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Linear Actuators: what they are and the way to decide on them
A linear actuator is a self-supporting structural system capable of reworking a circular motion generated by a motor into a linear motion along an axis. Serving to to produce movements such as the pushing, pulling, elevating, lowering or inclination of a load.
The most typical use of actuators entails combining them with multi-axis Cartesian robot systems or using them as integral components of machines.
The principle sectors:
industrial automation
servos and pick-and-place systems in production processes
meeting
packaging and palletisation
Certainly, just think of applications resembling aircraft, laser or plasma reducing machines, the loading and unloading of machined items, feeding machining centres in a production line, or moving an industrial anthropomorphic robot along an additional external axis to be able to increase its range of action.
All of these applications use one or more linear actuators. In keeping with the type of application and the efficiency that it must assure in terms of precision, load capacity and pace, there are various types of actuators to select from, and it is typically the type of motion transmission that makes the difference.
There are three primary types of motion transmission:
belt
rack and pinion
screw
How can you ensure that you select the appropriate actuator? What variables does an industrial designer tackling a new application have to take into consideration?
As is usually the case when talking about linear motion solutions, the important thing is to consider the problem from the fitting viewpoint – namely the application and, above all, the results and efficiency you are expecting. As such, it is price starting by considering the dynamics, stroke length and precision required.
Let’s look at these in detail.
High Dynamics
In lots of areas of industrial design, akin to packaging, for example, the calls for made of the designer fairly often need to do with velocity and reducing cycle times.
It's no surprise, then, that high dynamics are commonly the starting point when defining a solution.
Belt drives are often the ideal solution when it involves high dynamics, considering that:
they allow for accelerations of as much as 50 m/s2 and speeds of as much as 5 m/s on strokes of as long as 10-12m
an X-Y-Z portal with belt-driven axes is typically capable of handling loads starting from extremely small to approximately 200kg
in line with the type of lubrication, these systems can provide particularly long upkeep intervals, thus ensuring continuity of production.
Wherever high dynamics are required on strokes longer than 10-12m, actuators with rack and pinion drives are usually a superb solution, as they permit for accelerations of as much as 10 m/s2 and speeds of up to 3.5 m/s on probably infinite strokes.
The choice of a unique type of actuator would not assure the identical results: a screw system, which is undoubtedly a lot more exact, would certainly be too slow and wouldn't be able to deal with such long strokes.
Lengthy Strokes
Systems created by assembling actuators in the typical X-Y-Z configurations of Cartesian robotics typically, in applications reminiscent of pick-and-place and feeding machining centres alongside production lines, have very lengthy strokes, which can even attain dozens of metres in length.
Plus, in lots of cases, these lengthy strokes – which usually involve the Y axis – are tasked with handling considerably heavy loads, usually hundreds of kilos, as well as quite a few vertical Z axes which operate independently.
In these types of applications, the best choice for the Y axis is certainly an actuator with a rack and pinion drive, considering that:
thanks to the rigidity of the rack and pinion system, they're capable of working alongside doubtlessly unlimited strokes, all whilst sustaining their rigidity, precision and efficiency
actuators with induction-hardened metal racks with inclined enamel which slide alongside recirculating ball bearing rails or prismatic rails with bearings are capable of dealing with loads of over a thousandkg
the option of putting in multiple carriages, each with its own motor, allows for numerous impartial vertical Z axes.
A belt system is good for strokes of up to 10-12m, whilst ball screw actuators are limited – in the case of long strokes – by their critical speed.
Positioning Repeatability
If, however, the designer is seeking most precision – like in applications such because the assembly of microcomponents or certain types of handling in the medical area, for example – then there is only one clear alternative: linear axes with ball screw drives.
Screw-pushed linear actuators supply the very best efficiency from this standpoint, with a degree of positioning repeatability as high as ±5 μ. This performance can't be matched by either belt-driven or screw-pushed actuators, which each attain a most degree of positioning repeatability of ±0.05 mm.
Website: https://www.firgelliauto.com/collections/linear-actuators
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