This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Actuator" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR(August 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
An actuator is a component of a machine that produces force, torque, or displacement, usually in a controlled way, when an electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic input is supplied to it in a system (called an actuating system).[1] An actuator converts such an input signal into the required form of mechanical energy. It is a type of transducer.[2] In simple terms, it is a "mover".
An actuator requires a control device (controlled by control signal) and a source of energy. The control signal is relatively low energy and may be electric voltage or current, pneumatic, or hydraulic fluid pressure, or even human power.[3] In the electric, hydraulic, and pneumatic sense, it is a form of automation or automatic control.
The displacement achieved is commonly linear or rotational, as exemplified by linear motors and rotary motors, respectively. Rotary motion is more natural for small machines making large displacements. By means of a leadscrew, rotary motion can be adapted to function as a linear actuator (a linear motion, but not a linear motor).
Another broad classification of actuators separates them into two types: incremental-drive actuators and continuous-drive actuators. Stepper motors are one type of incremental-drive actuators. Examples of continuous-drive actuators include DC torque motors, induction motors, hydraulic and pneumatic motors, and piston-cylinder drives (rams).[4]
^Escudier, Marcel; Atkins, Tony (2019). "A Dictionary of Mechanical Engineering". Oxford Reference. doi:10.1093/acref/9780198832102.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-883210-2.
^Butterfield, Andrew J.; Szymanski, John, eds. (2018). "A Dictionary of Electronics and Electrical Engineering". Oxford Reference. doi:10.1093/acref/9780198725725.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-872572-5.
^Nesbitt, B. (2011). Handbook of Valves and Actuators: Valves Manual International. Elsevier Science. p. 2. ISBN 978-0-08-054928-6. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
^Clarence W. de Silva. Mechatronics: An Integrated Approach (2005). CRC Press. p. 761.
or hydraulic input is supplied to it in a system (called an actuating system). An actuator converts such an input signal into the required form of mechanical...
A linear actuator is an actuator that creates linear motion (i.e., in a straight line), in contrast to the circular motion of a conventional electric...
internal combustion engine Actuation, a type of self-realization referred to in Aristotle's philosophy of entelechy. Actuator This disambiguation page lists...
A rotary actuator is an actuator that produces a rotary motion or torque. The simplest actuator is purely mechanical, where linear motion in one direction...
An idle air control actuator or idle air control valve (IAC actuator/valve) is a device commonly used in fuel-injected vehicles to control the engine's...
quarter-turn vane-type actuator produces torque to provide rotary motion to operate a quarter-turn valve. A pneumatic actuator may be arranged to be spring-closed...
The motion can be rotary or linear, depending on the type of actuator. A pneumatic actuator mainly consists of a piston or a diaphragm which develops the...
pivot of the actuator. The head support arm is very light, but also stiff; in modern drives, acceleration at the head reaches 550 g. The actuator is a permanent...
Intelligent Actuator, Japan Global HQ IAI European Headquarters, iai-automation.com Intelligent Actuator, USA website Intelligent Actuator, Taiwan website...
A moving magnet actuator is a type of electromagnetic linear actuator. It typically consists of an arrangement of a mobile permanent magnet and fixed...
Boot Actuator allows for monitoring and management capabilities for the Spring Boot Application. A major advantage of using the Spring Boot Actuator is...
Plasma actuators are a type of actuator currently being developed for aerodynamic flow control. Plasma actuators impart force in a similar way to ionocraft...
EAPs can exhibit up to a 380% strain, which is much more than any ceramic actuator. One of the most common applications for EAPs is in the field of robotics...
Actuate may refer to: Actuate Corporation The action of an actuator This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Actuate. If an internal...
actuator, where the rotation of a shaft powered by hand or by a motor is converted to linear motion. The rack carries the full load of the actuator directly...
(table sugar), DNA, viral proteins, including those from bacteriophage. An actuator based on wood fibers, called cellulose fibers, has been reported. D33 responses...
dynamics, momentum theory or disk actuator theory is a theory describing a mathematical model of an ideal actuator disk, such as a propeller or helicopter...
so-called micro-scale actuators. Investigations demonstrated that per actuator, induced velocities from the micro-scale plasma actuator are comparable to...
Actuate Corporation is a publicly traded reporting, analytics and customer communications software company based in San Mateo, California, part of the...
A rigid belt actuator, also known as a push-pull belt actuator or zipper belt actuator, is a specialized mechanical linear actuator used in push-pull and...
For example, an actuator which uses a gear train may have some backlash, which means that if the direction of motion of the actuator reverses, there will...
The term bimorph is most commonly used with piezoelectric bimorphs. In actuator applications, one active layer contracts and the other expands if voltage...
the actuator has a rod extending from both sides of the piston and out both ends of the barrel. The piston rod connects the hydraulic actuator to the...
chain actuator, known variously as a linear chain actuator, push-pull chain actuator, electric chain actuator or column-forming chain actuator, is a specialized...
A helical band actuator, generally known by the trademark Spiralift, is a complex and specialized linear actuator used in stage lifts and material handling...
inexpensive, because it needs only one actuator), or single actuators. Single-actuator systems require one actuator for each shifting sleeve (which is why...
types of actuators in humanoid robots. These actuators are smaller in size, and a single electric actuator may not produce enough power for a human-sized...
piezoelectric actuator. Amplified Piezoelectric Actuators European Space Agency, Published March 1998. Introduction to Piezoelectric Actuators Kenji Uchino...