By attending this course the student will get: Basic knowledge of fluid mechanics; Knowledge of main pneumatic and electro-pneumatic components and their application to automatic machines; Knowledge about operating principle of pneumatic and electro-pneumatics schemes and circuits; Knowledge and ability about methods for pneumatic and electro-pneumatic circuit design; Ability and competence in wiring pneumatic and electro-pneumatic circuits and in preparing ladder programs for sequential circuits; Knowledge and competences of programmable logic control (ladder, Grafcet, SFC and ST programming). Knowledge and competence in developing, organizing ad designing the PLC code for the simulation of a real PLC-based automatic/mechatronic system.

Basics of Mathematical Analysis, Physics and Applied Mechanics.

Introduction to the course. Basic principle of automatic/pneumatic systems (3h). Organization of a pneumatic system (1h). Pneumatic actuators: cylinders, specialized cylinders, fields of application (2h). Valves (directional, control, auxiliary, ...), and electrovalves. Basic pneumatic schemes (3h). Logic elements (pneumatic, contact-relay and logic schemes) (3h). Digital techniques for pneumatic applications. Functional and operative diagrams (step-displacement, grafcet, …) (2h). Wired logic control. Pneumatic circuit design methods: pulse limiters, auxiliary memories, sequencer. Contact-relay diagram and electro-pneumatic circuits (auxiliary memories, batch technique) (9h). Ladder diagram. Programmable logic control: general features, operating principle and programming (12h). Complementary elements and interfaces. Sensors and transducers in fluid automation (1.5 h). Fluid properties. Measuring instruments (1.5h) Behaviour of pneumatic valves, flow coefficients (1,5h) Dynamic behaviour of pneumatic systems (0.5h) Notes on modelling and simulations of pneumatic systems (1,5h). Compressed air plant, air treatment. Reliability, energetic and safety aspects (0.5h). Wiring and testing of pneumatic and electropneumatic circuits (6h). Electro-pneumatic systems controlled by PLC: hardware, I/O configuration, online monitoring (3h). Electro-pneumatic didactic hardware controlled by PLC: online connection and basic I/O checking, machine debug and functionality check (3h). PLC programming with didactic control panel: cycle planning, set-reset method, set up of the software environment and run-test (3h). PLC programming with didactic control panel: program debug, implementation of single and multiple loop execution, commissioning of the software, general testing (3h)

Lectures and tutorials are not rigidly separated. Tutorials cover exercises on the developed theory as well as the development of more practical parts of the program. There is no division in groups for activities in class. Laboratory and practice experiences will be carried out. Students will be divided into groups in order to develop different kind of experimental tests. Practical knowledge and skills will be given even with the use of simulations software (virtual labs).

Lectures and Tutorials: the subject is fully treated in notes and slides provided by the teacher. Laboratory experiences: texts of experiences will be provided by the tutor. All materials will be made available on the course website, in the "materials" section. Reference textbooks. Joji P., Pneumatic control, Wiley (reprint 2018) Peter Beater, Pneumatic drives – System design, Modelling and Control, Springer, Berlin, 2007 G. Belforte, Manuale di Pneumatica, III Edizione, Tecniche Nuove, Milano, 2019. Additional material will be provided during the lessons/laboratories (even through the educational portal).

Lecture slides; Exercises; Exercise with solutions ; Lab exercises; Lab exercises with solutions; Video lectures (current year); Video lectures (previous years); Simulation tools;

Exam: Written test; Group project;

Examination consists in a written test and project works (two students' group). The aim is to ascertain the acquisition of the knowledge, skills and competences described in the expected learning outcomes. In particular: 1- The written test consists of an individual exam dealing with all topics (lectures and labs). The aim is to asses the knowledge of the student. Time duration: 1,5 h 2- Individual project works consist in developing project works with the associated reports (PLC programming and simulation of real automatic/mechatronic system). The assessment consists in ascertain the competence and ability of the student in organizing, develop and design a PLC program to simulate a PLC-based automatic system. The two assessment will be marked out of 30Lode. The final mark will be the arithmetic average of the two assessments above. The use of didactic material is not allowed during the written test. There is no oral test.

In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.