Whats a rotary actuator?
A number of our readers have asked us to turn our attention to industrial hydraulic and pneumatic components more often. In response, this month we’ll take a look at rotary actuators–an important component frequently used in several types of materials handling applications. Rotary actuators convert hydraulic or pneumatic power into rotary motion. They may be used to operate conveyor gates, disappearing stops, or limited rotation valves, as well as to produce rotary machine motions. There are three main types of rotary actuators: lever-type, rack and pinion models, and vane actuators. Lever-type actuators use a hydraulic or pneumatic piston to move a lever that in turn moves the actuator’s output shaft, producing rotary motion. Units are generally…
