ACTUATOR

• An actuator can be defined as an energy converter which converts energy from an

external source into mechanical energy in a controllable way.

• Actuators play a decisive role in industrial mechatronics system.

• They are responsible of moving the load to the required set point, transforming an
input energy source into mechanical energy.

• An actuator is a component of a machine that is responsible for moving and

controlling a mechanism or system, for example by opening a valve. In simple terms,
it is a "mover".

• An actuator requires a control signal and a source of energy. The control signal is
relatively low energy and may be electric voltage or current, pneumatic or hydraulic
pressure, or even human power. Its main energy source may be an electric current,
hydraulic fluid pressure, or pneumatic pressure. When it receives a control signal, an
actuator responds by converting the signal's energy into mechanical motion.

Examples of actuators

• Comb drive

• Digital micromirror device

• Electric motor

• Electroactive polymer

• Hydraulic cylinder

• Piezoelectric actuator

• Pneumatic actuator

• Screw jack

• Servomechanism

• Solenoid

• Stepper motor

• Shape-memory alloy

• Thermal bimorph

• Hydraulic actuators
Typical mechatronics system consists of

The power source provides the energy needed to drive the actuator. In industrial systems the
most common power sources are electrical or fluid power. The power converter supplies (or
returns) the energy from the power source to the actuator according to the controller orders.
Some industrial examples of power converters are electrical inverters or hydraulic
proportional valves. The actuator is the energy converter which converts the power source
energy into mechanical energy. The mechanical load is the mechanical system being driven.
The controller is responsible of making the whole system operator. This is achieved by
sensing the critical quantities and appropriate control algorithms.

Types of actuators

• As stated before, actuators convert a given kind of energy into mechanical energy,
depending upon the input energy actuators can be the following types:

• Electromagnetic actuators

• Electrostatic actuators

• Hydraulic actuators

• Pneumatic actuators and

• Thermal expansion actuators

Hydraulic actuators

Hydraulic actuators are commonly used in many engineering fields. They feature the
advantages:

 Very good force and work densities (more than any other actuator).
  Strokes as long as necessary (if enough fluid is supplied)
 Easily controllable
 The power source providing the energy can be placed far away from the actuator ( but
not as far as with the electromagnetic actuators)
Their main disadvantages are:
 The safety problems generated by the high pressure needed (the same fact that
provides the advantages)
 The leakage flow (that can be important problem for actuator performance,
safety conditions and environmental issues)
 The inflammability of the oil employed.
Pneumatic actuators
Pneumatic actuators are also used in many engineering fields. They present the following
advantages:
 Good force and work densities, even though not as high as the hydraulic actuators,
able to perform strokes as long as needed like their hydraulic counterparts.
 Easily controllable,
 The power source providing the energy can be placed far away from the actuator
able to work at higher temperatures than hydraulic actuators.

Pneumatic actuators present the following drawbacks:

 Not able to work with pressures as high as the hydraulic actuators because of the
problems derived from the high compressibility of the gases.
 Less fast and less stiff against perturbations than their hydraulic counterparts.
 Less efficient than hydraulic actuators. It is caused by the losses of energy due to
the heat transfer (in the air cooling), higher leakage and worse lubrication which
occurs in the pneumatic systems.
Hydraulic and pneumatic systems
• Hydraulic and pneumatic systems are similar except that while a hydraulic system
uses an incompressible fluid as the working medium, a pneumatic system uses air,
which is basically compressible.
• Advantages of using air as the working medium are that it is readily available and no
recycling is necessary. It is nonflammable so that leakage does not create a threat to
safety. It has negligible change in viscosity, which controls the system‘s performance.
• The major advantage of a hydraulic system is the incompressibility of the fluid helps
in positive action or motion, and faster response, unlike pneumatic systems where
there are longer time delays.
 Hydraulic system

Hydraulic system-Block diagram

 Pneumatic system
Filter Off
Air Raise Lower
Air cooler Storage
and air reservoir
W
treatment B

Pressure A
switch Control
valve
Compressor PSI

3φ PSI Electric Exhaust

Opens when motor
pressure
reached

Pneumatic system-Block diagram

Directional control valve (DCV)

• Pneumatic and hydraulic systems use directional control valves to control the
direction of flow through the system.
• They may be activated by means of mechanical, electrical or fluid pressure signals.
• They can be designated by the number of ports and positions such as number of ports
and number of positions.
• For example a 4/2 valve means it has four ports and two positions.
• They are not intended to vary the rate of flow but are either completely open or
completely closed i.e, on/off devices.
 • These are activated to switch the fluid flow direction by means of mechanical,
electrical or fluid pressure signals.
Spool valve
• Common type of directional control valve is a spool valve.
• A spool moves horizontally within the valve body to control the flow.
spool

Port 3 Port 2
Spool valve Port 1
Vent to
Air supply
atmosphere

Port 3
Port 2 Port 1
Vent to
atmosphere Air supply
• The air supply is connected to port 1 and port 3 is closed.
• Thus the device is connected to port 2 can be pressurised.
• When the spool is moved to left the air supply is cut off and port 2 is connected to
port 3.
• Port 3 is a vent to the atmosphere and so the air pressure in the system attached to port
2 is vented.
Poppet valve
Valve symbols

• The symbol used for control valves consists of a square for each of its switching
position.

• A two position valve will have two squares, and three position valve have three
squares.

• Arrow-headed lines are used to indicate the direction of flow in each of the positions.

• Blocked –off line shows closed flow position.

• The line start from outside of the square shows the initial position of the valve.

• Ports are labelled by a number or a letter according to their function.

• The ports are labelled 1 or P for pressure supply.

• 3 or T for hydraulic return port.

• 3 or 5 (R or S) for pneumatic exhaust ports.

• 2 or 5 (B or A) for output ports.

Direction of flow Blockoff or closed

Initial connections

•
 2/2 Spool valve

3/2 spool valve

3/2 spool valve

Another type of DCV-Poppet valve

A
Area a P
(b) Symbol

(a) Construction
Pilot operated valve

When the pilot line is activated, compressed air flows into the control chamber. The air
pushes the flexible diaphragm down against the spring pressure. Now the piston connected to
diaphragm moves down to connect main air supply from P to outlet to port A. When pilot
valve is disengaged, pilot. line pressure falls and diaphragm and piston are moved up by
spring force. Air supply from port A is connected to exhaust port R in this position.

Directional valve or check valve

• Figure shows a simple directional valve and its symbol.
• Free flow can only occur in one direction through the valve , that which results in the
ball being pressed against the spring.
• Flow in the other direction is blocked by the spring forcing the ball against its seat.