Benefits of an Electric Linear Actuator
A linear actuator is an actuator that creates motion in a straight line, in contrast to the circular motion of a conventional electric motor. Linear actuators are used in machine tools and industrial machinery, in computer peripherals such as disk drives and printers, in valves and dampers, and in many other places where linear motion is required. Hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders inherently produce linear motion. Many other mechanisms are used to generate linear motion from a rotating motor. The combination of rare earth Magnets and high tech materials is what makes these very strong Linear Actuators exist. Its the electricity that run through these motor armature winding's and magnets used inside the motors that makes them so strong. Engineers can choose from various technologies such as electrical (electro-mechanical), hydraulic or pneumatic technologies when selecting linear actuators for motion control applications. In nearly all cases, an electrical actuator will prove to be the better choice due to a unique combination of characteristics.
Simpler design: Hydraulic and pneumatic actuators can have many more parts within their system than an electrical actuator, and they can be much more complicated to incorporate into your design. The simpler design of electrical actuators results in savings in terms of design and maintenance because of lower initial and ongoing costs, higher reliability, and fewer spare parts to stock in the case of needed repairs.
Easy to integrate with other systems and equipment: It is much easier to integrate an electrical linear actuator with the microprocessors and programmable controllers that manage the operation of most modern industrial machinery than it is to integrate either a hydraulic or pneumatic solution.
More precise than hydraulics and pneumatics: Electrical actuators provide a much finer level of control throughout the entire motion process enabling the force, speed and torque to vary at different stages during the motion. This capability helps reduce operating cost and increase throughput by reducing the number of equipment changeovers required during a process or for product changeovers in manufacturing.
An electrical actuator provides the application designer or end user with flexible parameters that are often easily set with a simple interface from a PC or other device, allowing more design flexibility in a smaller footprint. In addition, these parameters may enable the device to synchronize with other equipment in an assembly line or production operation, providing the promise of smoother, more efficient operations with less inventory buildup between operations. While hydraulic and pneumatic actuators may have their place in certain applications, most engineers will find that clean, safe, quiet, flexible and economical electrical linear actuators are a better choice for most applications.
How do gas struts work?
The basic principle of a gas struct is the same as for a mechanical coil spring; it is a device for storing energy. However, rather than straining the material that makes up the coil spring, a gas spring stores energy by compressing the Nitrogen gas contained inside. Although it looks similar to a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, a gas spring is different because of the fact that it does not require an external energy source to create movement. This is because a gas spring is a completely closed system and once manufactured and charged with inert nitrogen gas, no additional gas is introduced to the system. In gas springs, the pressure on either side of the piston remains equal whether it’s fully extended or fully closed. This again is different to a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder that requires a pressure differential across the piston in order to move. So, if this is the case, how does it work if no further gas is introduced, and the internal pressure remains equal? The works because the gas strut extends and this is due to the difference in cross-sectional area of the rod where the gas is unable to exert any pressure. It is the difference between the nitrogen gas pressure acting on the internal face of the rod, and the atmospheric pressure acting on the external end of the rod that causes it to extend. As the rod is pushed into the tube the available volume is reduced, gas is compressed and the internal pressure increases, this compression creates the spring like behaviour. An orifice in the piston that is attached to the rod allows the flow of gas across the piston and controls the extension speed. As the rod is pushed into the tube the available volume is reduced, gas is compressed and the internal pressure increases, this compression creates the spring like behaviour. An orifice in the piston that is attached to the rod allows the flow of gas across the piston and controls the extension speed.
Features and Benefits of High-Speed Linear Actuators
When you check linear actuators, you will find out they are classified into different categories: Heavy-duty, Mini, Corrosion-resistant or Waterproof, and so on. But if you want to find out what a high speed actuator is, you will see that there is no standard classification. You will find just some guidelines on how to determine whether the actuator is actually high speed or not. But even those guidelines are vague. The mentioned guidelines consider a number of features. Those are the type of actuator, the drive mechanism, the industry. If you understand what these are, you will know which actuator you should choose. A drive mechanism is one of the limiting factors when it comes to the actuator speed. One more significant factor to consider is the actuator type. Usually, high-speed actuators are thrust-rod type actuators. They are called electric cylinders sometimes. These actuators are applied for pushing and pulling. And these operations require very short retraction and extension time. the speed of such actuators ranges from 0.1 m/sec and higher. High-speed actuators are normally manufactured for applications that operate non-stop. High-speed actuators shall deliver the top precision of movement, too. The leading actuator manufacturers know that the requirements for their products are high. So, reliable companies check that their actuators comply with the following requirements:
They should have a compact design for the convenience;
A potentiometer is definitely a benefit;
Such actuators should have top load-bearing capacity;
They should be able to provide high acceleration value.
When you are selecting a high-speed actuator for your application, you get a decent number of benefits. They are cost-efficient and environmentally friendly. High-speed actuators are quiet. They use clean energy. Therefore, the impact on the environment is minimized. Their maintenance costs are low or absent. Customization options are endless because high-speed actuators can be already made based on the client`s requirements. High-speed actuators are convenient in use. They can be applied in very simple and complex systems. With them, you can make your equipment work perfectly and minimize energy consumption.
