IoT Actuators - Rotary Actuators

summarize

Rotary actuators belong to the category of electromechanical products and have become very common in various application scenarios in theIoT sensing and actuatorsThe aspect is also classified as a conventional device. A rotary actuator is a mechanical device that converts electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic energy into a rotary motion that rotates in a circular path; this type of actuator is usually defined in degrees. Rotary actuators are manually, electrically, or fluid-driven devices that convert energy into rotary, oscillating motion. The primary use of rotary actuators is the automatic or manual operation of valves, where the availability of utilities such as electrical power or compressed air (usually on long pipelines) plays an important role in selecting one type of actuator over another style.

Rotary actuators differ from linear actuators in that linear actuators use linear motion rather than rotation to transmit force, but rotary actuators can also be attached to a mechanism to form a linear actuator. Any of these actuators can be servo or servo motors, which are actuators with sensors to give them high accuracy.

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Manual rotary actuators
Typically, a manual rotary actuator will utilize a worm gear drive to increase the amount of torque a worker can physically apply to close a valve. This type of actuator is common on right-angle rotary butterfly and ball valves, where the self-locking feature of many worm gear actuators helps to keep the valve closed. These actuators often use large handwheels to further increase the torque available to the worker. These devices are sometimes referred to in the valve industry as "tooth actuators" or "manual overrides".

Electric rotary actuators
An electric rotary actuator is usually also driven by a worm gear reducer. It uses a reversible motor to move the valve between open and closed positions. Models are available to return the valve to a safe position in the event of a power failure using stored spring energy or a backup battery or capacitor. Typically, stored spring designs require more complex actuation to wind the spring. Electric rotary actuators are easily adapted to distributed control systems. Handwheels are also commonly used for manual override, often with a clutch function.

Fluid power rotary actuators
In fluid-powered rotary actuators such as hydraulic rotary actuators or pneumatic rotary actuators, fluid power from hydraulic fluid or air is applied either to a cylinder to move the rack and pinion assembly and paddle yoke, or to a vane rotor to directly drive the shaft. These actuators typically move between 90° and 360° stops, depending on the rotational requirements of a given valve or assembly.

Usage Scenarios

Rotary actuators are also used in many motion control systems, such as pick and place handlers or fixtures. These are usually pneumatic, but can be electric or even hydraulic. It is also possible to source miniature actuators capable of very fine movements. Typically, they act as solenoids, producing oscillating motion through the interaction of magnetic fields.

Another major application for rotary actuators (hydraulic applications) is the mobile construction equipment industry, where hydraulic power is a given. While hydraulic motors and cylinders are common, actuators are used where rotation is limited to one revolution or less and compact solutions are required.

Rotary actuators in aerospace are typically used to convert high-speed, low-torque rotary motion (in many cases via planetary gear trains) into low-speed, high-torque motion. Such actuators may be required, for example, to actuate trailing edge flaps or, in the case of military aircraft, to actuate bomb bay doors.

Related Suppliers

Major producers include:Cowan Dynamics,FESTO,Rotork,Honeywell,Hanbay,VALPESCompact Automation, Wuhan Huayi Technology Co.Dynamic Corporation Limited,Anderson Eurotech,EmersonSAMSON, OMEGA,Bürkert,HKS,REXA,Dongzheng Technology