Fluidicsߞa new control tool

Ten years have passed since a team of engineers at Harry Diamond Laboratories had the idea of using fluid-flow phenomenons for control applications, starting a boom in fluidic technology. By creating the fluid amplifier, which amplifies an air signal rather than an electric signal but with otherwise similar characteristics, they started an industry that today has a market volume of several million dollars and is still on the rise. The purpose of this article is to describe the present state of the art and future prospects for fluidics. Without pretending to be complete, an understanding is given of where fluidic elements are used, what their advantages and disadvantages are, and the requirements for building fluidic control systems. Fluid phenomenons that represent the basis for fluid amplifier operation are briefly described, and the characteristics of fluid amplifiers are discussed. Although fluid amplifiers are used for both analog and digital applications, this article will be limited to digital systems, concluding with some general remarks that apply to both.