The advantages of electric actuators
Author : Gerard Bush, INMOCO
04 April 2022
While some applications requiring the highest forces and longest strokes might need hydraulic actuation, in most cases, electromechanical actuator technology provides both machine builders and machine users with significant advantages. Here, Gerard Bush, INMOCO, compares electric and hydraulic actuator technology.
Electric actuators today provide mechanical outputs sufficient to span a wide variety of applications previously considered achievable only with hydraulic power. They offer a comparable bore size to hydraulic, extending from 25mm to 127mm, with force reaching as high as 222.4kN. While achieving the same mechanical output, the more compact size also enables a smaller machine footprint.
One of the clearest benefits of electric actuators is the higher level of control they provide. Coupled with a servo drive and motor, an electric actuator gives real-time motion control over position, speed, acceleration and deceleration. Whereas a hydraulic system must maintain a constant oil temperature, which can otherwise cause fluctuating viscosity that impacts performance, an electric system provides greater consistency of operation.
Read the full article in the April issue of DPA