Actuator

Actuator

• Actuators converts information or energy from sensor into action by transmitting in to another power mechanism or system, such as heating or cooling a room.
• No human  intervention need be involved in the decision-making process.
• Actuators are basically the muscle behind a mechatronics system that accept a control command (mostly in the form of an electrical signal)  and produce a change  in the physical system by generating force, motion, heat, flow etc.

• Electrical Actuators
• Electromechanical Actuators
• Electromagnetic Actuators
• Hydraulic Actuator
• Pneumatic Actuators
• Smart Material Actuators
• Micro-actuators

• Electrical Actuator is an electromechanical device that converts electrical energy into mechanical that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy .
• Most electric actuators operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current carrying conductors to generate force.
• Electrical switches are the choice of actuators for most of the on-off type control action.

• The most common electromechanical actuator is a motor that converts electrical energy to mechanical motion.
• Motors ate the principal means of converting electrical energy into mechanical energy in industry.
• Broadly they can be classified as DC Motors, AC Motors, stepper Motors, and servo motor.

• The solenoid is the most common electromagnetic actuator.
• A DC solenoid actuator consists of a soft iron core enclosed within a current carrying coil.
• When the coil is energized, a magnetic field is established that provides the force to push or pull the iron core.

• Hydraulic and pneumatic actuators are normally either rotary motors or liner piston/cylinder or control valves.
• They are ideally suited for generating very large forces coupled with large motion.
• Hydraulic actuators consist of a cylinder or fluid motor that utilize hydraulic power of facilitate mechanical process. Hydraulic motors output liner, rotary, or oscillating motion but acceleration is limited.

• Pneumatic actuators work on the same concept as hydraulic actuators except compressed gas is used instead of liquid Energy, in the form of compressed gas, is converted into linear or rotary motion.
• These are used in applications in which positional accuracy is not a requirement.