• Transactions of The Korea Fluid Power Systems Society
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2004

The goal of this paper is to improve the position control performance of pneumatic rotary actuator with variable brake using Magneto-Rheological Fluid. The air compressibility and the lack of damping of the pneumatic actuator bring the dynamic delay of the pressure response and cause the oscillatory motion. In this study, a variable rotary brake comprising Magneto-Rheological Fluid is equipped to the joint of a pneumatic manipulator. Experiments of step response have proved that the transient response of the manipulator could be improved compared with that of the conventional control algorithm by using a phase plane switching control algorithm.