What types of linear actuators are there?
January 22, 2022
Sascha Rissel
LinearDirect explains here what types of linear actuators are available on the market and what their areas of application are. LinearDirect has specialised in linear actuators and their accessories since 2006.
What types of linear actuators are there?
The range of applications for linear actuators is very large and therefore broad. There are therefore a large number of different linear actuator designs. Depending on the application and available installation space, linear motors can have different properties. Basically, linear actuators are used to change the position of an object or system. Linear actuators can be operated remotely, for example from a control or measuring station, or via a wired handset or even directly on the controller via an app.
Linear actuators come in different designs. Here you will find a list of available drives:
- Screw jacks
- Angular linear actuators
- Electric cylinders (one complete piston)
- Internal housing slider
- Rail slider
- Direct current drive
- Mini linear
- Table legs
- Lifting column
- Coax-Linear drives
How is the linear actuator constructed?
The actual structure of a linear actuator is technically identical in most cases, but differs in design. Every linear actuator requires an electric motor, which turns a spindle via a gearbox. A tube (piston with internal thread) sits on the spindle (shaft with external thread) which moves back and forth on the spindle depending on the direction of rotation. There is almost always a gearbox between the spindle and the electric motor. There are worm gears, planetary gears or angular gears and through-gears (coaxial gears, vertically arranged gear wheels, like in a clockwork). The gearbox reduces the speed of the fast-rotating electric motor to the desired spindle speed.
What kind of gearbox does a linear drive have?
As mentioned above, there are different gearboxes when using a linear actuator. Angular gearboxes are flange-mounted to the electric motor with a manufacturer and application-specific angle. Planetary gearboxes are usually also fitted to the electric motor for a specific application. Through gearboxes (coaxial gearboxes) are often placed axially on the electric motor's rotary shaft. Worm and planetary gearboxes have the greatest self-holding force of all available gearboxes, as a worm shaft inhibits the movement of the gear wheel mounted on it.
How is a linear drive attached?
On the piston, which moves forwards due to the rotary movement of the spindle, there is a through-hole through which a metric fastening screw can be inserted. This screw then connects the piston rod to the application or to the system to be moved. At the rear of the linear actuator housing there is a further fastening option called the fastening eye. Like the piston rod, the mounting eye is also provided with a hole through which a fastening screw can be inserted. Depending on the size and weight (area of application) of the linear actuator, the piston and eyelet mountings have smaller or larger holes in order to move the weight loads to be moved and to absorb tensile and shear forces. The position of the mounting eye can also be changed axially with certain manufacturers. If the mounting eye cannot be adjusted axially, the entire linear actuator must be rotated axially so that the mounting geometry fits. As the extendable piston sits on a spindle, the piston can then be adjusted axially by turning it so that the piston can also be attached to the front of the application.
Author:
Sascha Rissel
LinearDirect ist der Linak Spezialist im Web. Seit dem Jahr 2006, haben wir mehr als 20.000 Projekte Weltweit mit Linak Hubsäulen und mit elektrisch höhenverstellbaren Tischgestellen realisiert. Sollten Sie eine bestimmte Anwendung haben, bei der Sie unsere Expertise benötigen, freuen wir uns auf Ihre Kontaktaufnahme. Mein Team und ich beraten Sie gerne rund um das Thema Linak, Baumeister und Schack und TiMotion und deren Produkte und Lösungen.Schreiben Sie uns einfach Ihre Anfrage über unser Kontaktformular.
