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Karnaugh Maps Approach to Understanding Control Implementation behind

Digital Pneumatics

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Adriano A. Santos António Ferreira da Silva

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 Karnaugh Maps Approach
to Understanding Control
Implementation behind Digital
Pneumatics
1.ª Parte
Research Center of Mechanical Engineering (CIDEM), School of Engineering
ABSTRACT
Industrial processes need to be changed quickly so that differ-
Polytechnic of Porto, (ISEP) Porto, Portugal {ads, afs}@isep.ipp.pt
ent products can be produced. The response to these changes
requires a reconstruction of the pneumatic control according to
the new requests, that is, reconstruction of the control machine.
To solve this problem, we present an alternative way to develop
Adriano A. Santos, António F. da Silva
dual control for double-path sequence using Karnaugh Maps.
In practice, we propose an approach to developing pneumatic
control system in complex cases when there are two variants
artigo científico
of the control sequence. The equations obtained by Karnaugh
Maps (KM) simplified the elaboration of the command of the
circuit, be it electro or pneumatic control, guaranteeing not only
the realization of the two sequences combined, but as well as
minimizing the command variables needed for a digital circuit.
A practical example to understand the implementation of the
4
control will be presented. The equations required to control the
circuit will be also used in a programmable logic controller (PLC)
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that will control the circuit. This is an easy methodology to un-
derstand and implementing control digital pneumatics.
Keywords: digital pneumatic control; industrial automation;
Karnaugh Maps; ON/OFF control; pneumatic sequential circuits
I. INTRODUCTION
Compressed air is one of the oldest sources of energy. Its distribu-
tion and use, under different working pressures, has become wide-
spread and is currently an element that is present in all productive
and service sectors. The controlled use of this energy source was
called pneumatic (Pneuma), a Greek term meaning blow or breath.
Numbers are the applications that use compressed air as
an energy source. Operations such as drilling, tapping, etc., are
perfectly fit in mechanization and process automation, replacing
the human force, as a work producer, by a constant and uniform
external force capable to maintaining high productive rhythms.
In this sense, the use of the pneumatic, as a source of energy, will
be next to the mechanics, electricity or electronics and hydraulics.
This integration will require a more comprehensive knowledge
of the technologies to be applied in any process of automation
not only from the point of view of the transmission of energy but
robótica 117, 4.o Trimestre de 2019
also the control. Therefore, pneumatic control can be performed
pneumatically (use of pneumatics as power source and control),
electrically (pneumatic as power source and electricity as control,
relay technology), electronically (pneumatics as power source
and electronics as control, e.g., PLC) or combined with the hy-
draulics acting as power source and control and vice versa.
In pneumatics, the translational and rotational movements
are obtained by the alternating introduction of air in the actua-
tor chambers. In order to control this distribution, directional
control valve are used which alternately direct the airflow to
the chambers of the actuators, also ensuring the escape of the
air from the opposing chamber. Then, the control of these di-
rectional movements has as objective the execution of the se-
quences of movements, be they combinational or sequential
cycles. Therefore, to build a pneumatic circuit control system,
we have three possible approaches [1]:
• First: control performed using an intuitive methodology where
the designer tries to combine pneumatic signals to solve the
problem. Highly complex methodology for the implementa-
tion of the control for combinatory or sequential cycles.
• Second: control performed using Cascade methodology.
This methodology is used to solve any potential problem
of the control for combinatory or sequential cycles. Electric
control is a complex task.
• Third: control performed using KM’s methodology. This
methodology is also used to solve any potential problem of
the control for combinatory or sequential cycles and for the
drawing of the electric control.
Other methodologies of control may be used to solving auto-
mation control problems of which we can highlight: the Quick-
stepper FSS-12 Pneumatic/mechanical controlling sequences
that, receiving information from sensors, and gives orders to
ensure correct sequencing. This receives limit switch control sig-
nals to make the transition to the next phase of the sequence
[8], or by a Programmable Step Sequencer Control and/or air
logical control. In this paper, we will devote our attention to the
implementation of the control of complex sequential cycles,
based on set of optimized logical equations, obtained by the
KM that enables the control of an electro or pneumatic circuit.
This methodology is an application of the digital control (ON/
OFF) to the control of pneumatic circuits and it will guarantee
not only the control of the desired cycle, but that the equations
of command are minimized [2].
In previous work [2][3][4], the authors presented a few set
of generic rules for the construction of KM’s, flow signal plot-
ting sequence and for logical equation minimization and your
applicability to the control of complex electro or pneumatic cir-
cuits. References [2] and [4] presented also the transcription of
the equations to Ladder Diagram language (electro-pneumatic
control based on Programmable Logic Controller, PLC). In this
work, authors present a new approach to solve complex se-
quential cycle of pneumatic circuit with double-path and the
associated points to the divergence and convergence to keep
the synchronization of all the movements. Control is also imple-
ment in a programmable logic controller.
Section 2 gives a brief description of control techniques
for pneumatic circuits. The rules to representing pneumatics
circuits and conventionally representation for the movements,
orders and limit switch. A description of the Cascade and KM’s
methodology is also presented. A case study is presented, to
show the advantages in relation to the manipulation of KM’s,
involving a complex double-path pneumatic circuit control is
given in Section 3. Section 4 presents pneumatics implementa-
tion and the conversion of the equations obtained by the KM’s
into control signals based on electrical contacts and a PLC elec-
tro-pneumatic implementation. Section 5 concludes the paper.
II. PNEUMATIC CONTROL TECHNIQUES
A set of directional control valve assembly and a cylinder per-
form control pneumatic. This combination of these two ele-
ments is the basis of the control system and as such, the most
important combination of a pneumatic system. To this set of
elements will be added many more that will be used as a guar-
antee that the distribution of compressed air will be performed
at the exact moment.
Conventionally the indication of the actuators name is made
by capital letters and limit switch, position of the actuators, by
lowercase letters. So, we can represent, in a sequence, by A+ the
forward movement and by A- the backward movement of a cyl-
inder called A. The associated directional control valve, to con-
trol cylinder, will have the same name (A) and the forward order
of the cylinder correspond to state A+ and the backward order
to state A-. At the ends of the cylinder positioning we will call a0
to the return distributor valve and a1 to the advanced distributor
valve, to which the states 0 and 1, respectively. Figure 1 shows
a simplified representation of a pneumatic circuit. It should be
noted that this representation, was made to understanding the
association of the variables used, is not in accordance with the
most recent conventions that recommend the use of numbers
[9] or letters associated with numbers [10][9], instead of letters.
Figure 1. Simplified representation of a pneumatic circuit.
Then, the description of a sequential movement of cylinders
should be represented in a simple and comprehensible way that
translates the operation cycle of the cylinders. So, the representa-
tion of the movements of the advances and return of two cylin-
ders (A and B) could be made as follows: A+\ B+\ A-\ B-. Another
way to representing movements of the cylinder can be made us-
ing a displacement diagram (step diagram), i.e., a sequential or
temporal diagram of movements or both. A sequential diagram
represents sequential movements of cylinder and temporal dia-
gram represents temporal path of the cylinders as show in Fig. 2.
Figure 2. Step diagram for the sequence A+\ B+ \A- \B- [1].
A. Pneumatic Cascade Method
Pneumatic Cascade Method is used to solve complex pneu-
matics sequential cycles that require the use of memory’s. The
control of the power parts (cylinders) is made according to the
state of the information present and the knowledge of the past
actions (obtained by combinations of primary and secondary
variables or memory’s). Memory’s are connected in cascaded to
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form the pressure group control allowing that, at each instant,
only one of the groups will be active, i.e., under pressure, see
Fig. 3. To application these methods, it unnecessary to analyses
the speed or course of stakeholder’s cylinders because it is irrel-
evant to the materialization of the command sequence.
5
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Figure 3. Cascade control pressure group (four groups).
Pressure groups are obtained by dividing the sequence into sev-
eral consecutive groups of motions so that, in the same group,
the motions of any one cylinder are not repeated, i.e., without
repetition of letters in the group. So, the sequence presented in
Fig. 2 is divide in two group: A+ B+ | A- B-, group 1 and group 2.
B. Pneumatic and Electro-pneumatic Karnaugh Maps
Karnaugh Maps are, normally, used to simplify and minimize
Boolean functions [5]. Industrially KM’s can be used to develop
control for sequential pneumatic or electro-pneumatic circuit.
Let us consider now the sequence A+ B+ B- A-, sequence in “L”
(double-crossing point), with two cylinder independents and
double effect. So, the correspondence between the states of
actives variables, limit switch, and the orders to give, control of
the directional control valve (see Fig. 1), give as the initial con-
figuration of the KM’s, 2n cells (n is the number of cylinders) [2].
Initial order is giving in the upper left corner of the maps and the
remaining orders are mapped according to the path plotting of
 the sequence [2][6]. Karnaugh Maps for this sequence (cycle in
L) is presented in Fig. 4.
Figure 4. Karnaugh Maps for two cylinders (A and B) with one memory.
III. KARNAUGH MAPS FOR COMPLEX SEQUENTIAL CYCLE
The scheme shown in Fig. 5 represents a drilling machine used
in the production of the configurations shown in the figure.
Three of the cylinders produce oblong holes (cylinders B and D
in simultaneously, followed by the C) while the fourth (cylinder
A) is used to perform the longitudinal drilling in top of the part.
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6
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Figure 5. Drilling machine [7].
Due to the manufacturing needs, the system has been prepared
to work in two distinct modes, push-button S1 and S2. In the
first mode (S1) all cylinders work while in the operating mode
S2 cylinder C is suppress, maintaining the sequence of the re-
maining movements. From these conditions, it follows that the
sequence has a common path diverging and/or converging at
specific points. Table 1 shows the sequences of push-button S1
mode and S2 mode.
Table I. Sequence of Movement for S1 and S2 Mode.
Representing movements of a sequence is made by an alge-
braic form, more usual form, or by a displacement diagram. In
presented case, we have two sequence, although we have two
different paths, normally, the representation must be confined
to the more complex movement only because part of the se-
quence is overlap. However, in order to make the overlap of
movements more understandable, we choose representing
the movements in a separate step-diagram. Figure 6 shows the
displacement diagram for this two sequence. Black path repre-
sents the overlap movements, green and red paths represents
the remaining sequence path. Note that although with different
trajectories, part of the green and red paths is also an overlap.
Figure 6. Displacement diagram of the double-path sequence (S1 and S2).
The KM’s is drawn considering, first, the sequence with the larg-
est number of cylinders to control (A, B, C and D). On the other
hand, and considering the initial movements of the cylinders,
initial map will present the configuration shown in Fig. 7. So, the
initial movement of the sequence will be performed in the upper
left corner of the map. Sequence is drawing inside the map by as-
sociating the corresponding orders. Maps grows according to the
impossibility of performing any of the movements (occupied cell
of arrival) through its horizontal/vertical unfolding, as defined in
[2]. Black path represents the overlap movements, green and red
paths represents the remaining sequence path. Cell a1b1c0d1 is the
split cell of the movements (dark yellow, Fig. 7). S1 and S2 defines
the direction of the sequence, right or left (green or red path).
Figure 7. Karnaugh map for a complex double-path logical circuit (S1 and S2).
To obtain the equations it is necessary to isolate each of the se-
quences and each of the orders. Then, from the analysis of the ini-
tial order (upper left corner), it is verified that this will be executed
whenever one of the buttons S1 or S2 is pressed, common path
of the sequence. However, other considerations will have to be
considered since, as this cell is the initial cell of the two sequences,
we must ensure that all movements are completed. On the other
hand, the active variable or actives variables will have to be pre-
sent in the equation of motion associated with the A1 order. In
this case, the active variable for sequence S1 is c0 (previous move-
ment) and b0d0 for sequence S2. So, the forward control equation
of cylinder A (order A1, see Fig. 7) will be given by:
 A1 = (S1 + S2) . c0 . b0 . d0 (1)
This control function is part of the result of the minimization of
the logical equations obtained from KM, establishing a relation
between sensors (limit switch), memory’s and cylinders orders.
The remaining control equations are obtained by following
the same approach for the order A1. Therefore, to the sequence
S1 we have:
A0 = c1 (2)
B1 = a1
(3)
B0 = a0
C1 = b1 . d1 . S1
(4)
C0 = b0 . d0
D1 = a1
(5)
D0 = a0
S1 = c1 (6)
Control equation for C1, in the split cell (Fig. 8), is obtain by the
previous movements (active variables b1 and d1) and the memo-
rized signal of push-button S1, see (4).
Figure 8. Karnaugh map for sequence S1.
Implementation of this electrical memory (signal for sequence
S1) is presented in Fig. 9.
Figure 9. Memory for the push-button S1.
Note that, the limit switch c1 is a closed contact since its place-
ment in memory must be in the negative form. So, after order C1
(advance of cylinder C) the memory is not necessary, the activa-
tion of c1 turn off memory S1, and the sequence performs path
S1. From this point, it is not necessary to maintain the reference
of the sequence (S1) to be performed since it follows a path that
will be independent of the sequence S2. In some situations, it
will be necessary to maintain the information of the sequence
since there may be overlapping orders and, as such, it will be
necessary to distinguish the different paths.
For the sequence S2 the equations are obtain following
plotting sequence in the new abstraction for KM, Fig. 10.
Figure 10. Karnaugh map for sequence S2.
artigo científico
The equation for the order A1 is the same obtain in the sequence
S1 (1) but, the return of this cylinder depends not only one of
the active variables but also the memory S2 associated to the di-
vergence cell. So, in this case, the actives variables for the order
A0 in the sequence S2 are b1 and d1 (previous movements). So,
the return control equation of cylinder A, working in sequence
7
S2, (order A0, see Fig. 10) will be given by:
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A0 = b1 . d1 . S2 (7)
Cylinder B and D have also de same equations. Cylinder C do not
work in S2 and the turn off memory, S2 is made by the active’s
variables a0, b1 and d1, after the return of the cylinder A. So, the
equation for deactivating memory S2 is:
S2 = a0 . b1 . b1 (8)
The junction of these two paths results in a set of equations that
usually is translate into a sequence of repetition of movements
and, as such, conditioned to the pressed button S1 or S2. The
final set of logical equations is:
A1 = (S1 + S2) . c0 . b0 . d0
(9)
A0 = c1 + b1 . d1 . S2
B1 = a1
(10)
B0 = a0 + a0
C1 = b1 . d1 . S1
(11)
C0 = b0 . d0
D1 = a1
(12)
D0 = a0 + a0
S1 = c1
(13)
S2 = a0 . b1 . b1
 Karnaugh Maps Approach
to Understanding Control
Implementation behind Digital
Pneumatics
2.ª Parte
Research Center of Mechanical Engineering (CIDEM), School of Engineering

IV. IMPLEMENTING CONTROL FROM KARNAUGH MAPS component (except cables and connections) according to the
At this point, the control of the study case is presented in the form code shown in Fig. 11.
Polytechnic of Porto, (ISEP) Porto, Portugal {ads, afs}@isep.ipp.pt

of electrical pneumatic control (relay technology), a pure pneu-

matic control and an electro pneumatic control made in Ladder
Logical diagram under a programmable logical controller.
Adriano A. Santos, António F. da Silva

C. Electro pneumatic control, relay technology Figure 11. Designation code for components to EN 81346-2:2009-10.
Implementing electro-pneumatic circuits it is based in two
fundamental parts, the power part (pneumatic action made Where system designation, define by a number or letter, can be
artigo científico

by the actuators, ‑MM) and an electromechanical part which is
controlled by electrical signals (directional control valve, ‑QM),
solenoid coils (‑MB), and electrical part composed by electrical
signal of the limit switch (‑BG) of the actuators also contacts and
relays (‑KF). This signal, in a binary or digital form, control the
evolution of the sequence in function of signals coming from
8
omitted if the entire circuit consists of a single system (in the
case is P, Pneumatics) and medium code, is a letter followed by
the circuit number (number, absolutely necessary, followed by a
full stop), followed directly by the component number (number).
Therefore, an identifier and a number assign each component
in the circuit diagram. So, within a circuit, components with the

the process as well as the past and present states. Then, the same identifier are numbered consecutively from bottom to top
minimized equations obtained from the KM’s will be summa- and left to right. Figure 12 shows electric scheme, using the new
robótica

rized as a set of input and outputs signals associate with more
than one movement of a cylinder over the different cycles, so
these final equations are combined to a sum of products. Elec-
tric scheme of this complex double-path sequence consist of a
set of a serial, parallel or memory components resulting from
the transcription, to a contact diagram, of the logical equations
obtained from the KM’s.
It is important now to present, in summary, the newer
convention used to identifying the components in the electro-
pneumatic circuit diagrams. So, according to the standard EN
81346-2:2009-10 [10], pneumatic part, the standard define each
robótica 117, 4.o Trimestre de 2019
code [10][9], implementation of logical equations obtained and,
as well, the memory associated to push-buttons (-SF1 and -SF2).
D. Pneumatic control
Implementing pure pneumatic circuits it is based also in the
power part (pneumatic action) and a mechanical part, which
is controlled by pneumatic signals (actuation of the directional
control valve). The great difference it is at the level of the con-
trol since the logical combinations are realized with pneumatic
valves in detriment of the electrical contacts or of a control by
a programmable logical controller (PLC). Note however, that

Figure 12. Electro-pneumatic control system for complex duble-path sequence (S1 and S2), components identified as per EN 81346-2:2009-10.
the memory is performed with a pneumatic valve 5/2, will al-
ways maintain, by default, a signal corresponding to sequence
1 (pneumatic signal S1) or sequence 2 (pneumatic signal S2).
These signals will always be present along each of the paths as
can be deduced from the scheme shown in Fig. 13.
Figure 13. Memory implementation in a pure pneumatic system.
E. PLC control
Implementing electro-pneumatic control systems is also based
in two fundamental parts; the power part (control and actuation
of the cylinders) and the electrical part (digital logic control by a
PLC). Program control was made in Ladder Logic, using a S7‑200
PLC from SIEMENS. As we can see in Fig. 14, the implementation
in Ladder Diagram language is a pure translation of the logi-
cal equations obtained by the KM’s (translation to Ladder of the
electrical scheme of Fig. 12).
Figure 14. Digital control of an electro-pneumatic system.
V. CONCLUSIONS
The global market imposes ever-shorter productive times for
the industrial sector. Therefore, changing systems will have to be
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more dynamic and capable to responding more effectively to the
needs of changing the production chain. In this context, start-up
and process change times become a factor of competitiveness
with an impact on production and, consequently, on final gains.
Purely pneumatic-based automation systems are static systems
for which simply changing a movement of a pneumatic cylinder
results in the physical alteration of the entire control, i.e., a lengthy
process of reconstruction of all the control system.
In order to minimize start-up times, we present a methodol-
ogy for defining the control system based on Karnaugh Maps
adapted to industrial, pneumatic or electro-pneumatic circuits,
used in a combinatorial or sequential cycle. The use of this
methodology allows solving a high complexity control problem
as well as the possibility of combining more than one sequence
of movements in a single command. The command from logic
equations obtained by the KM’s ensure not only the realization
of this double-path sequence, but also the minimization of the
command variables required to control digital circuits.
It was also your intended to show that the control base on
the equations obtained are easily converted into electrical com-
mands. Its transformation into Ladder Diagram language is also
easy to apply, opening a wide range of possibilities for industrial
use, simulation of processes as well, as teaching and learning of
artigo científico
the control of pneumatic and electro-pneumatic systems.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We acknowledge the financial support of CIDEM, R&D unit fund-
ed by the FCT – Portuguese Foundation for the Development
9
of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science, Technology and
Higher Education, under the Project UID/EMS/0615/2016.
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