Pneumatics in Manufacturing Georgia Institute of Technology | Milwaukee School of Engineering | North Carolina A&T State University | Purdue University University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign | University of Minnesota | Vanderbilt University

Eric J. Barth, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Vanderbilt University Co-Deputy Director, Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power

NSF Workshop on Fluid Power Advanced Manufacturing May 25, 2016

Pneumatics in Manufacturing Industrial Automation Opportunity: Exhaust Gas Energy Recovery • Strain Energy Accumulator • Pneumatic Boost Converter Robotics Opportunity: Co-Robotics and Soft Robotics • Factory Floor • Construction Exoskeletons • Other opportunities 2

Pneumatic Automation • Pneumatic equipment consumes roughly 0.5 Quads of energy annually – Correlates to $10B worth of energy per year

• Average efficiency of pneumatic systems is between 23% and 30% – Industrial Pneumatics average 15%

• An efficiency increase of 15% would correlate to $1.5B in annual savings Oak Ridge National Labs/Department of Energy 2012 report: “Estimating the Impact (Energy, Emissions and Economics) of the U.S. Fluid Power Industry.” 3

Pneumatic Strain Energy Accumulator (pSEA) • Stores exhausted gas from one process for use on a lower pressure process • Meant as an add-on to existing equipment • Low cost

Manual Demonstrator

Quick Disconnect pSEA 4

pSEA Configured into a System

System Definition 5

pSEA implemented on TB6

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% energy savings vs. baseline

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15 % saved Fixed Vol Acc (Va=1.22*V1) % saved PEA (Pa=35 psig) 10

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0.5 P2/Ps

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Efficiency model with TB6 parameters (dead volumes, material etc.) = 27% savings Measurements at UIUC = 25.4% savings 6

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pSEA implemented by Enfield Technologies •

http://enfieldtech.com/portfolio/exhaust-recovery/

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Background: Strain Energy Accumulator

Strain Energy Accumulator

Pressure

Energy Storage Capacity of Traditional Accumulator

Strain Energy Accumulator Pressure Volume Curve

Energy Storage Capacity of Strain Energy Accumulator

Volume

Overlay of Strain Energy and Traditional Accumulator PV Curves 8

pSEA Component Efficiency Model • Pneumatic Strain Energy Accumulator Component Efficiency Energy Balance Equation

Accumulator CV Definition Overall Component Efficiency

Maximum Potential of Gas 9

pSEA Component Efficiency Testing • Data Acquisition (DAQ) system used to collect data • Pressure and mass flow rates recorded with mass flow meter • Mass flow rate integrated, detrended and used to find the volume • Area under the P-V curve is strain energy of accumulator

Experimental Test Setup

Pressure Volume Curve of pSEA 10

pSEA Component Efficiency Results •

Accumulator is consistently above 93% during steady state

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Expansion and contraction pressures determined experimentally by averaging data from constant pressure regions

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Asymptotically approach steady state final value and serve as input to system efficiency model

Accumulator Component Efficiency

Expansion and Contraction Pressures 11

pSEA System Efficiency Model • System Efficiency Increase with Incorporation of pSEA

System Definition 12

pSEA System Efficiency Testing • Calibrated mass flow meter measurements with cylinder size • Acquired single cylinder data at 500 kPa and 280 kPa 

Single cylinder data used to create baseline unregulated, partially regulated and fully regulated systems without a pSEA

• System with pSEA efficiency increase projections quantified 

31% to 66% model and 31% to 78% experimental efficiency increase

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pSEA System Efficiency Results • Efficiency increase decreases as system regulation increases

Efficiency Improvement Model Experimental

Unregulated Min (%) Max (%) 45.0 66.1 47.0 78.8

Partially Regulated Efficiency Improvement Min (%) Max (%) Model 36.4 57.8 Experimental 41.9 76.0

Efficiency Improvement Model Experimental

Fully Regulated Min (%) Max (%) 1.8 39.5 -2.7 59.2

Efficiency Increase Summary Tables Comparison of System Efficiency Increases 14

pSEA: Industry Energy Savings Projections

Compressed Air in US Industry • 200,000+ industrial facilities • 10% of industrial energy use 

>20% in some sectors

• 150 Billion kWh = $18 Billion each year

• If increase efficiency by 30%  $15k annually per 100 hp compressor saved • 10% adoption rate of pSEA results in $300M savings annually in US market alone

*Source 2012 DOE Tip Sheet 1

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Pneumatic Boost Converter • Dynamically increases the exhaust gas pressure up to the supply pressure (hammer) • Recovered energy can be reused anywhere • Passive add-on device 16

Pneumatic Boost Converter • • • •

Imitates a DC-to-DC boost converter to increase the exhaust gas pressure to the supply pressure Inductor stores energy while the switch is closed Opening the switch drives current to the load Design of PBC can be model-based Electrical Converter

Pneumatic Converter

Supply Voltage

Exhaust Gas Pressure

Inductor

Mass (ball)

Diode

Check Valve

Load Voltage

Reclaimed Gas Pressure

Switch

Vent

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Modeling • All aspects energetically modeled

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Other Designs Possible • Combines the accumulator and the boost converter – Dynamic converter using the accumulator as an energy storage element

• Electrically analogous to a Cuk converter

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Future Work • Continue studying various DC-to-DC converters and their pneumatic equivalents • Design and build an experimental test setup to validate the converter model • Test the pneumatic boost converter in our lab • Equip functioning machinery with a boost converter to obtain experimental data on efficiency increases 20

Co-Robotics and Soft Robotics

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Robotics is Changing

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Human Scale Fluid Power Systems What are Human Scale Fluid Power Systems?

Applications < 10 kW Industrial Automation Human Assist/Therapeutic Devices Medical Devices/Robots Exoskeletons and Military Robots Enabling Technologies / Knowledge-Base Advanced Pneumatics Miniature Hydraulics Compact Power Soft Robotics 23

Human Scale Fluid Power Wearable devices (AFO’s, soft pneumatic actuator) fMRI rehabilitation MRI image guided surgery Patient Transfer Assist Device MEMS Proportional Pneumatic Valves Pneumatic Strain Energy Accumulator

Operator Interface Compact Power Supplies

Markets do not yet exist for these devices! 24

CCEFP Vision Fluid power is the technology of choice for power generation, transmission, storage and motion control. • The fluid power industry would benefit greatly from “white space” organic growth. • Obviously much easier said than done.

• Tremendous interest is forming on the horizon. • There is still time for the fluid power industry to get involved and shape the future. • Government seed funding for pre-competitive research is needed. 25

Vanderbilt University Human Scale Fluid Power Conference

Conference Objectives 1. Inform attendees of CCEFP human scale fluid power vision and strategy.

2. Identify strategically aligned federal agencies that are sources of funding. 3. Form industry & academic teams to pursue federal funding. 4. Form initial strategies for each targeted agency (time permitting).

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Human scale workshop industry attendees FIrstName Scott Edward Jan Aaron Ernie Guy Eddie Bob Nelson Ed Sam Paul Kazumi Dave Dan Sean Gonzalo Paul Dave Eric Nic Ray Brent Scott Bob Mike Bashar

LastName Meldeau Lasch Komsta Saunders Doering Babbitt Gomez Hammond Fuller Howe Stoney Heney Ito Hone Foster Gartland Rey Gangopadhyay Hein Lanke Copley Collett Archer Cranford McGray Stewart Kasrawi

email Organization [email protected] Bimba [email protected] Bosch Rexroth [email protected] Boston Dynamics [email protected] Boston Dynamics [email protected] Clippard [email protected] Czero Solutions [email protected] Deltrol Fluid Products [email protected] Deltrol Fluid Products [email protected] DunAn Microstaq [email protected] Enfield Technologies [email protected] Festo [email protected] Fluid Power World [email protected] KYB Corporation [email protected] Master Pneumatic [email protected] Moog [email protected] Moog [email protected] Moog [email protected] Netshape Technologies [email protected] Nexen [email protected] NFPA [email protected] Parker Hannifin - Automation [email protected] Parker Hannifin - Hydraulics [email protected] Proportion-Air [email protected] SMC [email protected] SMC [email protected] Steelhead Composities [email protected] Trelleborg

Affiliation Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry

Breakout session Group 2 Group 2 Group 3 Group 3 Group 1 Group 3 Group 3 Group 1 Group 1 Group 1 Group 2 Group 1 Group 3 Group 2 Group 2 Group 1 Group 3 Group 1 Group 2 Group 2 Group 1 Group 3 Group 2 Group 2 Group 1 Group 3 27 Group 1

Human scale workshop academic attendees Wayne Ken Jun Vito Jose Andrea Liz Tom Will Mike Perry Kim James Doug Eric Michael Karl

[email protected] Book Cunefare [email protected] Ueda [email protected] Gervasi [email protected] Garcia [email protected] Vacca [email protected] Hsiao-Wecksler [email protected] Chase [email protected] Durfee [email protected] Gust [email protected] Li [email protected] Stelson [email protected] Van de Ven [email protected] Adams [email protected] Barth [email protected] Goldfarb [email protected] Zelik [email protected]

Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Milwaukee School of Engineering Purdue University Purdue University University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign University of Minnesota University of Minnesota University of Minnesota University of Minnesota University of Minnesota University of Minnesota Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University

Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic Academic

Group 1 Group 3 Group 1 Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 1 Group 2 Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 3 Group 2 Group 3 Group 3 Group 1 Group 1

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Human scale fluid power summit summary •

Strong industry interest in collaboration. Teams and potential partners identified.

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Common markets and applications identified: surgery, hospital & nursing homes, in-home care, rehabilitation, quality of life, agriculture, forestry, mining, construction, factory, package delivery, baggage handling, sports training, battlefield, and underwater

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Candidate technologies: MRI pneumatics, prostheses, orthoses, soft robotics, exoskeletons, autonomous robots, cooperative robots and service robots

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Areas of research need: Compact, light-weight power supplies; miniature FP components & integration; safe operation, sensors and controls, vision & positioning, and enhanced HMI 29

Focus is on human assist devices that provide human enhancement, restore human function or provide therapy.

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Spinal Cord Injury

Ekso Bionics, USA

US Bionics, USA

Indego, USA

ReWalk, Israel

Technaid Exo H2, Spain

Rex Bionics, NZ

IHMC Mina, USA

Wandercraft, France

ExoAtlet, Russia

Prosthetics and Orthotics

Ossur, Iceland

SpringActive, USA

Endolite, England

Bionix, USA

Otto Bock, Germany

Freedom Innovations, USA

Rehabilitation (Non USA )

Kinetek, Italy Axosuits, Romania

Marsi-Bionics, Spain

Hocoma, Switzerland

Armon Products, Netherlands

Bama Teknoloji, Turkey

Rehabilitation (USA )

AlterG, USA

Active Bionics, Canada Myomo, USA

VQ OrthoCare, USA

Interactive Motion Technologies, USA

Assistive/Elderly

Walking Assist Device, Honda, Japan

Innophys, Japan

Bodyweight Support Assist, Honda, Japan

Hexar Systems, Korea

Power Assist Suit, Kawasaki, Japan

B-temia Keeogo, Canada

Panasonic, Japan

PhaseX AB, Sweden

Assistive/Elderly

Cyberdyne, Japan

Hyundai, Japan

Samsung, Korea

Axosuit, Denmark

Toyota, Japan

Bionik Laboratories, Canada

Yaskawa, Electric, Japan

Defense

SARCOS, XOS-2, USA

AirLegs Exoskeleton, USA

Human Universal Load Carrier, USA

Mawashi, Canada

Google, USA

Harvard/Wyss, USA

20 Knots Plus, USA

Revision, Canada

Powered Exos, China

Otherlabs, USA

Manufacturing and Construction

Daewoo, Korea

Fortis, USA

RB3D, France

BAE Systems, England

Cyberdyne, Japan

Activelink, Japan

Recreation

JetPack, USA

Passive Ankle, USA

Spnkix, USA

Clutch-Spring Knee, USA

Personal Carrier, France

Recreation

Againer, Skiing

Kinetic Innovations, England

Exo-L, ankle brace, NL

Manufacturing and Construction

Festo, Germany

Noonee, Switzerland

Cybergrasp, USA

X-Ar Equipois Inc. (USA)

Strong Arm, USA

Laevo, NL

How can NSF Help? • •

A model-based approach would accelerate the development of these systems Industrial Pneumatics – New energy saving devices - draw on huge knowledge base in power electronics. Model components and systems. – Better controls – model-based knowledge of pressure dynamics and impedance

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Co-Robots and Soft-Robotics – Fundamental: power density in actuation – Fluid power can be additively manufactured – explosion in the number of actuated DOFs? – Fluid power is “soft” and conformal – Model-based design – Model-based control

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