How to predict the lifetime of electric linear actuators

B10 test data can be used to estimate the lifetime of your electric linear actuators in industrial applications. Lifetime estimates not only helps predict application maintenance – it can also be an invaluable tool when deciding which actuator to use.

Let Hunter walk you through B10 Life, how you get the data for calculating the B10 values used for determining B10 Life, and what the main benefits are of knowing the B10 Life of your electric actuator.

What is B10 Life?

B10 Life is a metric used for estimating time to failure. The metric specifies a statistic value for the service life.

Put in other words, for actuators the B10 Life will show the point in time when 10% of the products are in the risk of failing. At the same time, the B10 value also shows, when there is a 90% probability of the actuator to meet the expected B10 Life, when used in accordance with product specifications. Also, the actuators must be configured identically.

There is still a 10% risk that a component can fail before reaching its B10 Life, and therefore, the B10 Life should not be considered a guarantee.

How do you get the data for calculating the B10 Life values?

The B10 Life values depend on many factors like temperature, vibration, load etc. that can all affect the lifetime of the actuator. At LINAK^®, the current B10 Life values are solely based on the load.

To determine the B10 Life of an actuator, we test a number of actuators – with the exact same specification and in identical scenarios – and let the test run until all the actuators fail. Upon completion of the test, the B10 Life curves can be generated based on the results.

You can get more details in the video below.

How do you find the actual B10 Life of an actuator?

The B10 Life value is found by testing groups of actuators at a certain load.

In real life however, many applications have load profiles, which means that the actuator has varying loads throughout the stroke.

In these cases, we need to determine the equivalent load to find the B10 Life.

You can learn how that is done in this video.

What are the benefits of knowing the B10 Life of your actuator?

The B10 Life values can help you design your application. At LINAK^®, the values offer a lifetime estimate for electric linear actuators used in an application, such as off-highway vehicles, industrial automation applications, and agricultural machinery. B10 life not only helps in selecting which actuator to use – it can also be an invaluable tool for predicting maintenance.

Did you know?

B10 Life is a metric used to predict lifetime with a statistical service life indication. It shows, when there is a 90% probability of the actuator to meet the expected lifetime, when used in accordance with product specifications. However, it also shows that 10% might fail.

When predicting the lifetime of electric linear actuators, it is necessary to have a substantial amount of test cycle data. Therefore, a considerable test centre capacity and a great deal of patience are needed, when you work with very durable actuators. This is the only way you can achieve a true and realistic lifecycle prediction. You can try our B10 lifetime calculator on our LA36 actuator here.