The course is taught in English.
The teaching will provide fundamental knowledge on fluid-mechanic automation with particular reference to pneumatic actuations. Students will learn about basic components of pneumatic systems, circuit design and will be able to understand the operating principle of pneumatic schemes and circuits.

By attending this course the student will get:
Basic theory 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.
Basic knowledge on programmable logic control.
Ability in wiring pneumatic and electro-pneumatic circuits and in preparing ladder programs for sequential circuits.

Basics of Mathematical Analysis, Physics and Applied Mechanics.

Introduction to the course. Basic principle of automatic/pneumatic systems. Organization of a pneumatic system. Unit of measure. Fluid properties. Measuring instruments.
Pneumatic actuators: cylinders, specialized cylinders, regulation.
Valves (directional, control, auxiliary, ...). Basic pneumatic schemes.
Logic elements (pneumatic, contact-relay and logic schemes).
Digital techniques for pneumatic applications. Functional and operative diagrams (step-displacement, grafcet, ...). Wired logic control. Pneumatic circuit design methods: pulse limiters, auxiliary memories, sequencer. Contact-relay diagram and electro-pneumatic circuits (auxiliary memories, batch technique). Ladder diagram. Notes on programmable logic control: general features, operating principle and programming.
Complementary elements and interfaces.
Sensors and transducers in fluid automation.
Compressed air plant, air treatment. Reliability, energetic and safety aspects.
Behaviour of pneumatic valves, flow coefficients. Dynamic behaviour of pneumatic systems.
Notes on modelling and simulations.

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. A report must be prepared by each student for each experience and test; reports will be evaluated during the examination.

Lessons 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.
Peter Beater, Pneumatic drives – System design, Modelling and Control, Springer, Berlin, 2007
G. Belforte, Manuale di Pneumatica, II Edizione, Tecniche Nuove, Milano, 2005.
G. Belforte, A. Manuello Bertetto, L. Mazza, Pneumatica: corso completo, Tecniche Nuove, Milano, 1998.
Additional material will be provided during the lessons/laboratories (even through the educational portal).

Examination consists in evaluating laboratory reports (by an oral examination), and a written exam dealing with all topics illustrated at lessons.