If you want to learn how actuator housings are designed according to the performance of an actuator, and what features are added to ensure the ingress protection and quality of a LINAK® industrial actuator, our expert Hunter Stephenson explains the essentials in this video.
What are the main differences between plastic and aluminium housings?
Actuator housings are typically made of either plastic or aluminium. Actuators with plastic housings are suitable for a wide range of mainly indoor applications. Aluminium housings help protect an actuator from harsh environments, such as fluctuating temperatures, chemicals, high forces, and vibrations.
An actuator with plastic housing is very suitable for use in a wide range of machinery. It should be noted that in case of frequent temperature fluctuations, plastic relaxation can occur, and the actuator's ingress protection can diminish over time. If used in harsh environments, an industrial actuator with an aluminium housing is recommendable.
An actuator with aluminium housing offers a high IP rating, and its form is unaffected by prolonged temperature fluctuations or chemicals, making it ideal for use in harsh environments.
There are many benefits of using an aluminium housing, and if the actuator is intended to operate under tough use conditions, then you should always take the housing design into consideration.
How does actuator housing design ensure actuator performance?
The design of actuator housings is highly influential when it comes to the performance of the actuators: The back fixture can either be welded on the housing itself or be attached as a separate stainless-steel back-fixture.
In either case, the push/pull forces created when moving a load will travel differently through the actuator and its housing. Actuators handling higher loads are usually designed with a separate back fixture to ensure that the housing is not directly exposed to the force. Higher loads in combination with vibrations can damage the housing and reduce the actuator’s ingress protection.
How do environmental factors influence housing design?
Actuators for operation in harsh environments, such as high or low temperatures, corroding chemicals, or vibrations, must be designed accordingly.
Industrial actuators include several features that help ensure their durability and the highest possible Ingress Protection rating (IP69K): aluminium housings, coated PCBs to protect the electronics, polished inner tubes to reduce the moisture ingress, specially selected cork sealings for harsh environments and dust explosive environments (ATEX and IECEx).
The surface of aluminium housings for LINAK® industrial actuators is resistant to corrosion, and cables are easily replaced without compromising the actuator’s IP rating. In certain cases, where an actuator is in touch with extremely corrosive materials or exposed to vapours, such as fertilizers and ammoniac, we recommend choosing an anodised housing, as it comes with a special coating.
Industrial electric linear actuators with aluminium housings are often exposed to both liquids and solid objects. That is why they are all tested for compliance with IP66 and IP69K ratings, making them highly versatile in various applications.
IP66 rated actuators offer complete protection against dust ingress and protection against powerful water jets from any direction, making them suitable for outdoor use with changing weather conditions.
If your application requires wash-downs with high-pressure water jets and high temperatures, IP69K is the recommended protection class. This is a common requirement in, for example, agricultural machinery, where the actuator is not necessarily shielded or protected, but must be able to withstand exposure to dirt, fertiliser, and frequent high-pressure washing.
