A vacuum adsorption system includes a cylinder including a cylinder block, a piston, and a piston rod mounted in the cylinder block, and a vacuum pressure control device controlling a vacuum pressure in an inner cavity of the cylinder block. The piston rod has a vacuum suction hole communicating with the inner cavity. The vacuum pressure in the inner cavity is controlled so that a contact force applied by the piston rod on an object adsorbed by the vacuum suction hole of the piston rod is less than or equal to a predetermined contact force.

A method and system for compensating for stiction of a control valve in a pneumatically controlled valve system. A digital twin model of the pneumatically controlled valve system is generated. A current segment of data signals is received from a process measurement device connected to the pneumatically controlled valve system. Operation of the pneumatically controlled valve system is monitored by comparing the current segment to the digital twin model. Stiction is detected when the digital twin model directly detects stiction or when the nonlinearity and Gaussian index are above a certain threshold. A severity of the stiction is determined. Instructions for a stiction control device are used to generate control signals to be applied to the actuator to compensate for the severity of the stiction. Further, the digital twin model is displayed with a representation of the severity of the stiction.

A drive system (1) which is designed in particular as a robot (1a) and which has a fluid-operated linear drive (2), on the drive unit (7) of which linear drive, which drive unit can be driven so as to perform a drive movement (8), there is mounted an electrically and fluidically operable working unit (3). The linear drive (2) is equipped with a control valve device (16) which can be actuated by means of an internal electronic control device (32) in order to move the drive unit (7). Two drive pressure sensor devices (113) and a travel measuring device (114) are connected to the internal electronic control device (32), such that a position-controlled operation of the drive unit (8) is possible. The drive system (1) furthermore includes a flexible electrical cable arrangement (97) and a flexible fluid hose arrangement (95), which are fixed to the drive unit (7) and which serve for the supply of electricity and fluid to the working unit (3).

A method and system for compensating for stiction of a control valve in a pneumatically controlled valve system. A digital twin model of the pneumatically controlled valve system is generated. A current segment of data signals is received from a process measurement device connected to the pneumatically controlled valve system. Operation of the pneumatically controlled valve system is monitored by comparing the current segment to the digital twin model. Stiction is detected when the digital twin model directly detects stiction or when the nonlinearity and Gaussian index are above a certain threshold. A severity of the stiction is determined. Instructions for a stiction control device are used to generate control signals to be applied to the actuator to compensate for the severity of the stiction. Further, the digital twin model is displayed with a representation of the severity of the stiction.

Provided is a robot including: a robot body that is provided with at least one arm; a gas spring that functions as a balancer for the arm of the robot body; an internal-pressure detecting unit that detects a cylinder internal pressure of the gas spring; and a control device that controls the robot body. The control device calculates, as an estimated disturbance value, the difference between a torque command value for a servomotor that drives the arm and a torque of the servomotor that is required to actually operate the arm, determines that the robot body has had a collision when the estimated disturbance value exceeds a predetermined threshold, and corrects the estimated disturbance value or the threshold on the basis of the cylinder internal pressure detected by the internal-pressure detecting unit.

Methods and apparatus to detect and/or recover from failures in valve control devices. An apparatus includes an input signal generator to provide a digital input signal to a first converter. The first converter corresponds to one of a supply converter or an exhaust converter. The supply converter controls actuation of a supply relay to deliver pressurized fluid to an actuator operatively coupled to a valve in a process control system. The exhaust converter to control actuation of an exhaust relay to exhaust the pressurized fluid from the actuator. The digital input signal triggers application of a current to the first converter to open the first converter. The apparatus further including a failure detector to: determine a difference in at least one of a pressure in the actuator or a position of a flow control member in the valve; and detect a failure when the difference satisfies a failure threshold.

A method for processing operating data (e.g., position, setpoint, and pressure) for a valve assembly. The method is configured to associate characteristics of operation for the valve assembly with a root cause and/or a contributing factor. In one embodiment, the method can assign a first amplitude with a value that quantifies movement or jump of the valve stem that results from stick-slip on the valve assembly. The method can also assign a second amplitude with a value that quantifies a change in the data for the setpoint. The method can further ascertain the relationship or position of the first amplitude relative to the second amplitude, or vice versa. The method can use the relationship between the first amplitude and the second amplitude to indicate the root cause of the operation of the valve assembly.

Provided is a robot including: a robot body that is provided with at least one arm; a gas spring that functions as a balancer for the arm of the robot body; an internal-pressure detecting unit that detects a cylinder internal pressure of the gas spring; and a control device that controls the robot body. The control device calculates, as an estimated disturbance value, the difference between a torque command value for a servomotor that drives the arm and a torque of the servomotor that is required to actually operate the arm, determines that the robot body has had a collision when the estimated disturbance value exceeds a predetermined threshold, and corrects the estimated disturbance value or the threshold on the basis of the cylinder internal pressure detected by the internal-pressure detecting unit.

An amusement park attraction includes an attraction feature. The attraction feature includes a fluid actuator having an inflatable mass, the inflatable mass being fluidly connected to a source of pressurized fluid to enable inflation of the inflatable mass. Fluid control devices are configured to adjust inflation of the inflatable mass, and sensors are configured to monitor state properties of the fluid actuator. A controller is communicatively coupled to the fluid control devices and the sensors. The controller is configured to controllably inflate the inflatable mass based at least on feedback from the sensors to cause the fluid actuator to impact an object. The controller is configured to control the inflation of the inflatable mass to adjust parameters of the fluid actuator to maintain a force exerted by the fluid actuator on the object to within a predetermined range.

A method for processing operating data (e.g., position, setpoint, and pressure) for a valve assembly. The method is configured to associate characteristics of operation for the valve assembly with a root cause and/or a contributing factor. In one embodiment, the method can assign a first amplitude with a value that quantifies movement or jump of the valve stem that results from stick-slip on the valve assembly. The method can also assign a second amplitude with a value that quantifies a change in the data for the setpoint. The method can further ascertain the relationship or position of the first amplitude relative to the second amplitude, or vice versa. The method can use the relationship between the first amplitude and the second amplitude to indicate the root cause of the operation of the valve assembly.