Questions tagged [actuator]

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Fast moving actuators?

I have a system where I have fairly quick moving actuators. Their moving about 2' in 214ms and 440ms respectively. So: ...
Jamie Marshall's user avatar
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1 answer
29 views

Linear actuator that extends more than its retracted size

I'm trying to build my standing desk and has been studying a lot of them, but have not found a CAD or Technical Drawing of them mechanism. Obviously, as an Engineer, I assume that it uses a Lead Screw ...
Italo Guedes's user avatar
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What would be the efficiency of dielectric elastomers if these were made with copper wire instead?

My apologies if this isn't the right Stack to ask about dielectric elastomers, but I couldn't find any other search result on other stacks about dielectric elastomers, except here. So, no matter how ...
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2 answers
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What motors would be suitable for linear actuation in 1-2mm footprint?

I need to control simple braille (text for blind people) array with tiny rods. I don't necessarily have to control the precise location. A linear actuator with on/off states would be enough. However, ...
Genom's user avatar
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1 answer
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How is this Solenoid made?

I ran into this old YouTube video. As you can see apparently it's a solenoid, but the person doesn't explain how it's made. I've never seen a solenoid with such a long stroke, if you can please ...
Ali Moradi's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
82 views

Driving an air cylinder with ignited hydrogen/oxygen gas mixture from fuel cell?

Summary: I need to build a linear actuator that has a very fast actuating speed but fits in a very small space. My Question/Idea: Electric gearmotors, c02, and air pressure, are all ideas that come to ...
dutenh's user avatar
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1 answer
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Are vacuum actuated artificial muscles as hard to control as the pneumatic ones?

I was searching for questions on this stack and I found this one asking why pneumatic/hydraulic artificial muscle robots aren't common, TLDR: the reason is that it is incredible hard to control them. ...
Fulano's user avatar
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Looking for a mount with 3D play to it

I'm building a lift bed in a van. The basic idea is that each corner of the bed is mounted on a linear track actuator, bed goes up, bed goes down. I want to be able to control each actuator ...
Mark's user avatar
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Actuator creation of shapes governed by rubber mass

Let's start with hyposurface by Mark Goulthorpe. Essentially this is what is required but for a different application. Objectives. To know if its probable or possible to link up to 200 number x 300mm ...
John Psota-Jenkins 's user avatar
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3 answers
198 views

Linear Actuators, Screw Jacks or cables and winch?

Complete novice looking for a simple "yes, you can do that" or a "don't be daft" answer Anything in addition to one of these would be a complete bonus. I'm thinking about at using ...
Pitchfork Guy's user avatar
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Looking for a linear actuator that can carry a transverse load? Does such a product exist?

I am looking for a product that works like a linear actuator where you can control how far it extends but it can also hold a transverse load at the furthest point of extension. What I am looking for ...
belza00's user avatar
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Constant-force actuator for a lifting plate

Thank you for this forum. I am writing here because I struggle with a mechanics problem. I am designing a lifting device for heavy charges. The load (F) is applied to a top plate. I would like this ...
simonalangab's user avatar
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1 answer
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Finding the name of: Mechanical toggle actuator utilizing single direction of force (pull only/push only)

Preface: I have no formal experience in design or mechanical engineering. I am simply a backyard mechanic looking to see if a particular assembly exists as an off-the-shelf product before designing ...
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Design of a linear actuator that is only 5 mm wide

I have to design a linear actuator with a maximum movement of 3 cm back and forth and a maximum force of 5 N. The only constraint I have is that it can only be 5 mm wide. There's no real constraint ...
Marcos's user avatar
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1 answer
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piezo actuator - higher displacement when under load?

When looking at the spec sheet for this Piezo Actuator https://www.thorlabs.com/thorproduct.cfm?partnumber=PK4FXH3P2, it states that maximum displacement is achieved when under 300N. How does this ...
Hatstrow's user avatar
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Belt Drive Shaft - What Profile is This?

I'm trying to source a similar extruded aluminum round profile, that I can attach a belt to, as in the pic below. The shaft will turn and pull on that belt. I looked at the 80-20 extrusions and ...
the_void's user avatar
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Linear Actuator Power

I have a linear actuator that I'm using two relays (Wired as a h-bridge) to control the movement of my actuator. Is it ok to leave power to it all the time, or do I need to cut the power once it ...
Brennan's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
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Three switches executing the same program for SCN5 Actuator

As indicated in How to reconfigure a control box unit for an SCN5 actuator question I want have 4 actuation programs as described below home, 100mm travel, home home, 75mm travel, home home, 50mm ...
jay1994july's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
105 views

Hydraulic system dynamics modelling

I'm trying to mathematically model an actuation system and it comes down to relating the pressure across the pump and the actuator as shown in the picture. Assuming no friction in the pipes and the ...
square potato's user avatar
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0 answers
78 views

Need advice on how to detect an object in the way of a closing door

I have a system design with a 149oz-in stepper motor for opening/closing a drawer style door. My cross sectional dimensions of the door opening are 20" width by 15" height. The motor ...
Pholotic's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
47 views

Building a custom indirect actuator, any thoughts?

I’m trying to create a custom indirect actuator, that is controlled by a microcontroller, for a custom robotics project. I have selected motor and gears (according to Fd = W = T2*pi) so that the ...
gunter's user avatar
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3 answers
277 views

calculating the minimum force needed to lift a rigid awning - class 3 lever problem

I am building a camper and one idea is to have an extra 4 solar panels as an awning bolted to a a rigid frame, hinged to the camper at the top. It hangs down the side of the camper. I will use one ...
ssaltman's user avatar
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0 answers
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Energy Wasted in Electromagnetic Motor Actuator Vs Human Muscle Actuation

I would like to know if the energy utilized by a robotic arm is greater compared to the energy utilized by human arm. Robotic arm is essentially servo motors that use electromagnetic field to create ...
gfdsal's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
1k views

Lifting a cabinet using actuators or scissor lift

Disclaimer: I am not an engineer - just a DIY guy looking for some advice or help please, so please forgive me if I use incorrect terminology :) I am building a cabinet that has a hidden inner cabinet ...
maGz's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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Linear actuator with low vibration and low noise

Which kinds of linear actuators offer the lowest levels of noise and vibration? I am looking for an actuator with these properties that can push a load vertically on the cm scale. Velocity, accuracy ...
Elon Musk's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
31 views

Linear pneumatic actuator opening time - pressurise connection pipe

I would like to estimate the time needed to open a linear single-acting pneumatic actuator. The actuator's piston is loaded with a spring pushing downwards and the operating fluid (air or nitrogen) ...
Giovanni Mariani's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
81 views

Clutch for high-speed operation (>40 000 rpm)

I'm currently working on a setup where at some operations my motor has to drive a shaft up to the motor's maximum operating speed (12,000rpm) and a torque of ~0.14Nm but at other conditions this shaft ...
steinc's user avatar
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-1 votes
1 answer
51 views

What exactly are Large Hydraulic Cylinders used for?

There are hydraulic cylinders with the size of a train wagon, or a smaller building, like this one: But what are they used for? Could you please give a few examples in the world: perhaps metal ...
LimeAndConconut's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
70 views

What is the maximum actuator strength allowed by physics? [closed]

What is the strongest actuator (that can exert a controlled amount of force & be able to start/stop) that an infinitely advanced civilization (e.g. only limited by the laws of physics) could ...
user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
46 views

How to constrain stepper motor inside case?

I have a stepper motor linear actuator assembly like this for example, but the stepper shaft seems able to move axially back and forth - hence when I change direction it has to do a few rotations, ...
Oliver Walters's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
362 views

How to solve this linear motion problem?

Context: I have a lead screw rod, nut and a pulley aligned vertically. The nut is attached on top of the pulley so their respective bores are aligned and the rod is arranged so that it is threaded ...
kp122's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
2k views

Can linear actuators be moved manually?

I've watched a few videos explaining how actuators work and it seems to me that a regular, non-blocking, actuator would freely move if not powered. But theory and practice are rarely the same thing. I'...
Andrei's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
4k views

Mechanism of a manual Crank Adjustable Height Standing Desk

I am trying to figure out the lifting mechanism of a manual Crank Adjustable Height Standing Desk. Please see the image below: My question is what it is inside the metal frame (check the red marked ...
black_belt's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
86 views

Help with simple hydraulic circuit to use for a four legged Robot

Firstly i am new to hydraulics, i want to build a hydraulic circuit that powers 4 cylinders at each leg of a Quad-Wheeled-Robot. The idea is to move the Chassis of the Robot up and down in all ...
user200509's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
435 views

Power/energy density of an actuator

What is the meaning of power/energy density of an actuator? Context: As a novel kind of actuator, the dielectric elastomer ( DE ) demonstrates high-strain response [ 1 ] , high energy densities ( ...
hcl734's user avatar
  • 133
1 vote
0 answers
44 views

Deciding between Electric or Hydraulic Actuators for a Dynamic Load of around 4 kN to 6 kN

This is a project regarding linear actuators for a 4 Wheeled Robot, with spider like hinged legs. The first question on my mind was to figure out is if a hydraulic system has any weight to Force(...
Sherlock Homies's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
38 views

Solenoid stroke limits

Im new to rotary solenoids and I had like to understand the definition of stroke. For example, some rotary solenoid has in its technical information a parameter called stroke options and it says 25-...
Ben's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
72 views

Linear actuator calculations

I'm building a motorized standing desk and am looking into what to use for the linear actuators. I'm targeting a stroke of 450mm and a lifting force of 100kg. I found some Linear Actuator on ebay that ...
Ava's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
113 views

Shape memory alloy fibers with low Young's Modulus?

I am wondering if there exist any species of shape memory alloy fibers with low Young's Modulus at room temperature, for an application I'm working on. So far I've played with Flexinol, but it is a ...
user650261's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
12 views

Shape memory alloy fibers with low Young's Modulus? [duplicate]

I am wondering if there exist any species of shape memory alloy fibers with low Young's Modulus at room temperature, for an application I'm working on. So far I've played with Flexinol, but it is a ...
user650261's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
168 views

shock-resistant electromechanical linear actuator?

I was wondering, if there is a shock load resistant electromechanical actuator that can withstand powerful impacts? Is there an electromechanical counterpart for pneumatic cylinders that is as ...
testdummy's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
796 views

air-dropping actuator for a small drone

I'm planning to build an air-dropper for a small drone - a device to release small payloads hanging under the drone. This is a commercial example of such a system, used with a much bigger drone - for ...
SF.'s user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
30 views

Searching for a High Speed Actuator for a simulator

I am currently planing to build a consrtuction for a simulator. My simulator seat should be able to fall like 30cm and afterwards move to the starting position . The falling should be as natural as ...
LeSchwambo's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
153 views

Solar panel actuator control

I'm looking to design a system that can control a solar panel through an electrical actuator for a range of motion of -45 to +45 degrees for maximum solar exposure. The panel will be mounted on a 10 ...
PentaKon's user avatar
  • 111
2 votes
1 answer
81 views

What (if any) are the engineering limitations for producing "simulation" exoskeletons

To clarify the title since it cannot be said within the word limit: A "simulation" exoskeleton, is an exoskeleton that doesn't exist to support a disabled user's movement or to help someone carry ...
Shefeto's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
70 views

Commercial electric motor with integrated torque sensor and torque control [closed]

Are there any commercial solutions for electric rotary motors with integrated torque sensor and torque control? I'm only aware of www.sensodrive.de which are essentially the drives used in the DLR/...
user1323995's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
21 views

Why does my piezoelectric actuator stick at low temperatures?

I use a piezoelectric actuator on an experimental set up. At low temperatures (Lower than 0 Celsius), the piezo will freeze. Meaning, it will actuate about half way, and then stop moving. Other than ...
User2341's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
127 views

What is the correct mathematical approach to this linkage problem?

I have a linear actuator with 52 millimeters of travel. I have a set of linkages with specific dimensions as shown in the images below, to which this actuator will be attached. The REF dimension is ...
fred_dot_u's user avatar
  • 6,940
2 votes
1 answer
57 views

Pneumatic actuator capable to achieve 5m/s?

Is there a pneumatic actuator capable to achieve 5m/s and will be good idea for constant work? I know SMC have up to 3m/s, but I can't find faster.
user131020's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
146 views

Electric linear actuator

I want to build a pod. I am thinking to put a linear actuator on its lid. but my problem is, since linear actuators have this self locking mechanism, if it will be brown out, I cant open or close the ...
Stewart Agustin's user avatar