McMaster Electric -- Linear Motor Actuators McMaster Electric is proud to announce the availability of brushless dc electric motors! Now these words may sound a little harsh but they are actually very simple concepts that help machines to get processed and moving. Join us in finding out what linear motor actuators are and how they function in the different types of machines!
The linear motor actuator is a device specific to making machines operate, with electricity as the driving force. That causes a motion to take place in straight line that is what we refer to linear motion. Linear motor actuators are widely used in various types of machinery. Such as robots that assist in factories, machines that produce products, and even airplanes flying above us! They also assist with our daily life, elevators help take us to different levels and escalators that move us up and down in shops or subway stations.
There are two principal components of a bldc brushless motor, stator and rotor. Stator refers to something that does not move and rotor means moving part. This means that the rotor could go up and down, side to side or even in a circle. The stator generates the electricity, which creates a magnetic field when it is utilized and in turn makes the rotor move. It is this movement that enables the machines to work and perform their job!
The benefits of the use of linear motor actuators. They are really fast which makes them very quick mover. They are also very accurate, so they can go to pretty well defined positions. It also means they don't make contact with one another when they move. This means, unlike other varieties of actuators they don’t deteriorate quickly and require less repair that promotes their life span. But there's also some overhead involved. Linear motor actuators are specialty devices that typically carry a hefty price tag. They also require complex control systems to drive them, making them less user-friendly than other types of actuators.
Broadly there are two types of linear motor actuators, non-captive & captive! Linear motor actuators that are non captive can move back and forth along a stretch of track and work for considerable distances without issue. In comparison, captive linear motor actuators move through a limited range of motion but offer higher reliability and precision. This means they can do their job extremely well without any errors. These actuators have various applications in fields like robotics (moving different parts of robots), medical devices (in which precision is crucial), and automotive manufacturing (machines that help to manufacture cars; where the usage should be safe, quick, and reliable).
If you are interested in selecting a linear motor actuator for your application, there are some factors that must come to your mind. The first thing to think about is how quickly you need the actuator to operate. When building around a machine or how you want it to operate, speed can matter A LOT. Second, consider how accurate it needs to be. Precision: Used where items need to be positioned in a very specific spot. Finally, you must remain aware of how far the actuator will need to travel in order to fulfill its requirements. You also need to determine if a captive or non-captive one is for you. Additional considerations are the electrical requirements of the actuator to function, and what control scheme it will use.