Smart Piston Control System

The Smart Piston Board is a custom interface PCB designed for precise actuation and control of pneumatic pistons in robotic systems. It provides a reliable bridge between the main robot controller and solenoid valves, enabling high/low signal control for up to four pistons and four proximity sensors simultaneously. The design workflow included circuit simulation in Multisim, breadboard prototyping for functional validation, and PCB design and routing in Altium Designer before fabrication. The board incorporates signal isolation to prevent ground loops and uses MOSFET drivers to switch 24V solenoids from 3.3V GPIO inputs, ensuring smooth and responsive piston operation. Its modular design allows integration with both digital and analog control sources, as well as an external 24V Li-ion battery for high-current actuation.

The architecture includes demultiplexers for signal routing, MOSFET actuation circuits, LED indicators for status monitoring, and a power switch for safe operation. Sensor feedback is handled using comparators and potentiometers, which provide digital 1/0 signals corresponding to proximity, enabling precise inputs. The board is compact, supports fast switching speeds, and is versatile enough to be used for any piston-based actuation or proximity input/output requirement. It has been validated to reliably operate pneumatic systems in dynamic robotic applications, enabling robust and repeatable actuation cycles.