An actuator is a component of industrial automation that performs movement, such as opening valves, moving machines, and controlling processes. Essential in automated systems, actuators can be hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, or mechanical, each with specific advantages.
Electric actuators are devices that convert electrical energy into motion control, typically using electric motors. They are essential components in automation systems, where they generate controlled linear motion or rotary motion to operate machinery, control mechanisms, or perform precise adjustments in industrial processes.
Electric actuators are fundamental in a wide range of industrial, automotive, and robotics applications, where precision and control are essential. They operate using electric motors and may include feedback systems to adjust position, speed, and force.
This allows electric actuators to be used in automation systems such as control valves, industrial robots, and automated manufacturing equipment.
Electric actuators work by converting electrical energy into mechanical motion using motors (DC or AC) that drive components like gears, timing belts, and ball screws. These actuators transform the motor’s rotary motion into the required linear or rotary movement.
They are equipped with feedback systems such as position sensors (encoders or potentiometers), which monitor and adjust the movement in real time to ensure accuracy and control. This closed-loop feedback allows the actuator to automatically adjust its position, speed, and force, adapting to the specific needs of each application.
Electric actuators integrate easily with automation systems like PLCs and industrial networks (e.g., EtherCAT, Modbus), enabling remote and synchronized control in industrial processes. This combination of precision, control, and easy integration makes electric actuators the ideal choice for applications such as motion automation, valve actuation, and machine adjustments.
There are several types of electric actuators, each designed to meet specific needs in terms of motion, force, and application. Some of the main types include:
Belt-driven actuators are mechanical devices that perform linear movement using a toothed belt. This belt, typically made of materials like polyurethane reinforced with steel fibers, is driven by an electric motor connected to a pulley, which moves a carriage along a guide or rail, transferring the motion to the desired object.
These are mechanisms that convert rotary motion into linear motion using balls that roll between the screw and the nut. This design offers high efficiency and precision and is commonly used in systems where accurate positioning is critical.
They are quieter and more precise than belt-driven systems but require a higher investment.
These use a screw with a trapezoidal thread to convert rotation into linear motion. This type is known for its simplicity and robustness and is often used as a lower-cost alternative to ball screw actuators. They are ideal for vertical systems using motors without brakes.
Rotary actuators are devices that generate rotary motion. They vary in design and operating principle and may include electric motors, hydraulic motors, or even pneumatic actuators, depending on the application's specific requirements. They usually have an internal gear system that multiplies the torque from the main motor at the actuator’s output.
Cantilever linear electric actuators are systems designed to perform linear motion, where one end of the actuator is fixed and the other moves freely. This cantilever configuration allows the actuator’s body to move in relation to a stationary motor, enabling extended reach and flexibility in compact spaces. These actuators are particularly useful in industrial automation and manufacturing environments that require vertical linear displacement or access to hard-to-reach areas.
Electric drives are an important component in factory automation. They are often used in applications that require high flexibility and precise positioning. Electrical drive technology is therefore particularly suitable for free, flexible and precise positioning and for long distances of more than 1,000 mm at high speeds and short cycle times. Electric drives also consume less energy during movement than pneumatic drives, for example, and work without jerks.
You can find more products in our category: drives and actuators
Each application requires different mechanical motions – either linear or rotary. Our portfolio of electric drive components is extremely broad. In addition to electric linear actuators, cylinders and slides, you will also find electric rotary actuators, electric stoppers, electric handling modules and the right accessories.
Whether spindle axis, toothed belt axis or cantilever axis: the high load capacity and rigidity of the electric linear actuators from Festo are impressive. In addition, we offer toothed belt and spindle axis units as a complete solution – consisting of an integrated drive, motor and servo drive.
With our electric cylinders and slides, you can choose between a ball screw and a lead screw drive type. With strokes from 5 to 500 mm and sizes between 15 and 100, we offer the flexibility needed for different applications. Here, you will also find electric cylinder units and slide units as complete solutions.
We offer electric rotary actuators as rotary modules with toothed belts, as rotary drives with stepper motors and integrated gear units, as well as complete solutions as rotary drive units with integrated drives, motors and servo drives. The range also includes a front unit with an integrated rotary drive.
In automation technology, electric stoppers are used to stop or separate workpiece carriers or pallets during transport – for gentle, low-noise and safe stopping and for quick and easy configuration of transfer systems without compressed air. You can connect our stopper for conveyed goods from 0.25 to 100 kg directly to the PLC without an additional motor controller. Power supply, communication and logic processing functions are all integrated in the device itself.
In the field of electric drives in factory automation, we also offer custom electric handling systems. The complete handling unit of the rotary lifting module combines rotary and linear movements, with both movements being able to be positioned independently of one another. The rotary gripping module is ideal for gripping and rotating/aligning small objects in laboratory automation or the electronics industry.
Of course, we also offer the right accessories for our drives. This ranges from add-on parts for motor mounting, add-on parts for position sensing and add-on parts for protective devices, fastening elements and linear guides, all the way to accessories for cushioning and drive-specific accessories.