LAB NO # 5

BAHRIA UNIVERSITY KARACHI CAMPUS

Department of Electrical Engineering

INTRODUCTION TO MECHATRONICS

LAB EXPERIMENT # 5

Electric Actuators and Mechanisms

OBJECTIVE:
a) To familiar with the multiple electric actuators and their mechanisms.
b) To understand the Relay driving circuits for electric actuators

TOOLS:

1) Crank Slider Mechanism

2) Rack and Pinion Mechanism
3) Ball Screw Slider Mechanism
4) Belt drive Slider Mechanism
5) H-Bridge Circuit
6) Power Supply

THEORY:

ACTUATOR:
An actuator is a device that moves or controls some mechanism. An actuator turns a control signal
into mechanical action such as an electric motor. Actuators may be based on hydraulic,
pneumatic, electric, thermal or mechanical means, but are increasingly being driven by software.
An actuator ties a control system to its environment.

Figure 5.1: Actuator Block Diagram

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In Figure 5.1 Actuator’s block diagram is shown the basic working principle where energy is
provided to actuator which depends on the type of actuator like electric current for Electric
actuator, air pressure for Pneumatic actuator and oil for Hydraulic actuator. Electric signals are
used to control the motion of actuator called actuation.

ELECTRIC ACTUATOR:
An Electric actuator is powered by a motor that converts electrical energy into mechanical torque.
The electrical energy is used to actuate equipment such as multi-turn valves. They are divided
into two different types; rotary and linear.

Rotary electric actuators rotate from open to closed using butterfly, ball, and plug valves. With
the use of rotary electric actuators, the electromagnetic power from the motor causes the
components to rotate, allowing for numerous stops during each stroke. Either a circular shaft or a
table can be used as the rotational element. When selecting an electric rotary actuator, the actuator
torque and range of motion should be considered. The actuator torque refers to the power that
causes the rotation, while the full range of motion can be either nominal, quarter-turn, or multi-
turn. Figure 5.2 shows different Electric rotary actuators.

Figure 5.2: Electric Rotary Actuators

Linear electric actuators in contrast, open and close using pinch, globe, diaphragm, gate, or
angle valves. They are often used when tight tolerances are required. These electric actuators use
an acme screw assembly or motor-driven ball screw to supply linear motion.
Linear electric actuators provide linear motion via a motor-driven ball screw or screw assembly.
The linear actuator’s load is attached to the end of a screw, or rod, and is unsupported. The screw
can be direct, belt, or gear driven. Important performance specifications to consider when
considering for linear actuators include stroke, maximum rated load or force, maximum rated
speed, continuous power, and system backlash. Stroke is the distance between fully extended and
fully retracted rod positions. The maximum rated load or force is not the maximum static load.
The maximum rated speed is the maximum actuator linear speed, typically rated at low or no
load. Continuous power is sustainable power; it does not include short-term peak power ratings.
Backlash is position error due to direction change. Motor choices include DC (direct current), DC
servo, DC brushless, DC brushless servo, AC (alternating current), AC servo, and stepper. Input
power can be specified for DC, AC, or stepper motors. Figure 5.3 shows the Electric Linear
Actuators.

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Figure 5.3: Electric Linear Actuator

ROTARY TO LINEAR MECHANISM:

Motorized actuators are always rotary by default. To attain the linear actuation from motorized
actuation there are many mechanisms that convert rotary to linear actuation. Some Mechanisms
are discussed below.

Belt Drive Mechanism is based on two pulleys one is drive and another is driven. The motor
rotates and drives the pulley which creates linear motion in the belt as shown in Figure 5.4.

Figure 5.4: Belt Drive Linear Actuator

Ball Screw is also called as ball bearing screw or re-circulating ball screw. It consists of a screw
spindle, a nut, balls and integrated ball return mechanism a shown in Figure 5.5.

Figure 5.5: Ball Screw Linear Actuator

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Crank Slider is very popular mechanism used almost everywhere. In this mechanism motor
drives rotary disk called crank which connected with slider and creates linear motion as shown in
Figure 5.6.

Figure 5.5: Crank Slider Linear Actuator

A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a pair of gears which convert
rotational motion into linear motion. A circular gear called "the pinion" engages teeth on a linear
"gear" bar called "the rack"; rotational motion applied to the pinion causes the rack to move
relative to the pinion, thereby translating the rotational motion of the pinion into linear motion as
shown in Figure 5.6.

Figure 5.6: Rack and Pinion Linear Actuator

PROCEDURE:
1) Connect the power supply to the motor of each mechanism.
2) Observe the behavior of Mechanism after applying Forward and Reverse Voltages.

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TASK#1:

Suppose you have a Crank Slider Linear Actuator which actuates forward and backward. You
have two push buttons and two limit switches at both ends of actuator. When you keep pressing
forward Push button the actuator moves forward and stop at forward end position and when you
keep pressing Reverse Push button the actuator moves backward and stop at backward end
position. Design a circuit to drive Crank Slider in this scenario.

TASK#2:

Suppose you are going to design automatic drawer where drawer designed using Rack and Pinion
mechanism. It has one Push button and two limit switches at both ends. When you keep pressing
the push button the drawer move out form desk and stop at it last position, similarly when you
again keep pressing the Push button the drawer move inside the desk and stop at its last position.
Design a circuit to drive Rack and Pinion mechanism in this scenario.

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Lab Assessment Rubric

Needs Total
Category Excellent 8 Good 6 Satisfactory 4
improvement 2 (40)

Clearly describes the Adequately Describes the Cannot describe

objectives of lab. describes the objectives but the objectives of
Understands possible objectives, but misses some details. the lab, or what
Objectives and
sources of errors and cannot discuss Cannot discuss was learnt, sources
Results
their effects. Suggests possible sources possible sources of of errors and their
ways to minimize of errors and their error or their effects effects
them. effects

Circuit works Circuit performs Circuit performs but Circuit does not
perfectly. All wires are most the output not exactly give any output.
Circuit attached. / Code functions, gives as expected. Some Most wires are not
implementation/ works perfectly output./ Code connections not connected/ code
software coding gives some errors done/ code gives not compiled/
some correct output many errors

Can clearly identify Adequately Describe the Cannot describe

the problems and take identify the problem but cannot the problem, and
steps to fix them. problems and suggest steps on has no effective
Uses an effective steps taken to fix how to solve them. strategy on how to
Trouble Shooting
strategy to solve them. Uses an Trouble shooting is solve them.
problems effective strategy not consistent.
but misses some
details

Detailed results are Adequate results Some missing Most results are
Measurements
shown for each step. are shown. 80% observations. 70% missing. Only 30%
and
100% measurements measurements results are correct measurements are
Observations
are correct are correct correct

Thorough Good Limited Shows incorrect

understanding of the understanding of understanding of understanding of
concepts underlying the concepts, the concepts. the concept.
the lab. Can apply it in however cannot Cannot apply to real Cannot find any
Conclusions
real life situations apply them in real life situations and usage of the
life situations suggest any use of knowledge. Cannot
the knowledge describe what was
learnt.

Lab No: 5 Total Marks: 40 Marks Obtained:

Signature:

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