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).

Modalità di esame: Prova scritta (in aula); Prova pratica di laboratorio; Elaborato scritto prodotto in gruppo;

Exam: Written test; Practical lab skills test; Group essay;

... Examination consists in evaluating the labs (group performance and reports), a lab exam (individual "face to face" with the didactic test rig) and a written exam. In particular: 1- Group performace consists in evalating the abilities and skills of each "students group" to perform all the given tasks during the labs practises. 2- The reports performed by each Group will evaluated in order to understand the ability of the students in explaining and summarizing in detail the practical lab experience and all the circuits performed in the labs. 3- "Lab exam" consist in an avaluation of the "competence" of each individual student in wiring a pneumatic or electropneumatic circuit, programming a PLC... It is a "face to face" exam between the student and the "didactic control panel". 4- The written exam constists of an individual exam dealing with all topics illustrated at lessons. Each of the four contributions to the exam will be marked out of 30. The final mark will be the arithmetic average of each single contribution above, out of 30. Studenst can reach "lode" by performing "extra tasks" during th labs or by an "additional report" on a specific task.

Gli studenti e le studentesse con disabilità o con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento (DSA), oltre alla segnalazione tramite procedura informatizzata, sono invitati a comunicare anche direttamente al/la docente titolare dell'insegnamento, con un preavviso non inferiore ad una settimana dall'avvio della sessione d'esame, gli strumenti compensativi concordati con l'Unità Special Needs, al fine di permettere al/la docente la declinazione più idonea in riferimento alla specifica tipologia di esame.