Advantages of Electric Linear Actuators

Reduced downtime. Electric linear actuators (whether screw- or belt-driven) are very low-maintenance. Regreasing may be the only regular maintenance necessary, and many screw-driven models are lubricated for the life of the actuator.

Electric actuators commonly use stepper motors or brushless DC (BLDC) servo motors to generate torque. Because both motors are brushless, there is no contact between the rotor and stator other than the load bearings. This eliminates motor maintenance, and allows the motor life to equal the life of the bearings.

A stepper motor may run at 100 percent of its rated current during a motion, and have a substantial steadystate holding current as well. This holding current can waste energy because it locks the rotor to a position regardless of whether any work is being performed. However, many stepper drivers can reduce the current to minimal levels.

Electric step motor linear actuators can meet these demands because they offer more control over position, speed, and force. High-resolution feedback devices are common today and easily allow for micrometer-scale precision. Advanced drive tuning can compensate for things like changing loads, inertia, and preventing mechanical resonance. Electric actuator manufacturers often provide sizing software to accurately size an electric actuator to the application, and select a motor with enough torque to reach the desired speeds.