Actuators

Actuators

• Actuator is something that converts energy

into motion. It also can be used to apply a
force. An actuator typically is a mechanical
device that takes energy — usually energy
that is created by air, electricity or liquid —
and converts it into some kind of motion.
 Classification

Actuator

Type of Motion Type of Medium

Linear Rotary Semi Rotary

Thermal or
Hydraulic Pneumatic Electrical Mechanical
Magnetic
 Hydraulic Actuators
• Hydraulic actuators are widely used in
industrial process control
• They employ hydraulic pressure to drive an
output member.

Principle: Pascal’s Law

Pascal's law states that a pressure change occurring
anywhere in a confined incompressible fluid is
transmitted throughout the fluid such that the same
change occurs everywhere.
 Hydraulic Actuators
• The function of the actuator in hydraulic control
systems is to convert the hydraulic energy supplied
by the pump and processed by the control elements
into useful work
• These actuators have either linear or rotary output.

Types of Hydraulic
Actuators

Cylinders or
Motors Rotary
Jacks
 Hydraulic Cylinders
• Provide motion in straight line. The total
movement is a finite amount determined by the
construction of the unit
• The function of hydraulic cylinder is to convert
hydraulic power into linear mechanical force or
motion
• Hydraulic cylinder is also known as Ram or Jack
• Ram is generally considered as single acting
cylinder and jack is a cylinder used for lifting.
• Hydraulic cylinders extend and retract a piston
rod to provide a push or pull force to drive the
external load along a straight-line path
 Hydraulic Cylinder Types
• Single Acting Cylinders
• Double Acting Cylinders
• Telescopic Cylinders
• Tandem Cylinders
• It consists of a piston inside a cylindrical housing called barrel.
• On one end of the piston there is a rod, which can reciprocate.
• At the opposite end, there is a port for the entrance and exit of oil.
Single-acting cylinders produce force in one direction by hydraulic
pressure acting on the piston. (Single-acting cylinders can exert a force in
the extending direction only.)
• The return of the piston is not done hydraulically. In single-acting
cylinders, retraction is done either by gravity or by a spring.
video1
 Types of Single Acting Cylinder
• According to the type of return, single-acting
cylinders are classified as follows:
• Gravity-return single-acting cylinder.
• Spring-return single-acting cylinder.

Spring Return Single Acting Cylinder

Double Acting Cylinder with a Piston rod on one side
Double Acting Cylinder with a Piston rod on both sides
 Telescopic Cylinders
A telescopic cylinder is used when a long stroke length
and a short retracted length are required. The
telescopic cylinder extends in stages, each stage
consisting of a sleeve that fits inside the previous
stage. One application for this type of cylinder is
raising a dump truck bed. Telescopic cylinders are
available in both single-acting and double-acting
models. They are more expensive than standard
cylinders due to their more complex construction.

Telescopic Cylinders
 Telescopic Cylinders
They generally consist of a nest of tubes and operate on the
displacement principle. The tubes are supported by bearing
rings, the innermost (rear) set of which have grooves or
channels to allow fluid flow. The front bearing assembly on
each section includes seals and wiper rings. Stop rings limit
the movement of each section, thus preventing separation.
When the cylinder extends, all the sections move together
until the outer section is prevented from further extension by
its stop ring. The remaining sections continue out-stroking
until the second outermost section reaches the limit of its
stroke; this process continues until all sections are extended,
the innermost one being the last of all.

Telescopic Cylinders Telescopic2

Telescopic Cylinders
 Tandem Cylinder

A tandem cylinder is used in applications where a large

amount of force is required from a small-diameter
cylinder. Pressure is applied to both pistons, resulting
in increased force because of the larger area. The
drawback is that these cylinders must be longer than a
standard cylinder to achieve an equal speed because
flow must go to both pistons.
Tandem Video
 Mechanical Actuators
In mechanical actuators normally a rotary motion is
converted into linear motion to perform an
operation. Such actuator normally involves gears,
rails, pulley, chain, springs etc to operate.
 Pneumatic Actuators

• Pneumatic actuators are the devices used for

converting pressure energy of compressed air into
the mechanical energy to perform useful work.
• These actuators are used to perform the task of
exerting the required force at the end of the stroke
or used to create displacement by the movement of
the piston. The pressurised air from the compressor
is supplied to reservoir. The pressurised air from
storage is supplied to pneumatic actuator to do
work.
 Advantages of Pneumatic Actuators

• Initial cost is less; hydraulics equipment cost as

much as twice the price of pneumatic equipment.
• They have a less complicated design
• Pneumatic actuators also have long life and
perform well with negligible maintenance
requirement throughout their life cycle.
• The air used in pneumatic devices is dried and
free from moisture so that it does not create any
problem to the internal parts of the system.
• Very suitable for power transmission when
distance of transmission is more
 Disadvantages of Pneumatic Actuators

1. Moving parts - more maintenance

2. Pneumatic signal travels slow
3. No autotuning or any complex control
4. Manual adjustment is required
5. May drift after continuous operation
6. More costly to operate - compressed air is
energy, more maintenance
 Types of Pneumatic Actuators

• Linear actuators or Pneumatic Cylinders

• Rotary Actuator or Air Motors
• Limited Angle Actuators
 Linear Pneumatic Actuator
• Pneumatic cylinders are devices for converting
the air pressure into linear mechanical force
and motion. The pneumatic cylinders are
basically used for single purpose application
such as clamping, stamping, transferring,
branching, allocating, ejecting, metering,
tilting, bending, turning and many other
applications.
 Electrical Actuators
• AC Motors
• DC Motors or Servo motors
• Stepper Motor
 Advantages of Electrical Actuators
• Electricity is easily routed to the actuators.
Cables are simpler than pipe work.
• Electrically is easily controlled by electronic
units.
• Electricity is clean
• Electrical faults are often easier to diagnose.
 Disdvantages of Electrical Actuators
• Electrical equipment is more of a fire hazard
than other systems
• Electrical actuators are usually used for rotary
motion. Complex mechanisms are needed to
produce other motions.
• The power to weight ratio is inferior to
hydraulic motors.