-Return Valves 1:59 13 Valves: Pressure Control Valves 4:24 14 Valves: Flow Control Valves 4:23 15 Representation of Hydraulic Systems in Circuit Diagrams 2:58 10:39 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM C. Didactics Material Survey C.16 Standard Presentations For several topics useful presentations have been provided within FluidSIM. The following table lists the titles of the predefined presentations. Presentation Title All topics sorted by number Applications Components of a hydraulic system Graphic and circuit symbols Fundamental physical principles Components of the power supply section Valves in general Pressure valves Directional control valves Non-return valves Flow control valves Hydraulic cylinders and motors Measuring devices Break and lunch Exercises © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 271 D. Messages This section contains information about the messages that may appear from FluidSIM while working in the Edit Mode, the Simulation Mode, or while saving circuit diagrams. D.1 Electrical Errors Simulation aborted. A short-circuit was detected in an electrical circuit. The positive and negative poles of a voltage source are directly connected without a load (indicator light, buzzer, relay, or control solenoid). The short circuit must be eliminated before simulation can take place. D.2 Drawing Errors Objects are placed outside the drawing area. At least one object has been placed outside the drawing area. After acknowledging the dialog box the respective objects are shown selected. Either change the papersize or place the selected objects inside the marked drawing area. Open connections. At least one component has an open hydraulic connection. After acknowledging the dialog box, all components with an open hydraulic connection are selected. If the simulation should be started, FluidSIM automatically fits blind plugs to open connections. Incompatible connections are superimposed. When two connections are superimposed, FluidSIM automatically connects them. When these two connections do not go together, a warning message is given. Superimposed lines. At least two lines are superimposed. After acknowledging the dialog box, these line segments are selected. 272 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM D. Messages Lines through components. At least one line is passing through a component. After acknowledging the dialog box, the appropriate components are selected. Lines through connections. At least one line is crossing through a connection to which the line is not connected. After acknowledging the dialog box, these lines are selected. Superimposed components. At least two components are superimposed. After acknowledging the dialog box, these components are selected. Duplicate or incompatible labels. A label has been used incorrectly. After acknowledging the dialog box, the appropriate components are selected. To set the circuit diagram into simulation, other labels will have to be chosen. There are components with the same description. The same description has been assigned to more than one component. After acknowledging the dialog box the respective components appear selected. Modify the component description(s), or, as the case may be, rearrange them such that their assignment becomes definite. There have been warnings. Start simulation anyway? This prompt appears when any of the above drawing errors can be found in the circuit diagram. If the simulation is started while connections are open, FluidSIM will supply these open connections with blind plugs. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 273 D. Messages There is no cylinder close to the distance rule. A distance rule can only be given a label when it is assigned to a cylinder. Move the distance rule near a cylinder, so that it snaps into place. Now a label can be entered by double clicking the measuring scale. No superficial errors detected. The circuit diagram does not contain any of the above described drawing errors. D.3 Operating Errors No objects found. You tried to check a circuit diagram for drawing errors or to start the simulation; but there are no components located in the current window. Objects cannot be deleted from the FluidSIM standard libraries. Create a new library if you want to set up a custom library. Objects can neither be added nor deleted from the FluidSIM standard libraries. However, new custom libraries can be created instead, which contain merely your preferred selection of components (see Section 6.8). The value range of ’ abc ’ is x ... x . The value range for the field has been exceeded. Make sure to observe the indicated limits. 274 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM D. Messages D.4 Opening and Saving Files The circuit diagram has been changed. Save current changes? You want to close a circuit diagram window or quit FluidSIM. Since the last save, changes have been made to the current circuit diagram. The file ’ abc ’ already exists. Replace? A circuit diagram with the name name.ct already exists on the hard disk. To save the current circuit diagram, you must either change the file name, or the already existing file will be replaced with the new circuit diagram. Cannot save DXF file. The file (either the current circuit diagram or the component library) cannot be saved due to insufficient disk space or a write-protected disk. Unknown file format. The file cannot be opened since its format is not supported by FluidSIM. Cannot open file ’ abc ’. FluidSIM cannot open the file because Microsoft Windows® refuses access to the file. Either the file does not exist or is locked by another application. ’ abc ’ does not exist. Create? You have tried to open a file that does not exist. However, the file can be opened as a new file. The file ’ abc ’ can not be deleted. You have tried to delete a file that does not exist or is write-protected. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 275 D. Messages Circuit ’ abc ’ is already opened. Close this window before? You want to save a circuit diagram under another name. There is, however, already another open window with this name. If you close this window, the file will be replaced. D.5 System Errors Simulation aborted. The circuit is too large. The size of circuit diagrams that can be simulated is bound. You must reduce the number of components. Internal capacity of FluidSIM exceeded. The previous action exceeded the capacity of the internal memory. The action cannot be completed. No more windows available. Microsoft Windows® cannot provide any more windows most likely because the system resources have been exhausted. Memory capacity exceeded. Quit other running applications. There is not enough memory readily available to complete the parameter calculations. To make more memory available, other circuit diagrams should be closed, along with any other Microsoft Windows® programs that are running. Then attempt to run the simulation again. When there is no other possibility to free up memory, the virtual memory can be increased. Microsoft Windows® then utilizes a section of the hard drive to increase the memory. However, as a result the execution speed of the program decreases greatly. It would be wiser to extend the main memory by increasing the computer’s RAM. 276 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM D. Messages This version is not registered. Please repeat the installation procedure. You have tried to start an unlicensed version of FluidSIM. Most likely you have changed your system configuration, or important system files have become corrupt. Attempt to reinstall FluidSIM into the same directory. If there is a problem with the re-installation, you will receive a message on the screen pertaining to the problem. Notify Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG of the error or the problem. Out of memory. Please save changed circuits and quit FluidSIM. While completing an operation (for example loading a circuit diagram, displaying a component photo, rebuilding the desktop) an error in the memory occurred. FluidSIM could not cancel the operation in a proper manner. You are recommended to quit FluidSIM because the program’s stability cannot be assured. However, it is still possible to save changes to circuit diagrams before quitting FluidSIM. Fatal error. Please save changed circuits and quit FluidSIM. A program error has occurred. Please save changes to any open circuit diagrams, quit FluidSIM and Microsoft Windows® , and restart. The circuit filename.ct has not been saved when the last FluidSIM session was terminated improperly. Shall this file be recovered? FluidSIM has been terminated in an unexpected manner. However, a backup file was written from which an actual version of the unsaved circuit can be constructed. If the question is answered with “Yes” a window with the recovered circuit is opened; however, the original circuit remains unchanged. You then can decide if to whether the recovered circuit shall be saved under the original name. © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 277 Index Symbols 278 29 30 50 32 35 35 36 37 24 27 29, 149 21, 149 149 41, 149 120, 150 47, 151 32, 151 50, 151 50, 151 55 158 158 158 158 158 159 65, 153 27, 153 24, 153, 205 27, 153 153 153 153 154 51, 152 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM Index 54 54 54 54 54 54 2/n way valve configurable 3/n way valve configurable 4/n way valve configurable 5/n way valve configurable A B activation actuation of switches of valves without detent without lock alignment AND digital animation component loop mode of diagram symbols Asynchronous Pulse Generator digital background grid default setting display/hide set type © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 167 167 168 168 11 26 43, 70 56 43 51 194 89 90 42 202 137 55 55 279 Index blind plug delete fit automatically set manually C 280 cam switch CD-ROM drive check valve with pilot control without pilot control circle circuit diagram backup creation current default directory drawing mistake load print save simulate superficial checking too large click, see mouse click clipboard data format general command line Compatibility LOGO component actuation animation animation within circuit connect 53 66, 273 53 203 11 174 173 204 136 29 137, 149 136 64 21 120 275 24 64 276 1 144 50 144 79 56 89 42 35 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM Index copy delete description in clipboard in selection insert move permanent actuation photo properties rotate rotate selection sectional view select superimposed usage in circuit with label component library build create new rearrange using component parameter adjustable general components group same description ungroup computer power connection close digital electrical © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 50 32, 274 85 50 47 50 31 56 86 68, 76, 115 51 51 87, 94, 107 32 64, 273 87 69 129 129 129 126 126 76 76 55 273 56 25, 57 60 193 179 281 Index general hydraulic incompatible mechanical open properties quantities superimposed Connection Digital context menu context sensitive counter electrical counteracting valve current path numbering cycle cylinder distance rule problem double acting single acting smooth movement D 79 20, 50 85 187 175 58 112 274 177, 178 178 78 DDE communication in options out de-installation default directory delay switches detent switch break changeover 282 35 166 272 203 53, 64, 272, 273 60 60 64, 272 80, 82 188 82 188 17 136 181, 189 184 185 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM Index make diagram new print tiled dialog project dialog box diagram drawing layers drawing size DXF symbol ellipse exporting parts lists import DXF file label paper size parts list rectangle valve editor diaphragm accumulator didactics animation speed basic hydraulics component description component photo cylinder educational film exercise exercises extensions flow valves gauge hydraulic plant hydraulics basics motor © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 184 46 46 135 47 109 46 125 112 119 123 71 46 118 110 34, 52 166 107 206 85 86 252 105, 270 95 256 269 248 255 207 91 252 283 Index physical fundamentals power unit presentation presentations pressure valves sectional view settings shutoff valves symbols topic description valves way valves Digital Basic Functions Digital Components Digital Constants and Connectors Digital module Digital Special Functions DIN standard directional valves manually actuated 3/2-way 4/2-way 4/3-way solenoid 4/2-way 4/3-way stem-actuated 2/2-way directories of FluidSIM distance rule general problem usage dongle drag-and-drop 284 215 219 98 271 226 87, 94, 107 107 244 210 90 223 234 194 192 192 196 195 85 168–170 168 169 169, 170 171–173 171 171–173 168 15 203 274 72 11 30, 144 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM Index drawing new print tiled size drawing area objects outside drawing layers drawing mistake DXF export import E Edge-triggered AND digital Edge-triggered Wiping Relay digital edit redo several circuits undo Edit Mode activate exit educational film CD-ROM drive general overview Einfügen Suchen electrical components american standard ladder diagram style electro-hydraulics ellipse error © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 46 46 46 272 109 64 122 123 194 200 47 56 47 56 24 11 105 270 131 179 188 188 66 112, 204 285 Index fatal message exercise bending machine clamping device drilling machine drying oven embossing press feed control grinding machine hydraulic crane ladle overview planing machine roller conveyor Explorer F 257 262 267, 268 261 259 264 256 263 260 95 265, 266 258 144 file create delete open replace save save as... unknown format film, see educational film Filter flow control valve flow direction indicator default setting general flow divider valve flow meter Frequency Threshold Trigger digital 286 277 272 275 275 144, 275 275 275 276 275 1 166 176 137 61 177 179 202 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM Index G H I L graphic primitives cycle ellipse rectangle square grid, see background grid group components objects 110 112 112 110 110 1 help on problems HI digital hose hydraulic motor hydraulics basics 139 Input digital insert parts list installation FluidSIM FluidSIM in network label at component at distance rule display style duplicate frame incompatible ladder diagram large mouse cursor © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 55 55 193 165 178 91 192 116 11 147 67 73 71 273 71 273 188 287 Index activate/deactivate Latching Relay digital license license connector limit switches line automatic creation color crosses connection delete digital draw electrical hydraulic move set type superimposed thickness through component LO digital LOGO Compatibility loop mode animation presentation M 288 main memory minimum reorganization small manometer measuring devices media playback 136 199 277 11 182, 190 58 25, 77 273 51 193 35 179 167 37 53 64, 272 26 273 193 79 90 108 11 145 57 179 179 107, 144 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM Index Media Player 144 memory 276 exceeded out of 277 Memory bits 193 digital menu 85 context sensitive 272 messages miscellaneous 203 25 model formulation mouse click 23, 50, 53, 60, 68, 69, 72, 74, 76, 115 double 51 double with Ctrl key 10 left 20, 50 right with Ctrl key 47 56 with Shift key N NAND digital NAND With Edge Evaluation digital network default directory installation option NOR digital NOT digital numbering current path © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 194 194 136 147 136, 147 195 195 58 289 Index O P 290 objects alignment group ungroup Off delay digital On delay digital On/Off delay digital One-way flow control valve online help OPC communication in options out options OR digital Output digital paper size parts list export power supply connection (0V) connection (24V) presentation creation edit file format loop mode 51 55 56 197 197 198 176 163 80, 82 188 82 188 161 194 192 46 116–118, 204 119 179, 188 179, 188 99 99 145 108 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM Index play topic switching presentations overview pressure reducing valve pressure relief valve misbehavior with pilot control without pilot control pressure switches print circuit diagram preview setup window contents Printer select project adding files opening files properties removing files property, see component or connection proximity switches Pulse Relay digital pump unit simplified within circuit pushbutton break changeover make Q 98 107 271 175 141 175 174 176, 185, 191 120 120 121 120 121 134 135 135 135 135 1 186 199 165 165 39 184, 190 184, 190 184, 190 quantity © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 291 Index close to zero default settings display units of measure 61 137 59, 137 10 quit unexpected R S 292 RAM, see main memory real-time proportional recover circuit rectangle registration relay counter delay time general number of pulses simple switch-off delayed switch-on delayed Retentive On delay digital rubber band scrollbar service components settings circuit diagram specific didactics global save save on exit simulation window specific 277 1 26 277 110, 204 277 187 74 74 74 187, 191 187, 191 187, 191 198 47, 54 20 165 136 107 136 61, 136 137 77 136 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM Index short circuit shutoff valve signal devices buzzer indicator light simulation DDE different modes existing circuits Label designation line color OPC parallel piston movement precision real-time settings slow-motion factor start Simulation Digital Technique Simulation Mode activate exit pause reseting parameters slow-motion factor sound activate change file square state diagram state values diagram recording © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 272 173, 175 180 180 80 28 21 78 77 80 56 78 26 78 77 78 273 79 24 27, 56 27 27 78 77 145 110, 204 204 62 62 293 Index status bar display/hide of FluidSIM status indicator superficial checking switch at cylinder automatic altering capacitive coupling general break changeover make inductive limit break changeover make manually actuated break changeover make optical pressure break changeover hydraulic symbol make reed contact Reed contact solenoid switch-off delayed break changeover 294 136 20 203 64 72 75 186 74, 75 180, 189 181 180, 189 186 182, 190 183 182, 190 184, 190 184, 185, 190 184, 190 186 185, 191 185 176 185, 191 183 182 186 181, 189 182 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM Index make switch-on delayed break changeover make with roll switching element table symbol DXF Symmetric Clock Generator digital T U T-connection T-junction digital electrical hydraulic table switching element tank text component general protect throttle valve Timer Switch digital toolbar display/hide of FluidSIM topic description Two-pressure valve undo ungroup © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 181, 189 181, 189 181 181, 189 182, 183 58 125 201 40, 58 194 180 167 58 165 114, 204 114 176 200 136 19 90 174 47 295 Index components objects units, see quantity Up/Down Counter digital V W 296 value range exceeded valve configurable editor valve solenoid American standard valves configurable directional flow control pressure shutoff way valves video, see educational film warning message way valve configurable Wechselventil window arrange not available print contents Wiping Relay digital 56 56 1 201 274 167, 168 34, 52 203 203 167 168 176 174 173 167 1 272 167, 168 174 163 276 120 199 © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM Index X XOR digital Z zoom circuit diagram component library time-distance diagram with rubber band © Festo Didactic GmbH & Co. KG and Art Systems • FluidSIM 195 54 54 54 54 297
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