Pneumatics Controllers: REV PH and CTRE PCM

What a Pneumatics Controller Does

The controller is a CAN-bus device that (1) automatically runs the compressor based on a pressure signal and (2) switches power to the solenoid valves. There are exactly two legal choices: the REV Pneumatic Hub (PH) and the CTR Electronics Pneumatics Control Module (PCM). Both can drive 12V or 24V solenoids — but every solenoid on a single module must be the same voltage.

REV Pneumatic Hub (REV-11-1852)

The current go-to module. Key specs from REV’s documentation:

• 16 solenoid channels — up to 16 single-acting, 8 double-acting, or a mix.
• User-selectable 12V or 24V regulated solenoid output, kept regulated so even 12V solenoids stay active when the battery sags (the Hub operates down to about 4.75V input).
• Per-channel max output 200 mA ; total continuous solenoid output ~3.2 A at 24V or ~1.5 A at 12V; per-channel solenoid current sensing at ~10 mA resolution (the compressor output is sensed at ~125 mA resolution).
• Compressor output up to 15 A continuous.
• Both digital and analog pressure inputs — one digital pressure-switch input plus two analog ports for a REV Analog Pressure Sensor (REV-11-1107).
• USB-C port works with the REV Hardware Client so you can bench-test pneumatics with no roboRIO.
• Default CAN ID is 1.

CTRE Pneumatics Control Module (PCM)

The older, still-legal module from Cross The Road Electronics:

• 8 solenoid channels — up to 8 single-acting or 4 double-acting valves.
• 12V or 24V solenoid support.
• Uses a digital pressure switch for compressor control (it has no built-in analog pressure reading like the PH’s analog mode).
• Configured with Phoenix Tuner / Tuner X.
• Default CAN ID is 0.

Which Should You Pick?

New teams and new robots should generally choose the REV PH : double the channels, an analog pressure mode that lets you set custom compressor thresholds and read actual pressure in code, and convenient USB-C bench testing. Pick the PCM if you already own one, need to match an existing CTRE Phoenix workflow, or only need a few channels. Both are wired similarly and programmed through the same WPILib classes — you just tell WPILib which module type you have.

Key takeaways

• Only two legal controllers exist: the REV Pneumatic Hub and the CTRE PCM; both run the compressor and switch solenoids over CAN.
• REV PH (REV-11-1852): 16 channels, 12V/24V selectable, one digital and two analog pressure inputs, USB-C bench testing, default CAN ID 1.
• CTRE PCM: 8 channels, uses a digital pressure switch, configured in Phoenix Tuner, default CAN ID 0.
• All solenoids on one module must share the same voltage (12V or 24V).

This lesson was adapted from learnfrc.com.