A linear actuator may seem complicated, but it is not the case. The linear actuator working principle was specifically designed to be easier to work with, both to decrease the amount of maintenance and repairs which are necessary for equipment that carries out the types of jobs linear actuators were created for, and also to allow more people to be able to use them.
What is a 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.
Types of Linear actuator?
These have a hollow cylinder for the moving piston, and works by applying unequal pressure to the piston in order to move it in the direction needed.
Mechanical actuators convert energy through a number of means, be that wheel and axle, screw, or cam. They are notable for quite often being one-way actuators.
These actuators use a magnetic force to convert the electric current provided by the motor into linear motion. This magnetic force can be used to create different force strokes and movements in the actuators.
Pneumatic actuators function in almost the same way as hydraulic actuators except that the gears and cylinder are controlled using compressed air to control when they move and when they stop.
To take a look at the inner workings of an electric actuator, the actuator is specifically designed to have fewer working parts than other actuators, something which cuts down on both maintenance and the difficulty of operating it. These actuators run directly on a current, and are therefore not able to be hand-operated, although they can sometimes be slaved to a remote control, if the user wants to be able to control them remotely.
Where to buy Linear actuators
Now that you know the basics of linear actuators you can visit Banggood.com to choose the exact actuator your project requires.
Each type of linear actuator is made differently and has its own advantages. Mechanical linear actuators, for example, are relatively inexpensive, reusable, and self-contained.