Build a real-world Pneumatic Transfer & Clamping Station from scratch in minutes.
A standard industrial pneumatic workstation handling parts on a conveyor line:
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| PNEUMATIC STATION |
| |
| [Clamp Cyl] |
| | |
| v |
| [ PART ] ====> [Transfer Cyl] ====> [Downstream Station] |
| ^ |
| [Part Sensor] |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
pneumatic-transfer and select a folder.AutomationView initializes a standard workspace:
pneumatic-transfer/
machine.machine
main.seq
Using keyboard shortcuts on the canvas:
Step_0_Init).Step_1_Clamp, Step_2_Transfer, Step_3_Unclamp, Step_4_ReturnHome).from automation_machine import Sequence, StepType, ActionInstruction
class PneumaticTransfer(Sequence):
def setup(self):
s0 = self.add_step(StepType.INITIAL, name="Wait_For_Part")
s1 = self.add_step(name="Clamp_Part")
s2 = self.add_step(name="Transfer_Forward")
s3 = self.add_step(name="Unclamp_Part")
s4 = self.add_step(name="Return_Home")
self.add_transition(s0, s1, condition="bPart_Present AND bCycle_Start")
self.add_transition(s1, s2, condition="bClamp_Extended")
self.add_transition(s2, s3, condition="bTransfer_Extended")
self.add_transition(s3, s4, condition="tDwell.Q")
self.add_transition(s4, s0, condition="bTransfer_Home AND bClamp_Home")
s1.add_action("cmd_Clamp", "Engage clamping cylinder")
s2.add_action("cmd_Clamp", "Maintain clamp during transfer")
s2.add_action("cmd_Transfer", "Extend linear transfer slide")
s3.add_action("tDwell", "Settling delay", instruction=ActionInstruction.TON, duration=1000)
s4.add_action("cmd_Transfer_Home", "Retract transfer slide")
Open main.seq. You can build the sequence visually or via Python code. Both representations are synchronized bidirectionally in real time.
Test and validate your logic locally without connecting to physical PLC hardware:
Step_0_Init glowing blue (active initial step).bPart_Present to TRUE.bCycle_Start to TRUE.Step_1_Clamp activates (turns green).cmd_Clamp turns TRUE.bClamp_Extended to TRUE.
Step_2_Transfer.bTransfer_Extended to TRUE.Step_3_Unclamp activates:
tDwell begins counting down.tDwell.Q becomes TRUE and triggers Step_4_ReturnHome.bTransfer_Home and bClamp_Home to TRUE to complete the cycle and return to Step_0_Init.Press F10 to advance one PLC scan cycle at a time. This allows you to inspect race conditions and transition timings deterministically.
Once validated in emulation, export your sequence into your vendor programming suite:
AutomationView: Export to Siemens TIA Portal (SCL / SimaticML XML)AutomationView: Export to Rockwell Studio 5000 (L5X / Ladder RLL)AutomationView: Export to CODESYS V3.5 (PLCopen XML)