Electromechanical actuators instead of hydraulics

Actuators move components in a system by converting energy into physical movement. Electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic actuators are used in various industries – from robotics and machine manufacturing to aerospace. August Steinmeyer, a company of the Steinmeyer Group, offers an efficient, clean, and economical alternative to hydraulics with its ball screws.

"Electromechanical actuators are highly efficient and, in many cases, are an adequate replacement for hydraulic systems," explains Jens-Uwe Gühring, Sales Manager at August Steinmeyer GmbH and Co. KG. "With our ball screws, we offer a quiet, clean, environmentally friendly, and technically sophisticated alternative to the electrification of machines and systems – even in small quantities." Depending on the application, the manufacturer offers either heavy-duty ball screws that enable position-dependent control – or differential roller screws with indirect control, which are suitable for pure infeed.

Heavy-Duty Ball Screws (KGT)

August Steinmeyer designed the heavy-duty versions of its ball screws from the ground up for a specific application: the highly precise positioning of heavy loads with a servo drive and high repeatability. The high load capacity of the installed components is particularly important. To ensure high load capacity, the manufacturer adapts the material, ball diameter, nut body, and especially the flange to the high forces during design. FEM calculations simulate the load transmission. While a higher pitch and higher torque are required than with the differential roller screw, they also enable high travel speeds.

Differential Roller Screws (DRS)

Differential roller screws are becoming increasingly important in electromechanical drive technology as an alternative to hydraulics. They are used wherever rotary motion needs to be easily and reliably converted into linear motion. Ball screws are not only oil-free and highly efficient, they are also characterized by high efficiency, a simple, robust design, and low wear, offering considerable design flexibility.

The continuous rotation of all components has a positive effect on noise generation and smooth running. Another advantage is the low feed pitch of the nut, allowing for high transmission ratios and low torque requirements. Unlike heavy-duty ball screws, preloadable differential roller screws are not controlled directly, but indirectly – positioning is possible via linear displacement measurements, the detection of compressive forces or torques, or, in the simplest case, via limit switches.