Pneumatics and Electrical Technology Fundamentals (Festo Didactic TP201)

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the basic principles of pneumatic applications, signal types, control systems, and fundamental electrical laws derived from the Festo Didactic TP201 transcript.

Pneumatics

A branch of technology that deals with the use of compressed air to do mechanical work, specifically to produce motion and generate forces.

Pneumatic drives

Components that convert the energy stored in compressed air into motion; cylinders are the most commonly used type.

Control engineering

The field of engineering that deals with the design and structure of controllers to coordinate the sequence of pneumatic drive motions.

Open loop control (Controlling)

A process where input variables exert influence on output variables according to system laws, characterized by an open sequence of action where the output has no influence on the input.

Signal

A physical variable, such as pressure in a pneumatic system or voltage in an electrical circuit, which is used to represent information.

Analog signal

A signal in which information is assigned point by point to a continuous value range of the signal parameter.

Digital signal

A signal with a finite number of value ranges of the information parameter, where each range is assigned specific information.

Binary signal

A specific type of digital signal with only two value ranges for the information parameter, normally designated as $0$ and $1$.

Logic controller

A controller that generates output signals through the logical association of multiple input signals.

Sequence controller

A controller characterized by step-by-step operation, where the next step is only executed when certain criteria are met.

Signal flow stages

The four functional divisions of a controller: signal input, signal processing, signal output, and command execution.

Electropneumatic control system

A control system consisting of a pneumatic power section and an electrical signal control section using components like proximity switches, relays, or PLCs.

Electrical current

The motion of charge carriers (electrons) through electrical conductors from the negative pole to the positive pole of a voltage source.

Direct current (DC)

An electrical circuit where the electromotive force and the current always flow in the same direction.

Alternating current (AC)

An electrical circuit where the voltage and current change direction and strength in a specific cycle.

Technical direction of flow

The conventional definition of current flow established as movingจาก positive to negative, opposite the actual movement of electrons.

Electrical conductors

Materials containing a sufficient number of free electrons that allow current to flow, such as copper, aluminium, and silver.

Insulators

Materials with particularly high resistance used for insulation of electrical wires, such as rubber and plastic-based materials.

Ohm's Law

The principle stating that in a circuit of given resistance, the current is proportional to the voltage, expressed as $V = R \times I$.

Electrical power ($P$)

The rate at which electrical energy is converted into another form, calculated as the product of voltage and current: $P = V \times I$, measured in Watts ($W$).

Solenoid

A device consisting of a current-bearing conductor wound around a coil, often with an iron core, used to exert force on ferrous materials or actuate valves.

Reactance

The resistance offered by a coil to an alternating current due to an induced current that opposes the primary flow.

Inductance

A property of a coil measured in Henry ($H$), where $1\,H = 1\,Vs/A = 1\,\Omega s$.

Capacitor

An electrical component consisting of two metal plates separated by a dielectric that can store electrical charge.

Capacitance ($C$)

The measure of a capacitor's ability to store an electrical charge for a given voltage, measured in Farad ($F$), where $1\,F = 1\,As/V$.

Diode

An electrical component that allows current to flow unhindered in the flow direction but offers high resistance in the reverse direction.

Voltmeter

A device used to measure voltage, which must be connected in parallel to the load and possess a high internal resistance.

Ammeter

A device used to measure current, which must be connected in series to the load and possess a very small internal resistance.