Active control of a pneumatic isolation table using model following control and a pressure differentiator

Pneumatic vibration isolation systems are widely used in semiconductor production processes. Most of them are controlled with nozzle-flapper type pneumatic servo valves. However, these servo valves require large exhaust air flow rates in order to control pressure precisely. s paper, the model following control method was applied using a pressure differentiator and a spool type servo valve to actively control a pneumatic isolation table. Experiments were carried out on an air-spring system supporting a heavy granite bed, the displacement of which was modeled with a single degree of freedom. perimental results gained in this research demonstrate the possibility of realizing a more efficient vibration isolation system than the conventional system using nozzle-flapper type servo valves. More specifically, this investigation showed about a 90% decrease in the steady-state exhaust air flow rate.