Application-oriented mechatronic systems with pneumatic actuation

Šitum, Željko (author), Čavić, Filip (author), Pavlović, Vid (author), Zoričić, Lovro (author), Ivanković, Ante (author), Galić, Bernarda (author), Varović, Antonio (author)

This paper introduces six novel mechatronic systems driven by pneumatic actuators, developed as in- structional models aimed at enhancing the education of mechanical engineering students in pneumatic power systems and automatic control. The initial system presented is an autonomous vehicle prototype powered entirely by compressed air, utilizing pneumatic artificial muscles for propulsion. Subsequently, the article presents three robotic manipulators actuated pneumatically: a delta robot equipped with a vac- uum gripper, a robotic arm with a flexible gripper, and a conveyor-based manipulator capable of obstacle avoidance. The final section focuses on two systems with potential industrial applications: a pneumatic screw drive mechanism and an automated pneumatic sorting machine designed for bean classification. Together, these six systems offer practical demonstrations of pneumatic technology in automation, pro- viding effective hands-on learning platforms for mechatronics and control engineering education.

• Language: English
• Keywords: mechatronics, pneumatic actuators, robotic educational manipulators, automatic control, industrial automation
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 272-279
• Numbering: Letn. 31, št. 5
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-178097
• UDC: 531/533:007.52
• ISSN on article: 1318-7279
• COBISS.SI-ID: 257062659
• Publication date in RUL: 19.01.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Ventil : revija za fluidno tehniko in avtomatizacijo
• Shortened title: Ventil
• Publisher: Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za strojništvo
• ISSN: 1318-7279
• COBISS.SI-ID: 54233856

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Uporabniško usmerjeni mehatronski sistemi s pnevmatičnimi aktuatorji
• Keywords: mehatronika, pnevmatski aktuatorji, robotski izobraževalni manipulatorji, avtomatsko krmiljenje, industrijska avtomatizacija