Development of a Test Apparatus for Estimation of Friction Parameters at Linear Pneumatic Cylinders

Abstract

Pneumatic cylinders possess non-linear characteristics due to the air-compressibility and stick-slip in cylinder barrel. Friction characteristics in pneumatic cylinders is one of the main non-linearity that negatively affects the precise control. To be able to use these actuator systems in high level control applications, their friction force models should be developed. Hence, unknown friction parameters should be estimated correctly since the friction parameters of pneumatic cylinders are not listed in the manufacturers' catalogue and these parameters cannot be calculated by only analytical methods. For that reason, in this study, a test apparatus is designed and experimental procedures are developed for the estimation of the friction parameters of linear pneumatic cylinders as in the form of static friction force, Coulomb friction force, Stribeck velocity and viscous damping coefficient.