Hi all,
I am thinking of using these linear actuators for my project has anyone seen these yet or used them and also what is the cost?
I have sent an email to the company but are yet to gain a reply.
David
Looks pretty nifty but other than that don’t know enough to comment.
don,t see the convenience factor happenin’ servos are more appealing to me.
Over a year ago I sent them emails that were never answered. I’m not sure what the site is for, because you can’t buy from it. 
They have a toll free number on this page. You might want to try calling them for more information.
Well Guys I received a reply. and basically they arer in production in may. Definately worth a look I would think.
*Dear David,
Thank you for your inquiry. Our micro linear actuator product line is fairly new, and is quite unique in it’s ability to offer limit switching and positional control in very small cylindrical packages. Our actuators are targeted primarily at volume OEM applications, but will also be available from our web site in small quantities. We do not yet have a distributor in the UK.
Attached are data sheets for our first two actuator products, the LS-9 and the PQ-12. The PQ-12 model will be in production at the end of May, with the LS-9 following a few weeks later. I will send you an email to let you know when the actuaturs are available for order.
How did you hear about Firgelli micro actuators?
Best regards,
Ron Klopfer
Firgelli Technologies Inc.
+1 (206) 347-9684 ext.710
[email protected]*
Hmmm…
Very interesting!
A couple observations concerning the PQ-12 and PQ-12s.
power: It seems quite beefy (4lbs and 2lbs, respectively).
stroke: An inch isn’t much, but it isn’t bad for the 3" x 1" frame.
With the proper implimentation, an inch could be useable for us.
speed: Slow, compared to servos.
I’d definitely chose the PQ-12s, simply because it can do a full stroke in about a second.
Anything more than that would probably be unuseable.
voltage: Low, which is a plus.
Also, 5V is a standard power-supply voltage.
draw: Not bad.
If I’m guessing that “peak power” equates to a stalled actuator, then 300mAh is chump-change.
feedback: Very sweet.
A big seller, since DIY would be difficult.
feedback error: Quite good.
If you think about it, 1% of 20 mm is .5mm.
Roughly the width of a grain of sand.
weight: 1/6 of a pound.
A bit heavier than your standard servo, but not by much.
duty cycle: Uh-oh.
20% doesn’t seem like much.
However, that might just be company inflation of safety factors to cover their butts.
I run my servos 50% of the time and rest the other 50% (perhaps I’m pushing it, though).
I guess if we can get around the small stroke-size and duty cycle, these would be great.
Perhaps after a couple burnouts, we’ll have a better gauge of the true duty cycle.
And, with any luck, Jim will make a LAES (Linear Actuator Erector Set) for us.
Nickreiser,
Thanks for the great reply.
Looking at the website and the datasheets they also say that it is possible to make custom versions of this. I would assume that they could easily make longer stroke versions sometime in the future which would be real good to us.
I think what atracts me is it could offer different packaging solutions at the joints.
Hopefully they can get thest o the market soon enough and they are at a reasonable price fro us to make use of.
David
Don’t know if anyone noticed, but prices and availability has recently been put online on the site…
Think they’re pretty pricey though…
Robotshop.ca here in Canada sells the firgelli. I just ordered the last PQ-12s a couple days ago. They were out of stock for awhile on both but I checked them before christmas and they got 1 of the 12s’s in stock so I grabbed it.
I’ll post how they work when it gets here.
We’re expecting a full report on them once you get a chance to play with them. They do seem awfully pricey for what you get, but for all I know, they might actually be worth it.
I received a couple of the 12’s for evaluation. I will let you know what I can get them to do. I haven’t had a chance to do anything but look at them so far. 
looking at the schematic im thinking hook it up to a servo board, although now that i think about it the standard pot in a servo is 5k i believe.
anxiously awaiting someones report
nick