Investigation into acoustic emission of pneumatic cylinders.

The monitoring of pneumatic cylinders is relevant in two fields – pneumatic cylinder operation monitoring and energy saving. One important problem is the detection of air leakage. Typically, leakage occurs between the pneumatic cylinder housing and the piston. Air flow through the leaks generates acoustic emission. In this case, acoustic emission is generated inside the object when the pneumatic cylinder operates. The working principle of the investigated method is based on measurement of acoustic emission (30 kHz – 200 kHz) on the pneumatic cylinder housing and inside the pneumatic cylinder, and measurements of the force of the pneumatic cylinder. The proposed non-destructive method may be used for the diagnostics of working pneumatic cylinders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]