Tag Archives: actuators

The Miracle of Motion Actuators

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We’ve hardly begun to explore the world of possibilities that automation makes available for us. Particularly as the fields of robotics and automation have developed, we’ve begun to realize the potential for technological advancement, increased rates of innovation and even cultural changes that those technologies make available to us. Robotics and automation are technologies in motion, and I mean that both literally and figuratively. Automated robots are all about Continue reading →

Linear Actuators – Keeping Industry in Line

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Haydon Kerk Stepper Linear ActuatorsLinear actuators image courtesy of Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions.

It’s easy to conceptualize a linear actuator being put to use in an automotive, automation or assembly application. Automotive linear actuators are found in car jacks and retractable truck bed covers. Other actuator varieties are used to create and control the motion of robotic assembly equipment. Still others are used to push open automatic doors. These applications seem like Continue reading →

Putting 12 Volt Linear Actuators into Perspective

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12 volt linear actuators are quite remarkable devices. Some models are capable of moving loads as heavy as 200 lbs while drawing less than five amps. In some cases, these comparatively small actuators can be shorter than the length of an adult’s forearm. In addition to these qualities, what really makes 12 volt linear actuators remarkable is their versatility. Even people with backgrounds in mechanical engineering could be surprised by the number of different contexts in which linear motion is required, and 12 volt linear actuators can be applied in a large percentage of those contexts.

Linak 12 Volt Linear Actuator

12 volt linear actuator image courtesy of Linak.

First, consider 12 volt linear actuators’ performance. To put things into perspective, think about a couple of the domestic utilities Continue reading →

Actuators: Driving Lean Manufacturing

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Linear actuator image courtesy of E-DRIVE ACTUATORS.

In the industrial world, few concepts are catching on as quickly as lean manufacturing. I constantly read and hear on blogs and radio shows about the importance of “leanness” as industry works to right itself in the wake of the financial crisis. At the heart of lean manufacturing is waste reduction. In modern industry, waste reduction often involves automation. Automation depends on actuators. I suppose one could say, then, that if lean manufacturing is helping to make industry stronger, one could also say that linear actuators are Continue reading →