When compared to Screw Jacks the Electric Linear Actuators offer a pre-packaged actuator with full lead screw protection fully enclosed inside ram , integrated electric motor, integrated mounting options and control feedback devices.
The Electric Linear Actuators are suitable for low to high duty applications in most industry sectors and offer a better solution than hydraulic and pneumatic actuators in most cases. Toggle navigation. These days, energy efficiency is also considered equally important. Other factors that may be considered include volume, mass, operating conditions, etc. Naturally, torque is one of the most important aspects to consider in the performance of an actuator.
A key factor here is to note that there are two kinds of torque metric to consider, static and dynamic load. Speed of an actuator differs depending on the weight of the load it is supposed to carry.
Usually, the higher the weight, the lower the speed. Hence the speed metric should first be looked at when the actuator is not carrying any load. Although those such as hydraulic actuators are considered more durable and rugged compared to electric actuators, the detail specs on the quality of the material used will be up to the manufacturer.
With increasing concerns on energy conservation and its direct impact on operational costs, energy efficiency is becoming more and more a decisive metric in all kinds of machinery. Here the lesser the quantity of energy required for an actuator to achieve its goal, the better. Given the broad spectrum of actuators that are out there, different methods are used to connect them to the control.
Connecting an electric linear actuator is a rather simple process. Many electric linear actuators come with four pins these days and their connection is as simple as plugging them in. However, if your actuator does not have four pins, the process is slightly different.
You will need to buy an additional connector, which often comes in 6- and 2-foot length. Your actuator might come with wires exposed at the end.
You can strip back this a bit if required before connecting to a 4-pin connector. Connect the linear actuator to the 4-pin connector by twisting the right exposed wires together and covering it up with electrical tape. Often the wires on the actuator and connector come in blue and brown colors and they can be connected accordingly.
Sometimes, the colors may be different on the actuator. For example, if the actuator has red and black wires, connect the red to the brown wire of the actuator and black to the blue. If it comes with red and blue, connect the red to the brown and blue to the blue wire on the connector. If the wires of the actuator are red and yellow, connect red to the brown wire and yellow to the blue wire. Now you are good to go.
Plugin your connector and plug in the control box to the power socket. In case you run into trouble despite this, click here for a more detailed guide on connecting actuator to a connector. Choosing an actuator and connecting it properly is only half the job done.
Equally important is mounting the actuator in a method that is right for your application. Below are two common methods that are used to mount an electric linear actuator.
This method involves fixing an actuator on both sides with a mounting point that is free to pivot, which usually consists of a mounting pin or a clevis. Dual pivot mounting allows the actuator to pivot on either side as it extends and retracts, allowing the application to achieve a fixed path motion with two free pivot points.
One of the most useful applications of this method is to open and close doors. When the actuator extends, the dual fixed points enable the door to swing open. The action of the door closing and opening causes changes in angle, but the pivot provides ample space for the two mounting points to rotate. While using this method, make sure that there is enough room for the actuator to extend, without any obstacles on its way.
In this method, the actuator is mounted in a stationary position with a shaft mounting bracket fixing it to the shaft. Common uses of this kind of mounting are to achieve action similar to pushing something head-on. For instance, this form of mounting is ideal for switching a button on or off.
When deciding on this method, ensure that the mounting apparatus can handle the load of the actuator. Check Out. For example, inline electric actuators, due to the motor's alignment with the spindle, are more compact, making them ideal for tight installation spaces. An actuator's mounting dimensions depend on the mounting configuration inline, L-shaped, or parallel motor.
The environment in which the equipment will operate is a crucial parameter to choose the right electric actuator. Questions to consider: Does the equipment operate indoors or outdoors? Is it exposed to dust, solid contaminants, or moisture?
Does it have to withstand intensive cleaning with detergents or high-pressure cleaning? Depending on the environmental requirements, the materials used and the ingress protection IP rating will differ. Does it require a silent operation? For example, L-shaped electric actuators, with their plastic worm gears, provide a quieter movement, ideal for medical or domestic equipment.
The choice of an electric actuator depends on many parameters. It is important to choose a linear actuator that meets the application requirements. Every application includes a list of requirements that must be met to choose the right electric actuator. Budget is also a factor in project planning. Some unavoidable technical constraints will require a larger budget. The important thing is to evaluate all these parameters to create the most suitable device. We hope this has helped you develop a better understanding and foundation for electric linear actuators and their incorporation into linear motion systems.
Next, we will review the critical components inside and outside of an electric linear actuator. We specialize in partnering with our clients while providing quality solutions for their actuation needs. This mobile site is designed for compatibility with iOS 8. External Limit switches allow you the flexibility to set the limits of travel in your system to fit your particular application.
The customer is responsible for properly setting the limit switch in the unit. If the limit switches are not set, or are improperly set, the unit may be damaged during operation. Linear Actuators are available with AC or DC motor variants, however each range has preferred standard types. DC Motors are the most popular and in v typically. Linear actuators are available in a variety of linear speeds and a standard list is detailed with each product.
All that will change in the Actuator to achieve different speeds is that the gearing will change. But please note when the gears are changed to get a different speed then so too will the force.
Force and Speed always trade-off against each other. Here is a link to all our Linear Actuators. The duty cycle rating is expressed differently for different actuator types. The linear actuators generally have a mounting points we call clevises at each end of the actuator to allow a pivoting movement. There are a number of options, double clevis as standard. Here is a link to all our Brackets. Linear Actuators have different IP ratings. The lower the number the lower the protection is.
IP offers basic protection such as dust, and a higher IP rating offers a water proof protection and ideal for outdoor use. Unless otherwise stated back-driving is possible in all electric linear actuators. Actuators that use a ball screw are normally fitted with an electrical brake typically motor mounted to prevent the load from back-driving the actuator. We don't recommend applications that have possible hard stops because it can lead to the Actuator becoming jammed.
Examples of jamming include over-travelling the limit switches and jamming the nut and screw internally at the extreme ends of the stroke or driving the actuator against an immovable object and thus overloading the actuator severely.
Small differences in motor speed is fairly normal. And different actuator loading may cause the units to get out of synchronization very easily. The units cannot therefore be guaranteed to run in synchronization. For exact synchronization a closed loop control system is recommended.
This is possible using an Actuator with built in Feedback and that feedback data is sent to a controller where that controller then calculates how to make actuators run together regardless of their loading or speed differences.
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