Actuators

 Actuators are devices used to produce action or motion.

It is operated by a source of energy (mainly electrical signal,

air ,fluids) and converts that energy into motion.

Actuator is a mechanism by which a control system

acts upon environment.

Actuator’s output is usually Mechanical i.e.

linear displacement or velocity.

 Actuation can be from few microns to few meters.

 Unmodulate
Energy Source

Control Signal Physical

Transducer
Signal Amplification Process

Amplifier converts the (low power) control signal into a high

power signal .
Transducer converts the energy of the amplified control signal
into work
Main Attributes Of
Actuators
 The size of operating forces and torques.
 The operating environment.
 Linear or rotational movement.
 The energy source.
 Speed of response and motion.
 The amount of movement needed.
 The degree of precision needed.
 The method of control and monitoring.
 Hydraulic actuator consists of cylinder or fluid motor
that uses hydraulic power to facilitate mechanical operation.
 Mechanical motion gives output in terms of linear, rotary or
oscillatory motion.
 Pump driven by prime mover (electric motor) creates flow of
fluid.
 Types Of Hydraulic Actuator

 Linear actuator (Hydraulic cylinder)-

 Provides motion in straight line.
 Linear displacement depends on stroke length.
 Usually referred to as cylinders, rams (single
acting cylinders) or jacks.

 Rotary actuators (Hydraulic motors)-

 Produces continuous rotational motion.
 Pump shaft is rotated to generate flow.
 Motor shaft is caused to rotate by fluid being forced into
driving chambers.
 Hydraulic jack.

 Hydraulic brake.

 Hydraulic ram.

 Used as sensor.
 Close loop velocity controlling.
 Highly precise positioning for heavy
loads.
 Pneumatic Actuator
 It converts high pressure energy of compressed air
into either linear or rotary motion.
 Quickly respond in operation.
Mechanical linear actuators typically
operate by conversion of rotary
motion into linear motion.

 Screw-jack

 Wheel and axle

 Cam
 Electric actuator is actuated by motor that converts electrical
energy into mechanical torque.
• Solenoid
• Electric motors
• DC servomotors
• AC motors
• Stepper motors
 Electric actuator consists of electric motor, speed reducer,
position limit mechanism and over torque protection
mechanism and position feedback device.
 A solenoid is a coil wound into a tightly packed helix.

In physics, the term solenoid refers to a long, thin loop of wire,
and wrapped around a metallic core.

Which produces a magnetic field when an electric current

is passed through it.
Principle:
 Convert energy into linear motion.
 Magnetic coil and movable armature.
 Coil produce magnetic field that moves the armature.

Application:
 Pneumatic valve.

 Car door openers.

 Working Principle Of Electric Motor
 Every motor works on the principle that when a current-
carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field, it
experiences a mechanical force.
 DC-Servomotor
Any electrical motor can be utilized as servo motor if it is
controlled by servomechanism. Likewise, if we control a DC
motor by means of servomechanism, it would be referred as DC
servo motor.
 A.C. Motor

 Stepper Motor
A stepper motor is an electromechanical device which converts
electrical pulses into discrete mechanical movements.
 Piezoelectric actuator is a device that makes use of the
inverse piezoelectric effect (generates mechanical energy
when subjected to electrical energy).
 Piezoelectric materials are: Quartz, Ceramics, PZT(lead
zirconate titanate).
Advantages:
Short response time.
Ability to create high forces.
Higher displacement accuracy.
High energy efficiency.
Disadvantage:
Have small strains. (0.1-.2%)
High supply voltage needed.(60-1000V)
 Large hysteresis.(actuator doesn’t go back to exactly where it
started).
Application
 Hand-blurring correction
of digital cameras.
 Ultra-precise mass-flow
controller.
 Thermal/ Magnetic
 These Actuator
Actuators are actuated by applying thermal or
Magnetic energy.
 These use shape memory materials (shape memory
alloys
or magnetic shape-memory alloys).
 They tend to be compact, lightweight, economical and with
 high power density.
MEMS(Micro-Electro-Mechanical thermal
Systems) where small amount of thermal expansion of one part of
actuator
the device translates to a large amount of deflection of the overall
device.
 A device is considered to be MEMS device if its size is between
0.1 µm and hundreds of micrometers.
 MEMS Magnetic Actuator is device that uses
microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) to convert an electric
current into a mechanical output.
 SMA Actuator use SMAs(Shape Memory Alloys) that
contracts 4% or more when heated.
 Usually heat is precisely generated by electrical
current.