An experimental workbench for innovative pneumatic units co-operating under distributed control

Abstract The paper describes the most relevant aspects of research activity, still under development, concerning the analysis of the performance of advanced co-operating pneumatic units and components driven by different distributed control systems. Field bus, Actuator–Sensor interface (ASi) and servo-positioning strategies are applied to flexible and innovative pneumatic devices, in order to test the behaviour of different interconnected subsystems under simulated working conditions. An original approach oriented to the on-line monitoring and diagnostics of electrical and pneumatic components involved in the experimental workbench is described.