RADOVAN ROBOTICS

10-1-2000

Intelligent Pneumatic Motion Control

(IPMC)

Radovan Robotics is proud to introduce, as one of our premiere technologies, Intelligent Pneumatic Motion Control (IPMC). IPMC technology embeds microcontrol in a feedback loop between pneumatic actuation and position encoding to form a highly controllable compressed air servo. This technology offers light weight, high strength and large load capacity at an exceptionally low cost in volume. In fact, where IPMC is appropriate for your application, it can cost less than 10% of the cost of comparable servo or stepper motor based systems.

With the advent of IPMC and its cost effectivity, a number of motion based approaches will now become practical: highly articulated systems; multiple redundant systems; motion control embeded within production equipment; large, redundant and more commonly used production lines and more.

By balancing isometric actuation under microcontrol, individual motion segments can be dynamically adjusted to be rigid or compliant. As with a biological muscle, this will allow a normally relaxed system to apply strength when needed.

IPMC can be used in combination with conventional motion control methodologies. The advantage of this approach is that lower cost IPMC can be used for gross positioning and conventional technologies can be used for fine positioning. After gross positioning, sensory and / or mechanical means can be used to align with small (therefore lower cost) lead screw / motor /gear positioning equipment. The result is accuracy at a much lower cost.

While, in most cases, IPMC is not as accurate as conventional lead screw / motor / gear technologies, its advantages are very significant. The "order of magnitude" recurring cost reduction will make many previously unrealistic situations become practical. Multiple limbs working together on the same task, generic loaders / unloaders, high desterity tasks, transportation between existing machines within a process, maintainence tasks, security rovers, etc. Of course, this technology is also very cost effective in simple "vending machine" type applications where a few isolated axis of motion are required.

So, if your application could make use of IPMC technology, or if you would simply like to discuss some concepts, please contact us at the number listed below. You may be amazed at how much motion control you can get without a single motor or gear!

Thank You and Best Regards,
Radovan Robotics

Phone: 805-279-5844
FAX: 805-375-6965
EMAIL: radmail@radovan.org
Website: http://www.radovan.org