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Linear actuator produces more power

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Aug 10, 2005

Producing 1860N peak force the ServoTube 38 extends linear motor-based actuation to heavier duty applications.

Copley Controls is aiming to corner the market with its latest high-powered linear actuator.

Producing 1860N peak force - more than double the force of the existing ServoTube - the ServoTube 38 extends linear motor-based actuation to heavier duty applications.

The high-performance lubricant-free operation of linear motors is well documented, but cost and installation complexity have limited implementation to high-end applications.

The ServoTube 38 differs from the conventional linear motor design because the rod moves instead of the forcer.

It behaves more like a quiet ballscrew actuator than a linear motor, but is more than 10 times faster than a typical ballscrew at 8.7m/s.

Ideally matched to Copley's Xenus servo drive, the actuator/drive combination delivers a cost effective, turnkey linear motion system without the complexity of comparable linear motion solutions.

Copley's user friendly CME2 indexing software can be used to program point-to-point and more advanced multi-position or PVT control quickly and easily.

ServoTube dramatically reduces costs by incorporating a noncontact position sensor, eliminating the expensive and fragile external encoder usually required.

The clean, rugged design of ServoTube makes installation simple, expanding the use of linear motors to a wide range of industrial applications.

Applying linear motor technology to industrial actuation, the ServoTube 38 has a repeatability of just 20um.

ServoTube's simple two-part design is described as noncontact because actuation is achieved by electromagnetic force rather than by physical contact between a screw and nut.

For this reason there are no parts to service and no lubrication is required.

The noncontact design makes highly dynamic, variable force actuation possible.

It can be used as a substitute for traditional belt drives, pneumatic or cam-based actuators.

Because the ServoTube is manufactured with three phases, it can be driven with the same industry standard drives as rotary servomotors.

As a result, customers can source a drive from their preferred manufacturer, cutting the engineering time spent learning to set up and program a new make of drive.

The actuator's integral bearing can be used for push/pull and z axis applications without the need for external bearings, importantly it also eliminates the time required to align the rod of a tubular linear motor within the air gap.

As a result of the new bearing and thermally efficient construction, the actuator is low friction does not require forced air or water cooling, permitting high duty cycles and reducing equipment design complexity.

The ServoTube 38 is available from Copley Controls in the moving rod (actuator) model discussed and moving forcer (component) configurations.

A parallel winding model can be specified that delivers the same performance using the US 110V power supply as the standard European 240V model.

Prices for ServoTube-based linear motion solutions start at GBP 1000.