What are the advantages of ball screw driven linear actuators in high- force applications?

Higher energy efficiency - Electric push rod systems typically operate in the 75% to 80% efficiency range.In contrast,pneumatic systems are typically between 10 and 25 percent efficient. Hydraulic systems are typically between 40 and 55 percent efficient. Many factors affect hydrodynamic efficiency, including temperature, seal integrity, leakage, etc. An important factor is that the electric push rod only requires current to the driving motor when needed. At rest, the electric push rod requires very little current to hold its position. On the other hand, hydrodynamic actuators require the fluid medium to always be pressurized by the power plant or compression system, resulting in inefficient power use. Over time, the savings add up.

Improved accuracy and repeatability -- Actuators with electrically driven ball screws offer significant advantages in applications requiring precise control of motion and position. Standard fluid actuators are suitable for end-to-end position applications, but mid-stroke positioning is more complex and requires control valve and operator assistance. More advanced servo-hydraulic control systems provide higher accuracy and repeatability for fluid systems at a significant increase in cost and complexity. Electric pushrod systems are much more complex and, once programmed, require little intervention or maintenance.

Quiet operation - Noisy power units running cylinders may cause noise pollution and hazard to operators working near the machine.

Low environmental impact -- Hydraulic system leaks can cause chaos in the manufacturing environment and also pose a safety hazard if someone slips on a leak. In pneumatic systems, air leakage can create unnecessary noise and waste energy. In addition, hydraulic leakage can cause serious contamination of critical processes and products such as food processing, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.Electric pushrod systems have none of these drawbacks.

Smaller system footprint - Electric pushrod systems not only save energy, but also space. Hydraulic systems require an oil cylinder, a power unit that provides oil pressure, control valves, filters, and many other components. Electrical systems require only the actuator itself and the control cabinet - which can usually be conveniently placed near the point of use.

Minimal maintenance - Electric pushrods suitable for applications usually require little or no maintenance. In more performance-demanding applications, electric thrusters may require maintenance, such as deoiling, but this is usually an uncommon, simple, and low-cost process. Fluid power equipment, while generally rugged and easy to deploy, requires a lot of maintenance as a trade-off. Leaking seals can contaminate the work site and reduce labor. Additional air and oil maintenance is required to prevent humidity or contaminants from prematurely destroying seals and other components in the system.

Process improvements allowed - In many applications, the cycle speed of the electric push rod is faster than that of the cylinder. An example is a fluid rod actuator six inches outward and backward. Maybe the application only needs six inches of travel to set up and the production run only needs three inches. But the fluid actuator was poorly positioned and could only move six inches outward, wasting time on each cycle. Electric pusher rods with precise position control can be programmed for three-inch production runs, saving time and speeding throughput.

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