This is my first time posting. I am building a system in which I need to use a linear actuator. I don’t know too much about linear actuators at the moment, but hopefully I can get some help here. I know there are lots of types of linear actuators: servos, voice coils, solenoids, etc etc etc.
This is what I need:
Constant force
Minimum stroke length of 10 mm, preferably a stroke length of anywhere from 2 inches to 8 inches.
Minimum stroke speed of 3 m/s, preferably up to 6 m/s.
Any suggestions? Tips? Here are some sites I have found, but I have absolutely no reference point for whether they are good for my purposes:
To offer proper advice, it would be helpful for you to provide details concerning your project. At the very least, a short description of the project and its requirements would go a long way. If possible, you could also add some technical drawings, sketches, etc. If you do not have any, maybe link to a video of a similar project and explains the similarities/differences.
To attach files to your reply, you will need to be in Full editor mode. See the attached image below for details
You can browse our catalog of linear actuators here.
Since you need such high stroke speed, you will most likely need to look at professional/commercial grade equipment, not hobbyist-grade, which is most of what we have in our catalog at this time. Depending on the amount of force that you need, you may have to consider using hydraulic systems instead of purely electrical.
As mentioned above, without more details about your project, it is not possible to offer proper advice.
Hi, thank you for the reply! I am working on creating a system that will be used to investigate traumatic brain injury. I work in a neuroscience research lab, and we are developing therapies to treat brain trauma. We use an animal model of brain injury, in which we physically impact the brain. The following product is what we (and most of the field) use in TBI research:
That product uses a voice coil with a metal “impact tip” attached to the end. As a scientist, we anesthetize the animal, expose the brain, and then “impact” the brain using the impact device which is primarily the aforementioned voice coil. Leica doesn’t release the exact specs of what voice coil they have used.
I am not looking to mimic the Leica system exactly. I already have a Leica system, so I don’t want to make another one. Rather, I am looking to create a system that can be used in a more adaptable manner for the experiments I would like to run in my lab. For the experiments I’d like to run, it would be useful to build my own impactor device. The voice coil that Leica uses in their impactor device can reach speeds of up to 7 m/s, and its stroke length is 10 mm. I would like to reach similar speeds, but I would also like a longer stroke length than that if possible, maybe up to a few inches. Or, if another “linear actuator” can do the same thing that isn’t necessarily a “voice coil”, I would be open to any linear actuator that can meet these specs. The linear actuator will be used for animal research into traumatic brain injury and recovery from brain injury.
I don’t know how big voice coils and linear actuators get, but the one that Leica uses in their system is smaller than your fist, and I would expect/hope that the size of the voice coil/linear actuator that I procure would also be around that size.
Let me know if you’d like any more details and I would be happy to provide them!
Thank you for the extra details. This does help understanding better your requirements.
We do not currently sell any voice coils similar to what you need. That being said, you could convert a strong (but short) motion into a longer, faster one (with less force, obviously).
A good way to go about this is to use a solenoid, such as those found here and here. You can then create a mechanical setup that is attached to the solenoid movement, converting it from a short, strong one to a longer one (hence more velocity). Of course, this will require some thinking/planing on the mechanical side to implement something that matches your requirements.
Please note that the higher the voltage used (up to 36 V DC, in the case of the more powerful one), the higher the force produced.
