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Need a step-by-step guide to choosing your linear actuators? We have compiled the info you need to make the best choice for actuators in your home automation project. Contact Progressive Automations with any questions you may have. We're happy to help.
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Actuate This!
Everything you need to know about asking the right questions, selecting force, stroke length, speed and all the other considerations before you invest in any electric linear actuator for your home automation.
The Definitive Guide to Selecting the Right Electric Actuator for Home Automation
The Moment of Truth
This is the question that will affect your entire project. Don’t poorly plan this portion, because you may run into problems down the road. If you’re automating your television so it pops up out of a box or chest, do you want to be able to sit down on your couch and use a remote? If you are automating parts of your kitchen, will the system be close to water or other hazards? Take your automation function from start to finish. What are the some of the engineering hurdles
you’ll have to move around to make this project work?
List Everything!
List out all the potential problems, and solve them on paper before seeking out products. Once you have planned out the function, you can start thinking about the type of actuator that will perform the best for your project.
Ask an Engineer
If you want an extra set of eyes on your project, call your actuator manufacturer before you purchase and explain what you are trying to automate. They will have the resources and the experience to give you some solid suggestions
More Help
Check out this interview with Toni Klopfenstein on home automation to help answer some of your automation function questions.
Asking the Right Questions
‘How do I want my automation to function?’
Force Considerations
This should be a relatively easy question to answer. You should be able to find out what weight of your entire project is fairly easily. Take into account every component that will be lifted by the actuator. Are there components that may be attached only some of the time to the automation project?
Finding Force Without a Scale
So, your bathroom scale can’t fit your entire project. That’s okay. It might take some simple mathematical equations, but there are a number of ways to find out the weight of something if you know the volume. Don’t know the volume? That’s okay too. Measure the length, width and height of the object and multiply the numbers together. L x W x H. You now have your volume. You can now use the equation: mass = density x volume. If you don’t know what your
density is, you can consult any number of density tables on the internet. Go to Google and type in ‘density table for [oak, pine, plastic or whatever your material is]’. Go ahead. We’ll wait here. Have your density now? Fantastic. Now complete the equation and you have your weight. When you are solving this equation, measure everything twice. If your weight calculations are off, it can affect your entire project. It’s better to spec over than under.
Understanding the Total Force of Your Project
Use the Force
Finding the Length
The next part is finding the ideal stroke length for your actuator. Too short, and your project won’t function. Too long, and you might end up putting too much pressure on the actuator motor. This can result in motor overheating and your project ending in a heap of broken parts and tears.
Measuring the Stroke
If you don’t know your stroke length, you can find it easily. Measure the length between your project when it’s fully retracted and fully extended. This will give you your required stroke length. Easy, huh? Take into account how long the actuator itself will be and where
the mounting brackets will be placed. Each manufacturer will have different specifications for their actuators.
Different Strokes for Different…
Considering the Stroke Length
Fast Motion
Every project will have different requirements for speed. All actuators will have limitations on the available speeds. If you are using a heavy-duty linear actuator, the max speed limit will be relatively low. Just keep in mind that the more you want to push, the
lower the speed will be. The manufacturer should be able to tell you what the no-load speed is and what the max-load speed is. The product specifications should identify what both speeds are. Count it Out Actuators are measured in inches per second. If you don’t
know how fast you want your actuators to be – count it out. Count how many seconds it takes for your project to get from its retracted length to its extended length. When thinking about your actuator speed, keep in mind that if you select something too slow, you might get frustrated when it doesn’t open or close fast enough for you.
Getting a Handle on Actuator Speeds
The Need for Speed
What You Should Be Considering
Mounting can be a tricky process. When you have a limited amount of space for your actuator, you might have to get creative. There are commonly a few options when it comes to mounting an actuator. The first option is a bracket. A bracket will attach to the actuator and to the base of the project. A bracket should have at least 180-degrees of flexibility. That way you
can mount the actuator in the ideal position for the project. The second option is to get mounting brackets that fasten along the stroke of the actuator rather than at the ends. This is good if your actuator will be mounted on the wall of a project. For additional support, you can use both mounting options.
The Mount
Thinking About How You’ll Mount Your Actuators
Wired or Wireless – That Is the Question
Control options are varied. Your project function will help determine what kind of control you require. For many home automation projects, the preferred method is wireless control. Wireless remotes are portable with a few simple buttons to control retracting and extending your actuators. Wired remotes can be more cost efficient, and they can also prevent instances of “Where the hell is my remote!?”
Foot Control
Some manufacturers may offer foot controls if that’s what your fancy is. These keep both hands free and allow for better control.
Rock and Roll Switches
There are two types of rocker switches for actuator control. The first, a momentary switch, has only two positions. It will stop the moment you take your hand off the switch. The second, a non-momentary switch, has three positions. It will retract or extend until you put the switch back in the ‘off’ position.
These switches can be mounted on your application, on a wall or another place you find ideal.
The Box
You can opt for a simple control box that moves just one actuator, or you can opt for a box that controls multiple actuators. For actuator junkies, control boxes are available that control up to 12 actuators at once. Don’t overdose. If you are controlling two actuators at once, they can be controlled together (simultaneously) or separately (non-simultaneously). The option you choose depends on your function.
Selecting the Right Control Box
Take Control
Battery Powered and Wall-Powered Awesome-ness
Now that you know what kind of control over your home automation project you want, you can move on to the power. This is an easy choice, because you’ve only two options. AC or DC. Either you want your project to be moveable or you plan on keeping it stationary for its lifetime.
Volts and Amperage
Again, every project may be different. Think about how much voltage and amperage your project will need before you start buying products and plugging them in. You could end up with a brand new, unwanted hairstyle. If you’re unsure of the power requirements, call up the actuator manufacturer and let them know what you’re trying to do.
Picking a Control Box
From the last two slides, you should now have a pretty good idea about what kind of control box will fit your project.
Quest for Power
Understanding AC/DC, Voltage and Amperage
Ingress, What?
We won’t blame if you’ve never thought about what kind of ingress protection your project needs.
Ingress Protection is a set of two numbers (on rare occasions three) that determined what kind of environments your actuator may or may not be used in. The following table is an
explanation of what the numbers of each IP rating mean.
No. Solid Liquid
0 No protection No protection
1 Protection from solid objects over 50mm. Protection against vertical water droplets and condensation.
2 Protection from solid objects over 12.5mm. Protection from falling water droplets.
3 Protection from solid objects over 2.5mm. Protection from water spray in any direction.
4 Protection from solid objects over 1.0mm. Protection from water splash in any direction.
5 Some protection against dust. Protection from low pressure water jets.
6 Complete protection from dust. Protection from high pressure water jets.
7 n/a Protection from water immersion for short periods.
8 n/a Protection from water immersion for long periods.
9 n/a Protection from close- range, high pressure, high temp sprays.
Ingress Protection Matters
IP and Certification Armor
We’re not talking about finding color coordinated drapes that match your project. We’re talking the awesome power of complete control over how your actuators function. There are any number of actuator accessories available. These are just a few that can be found.
Speed Controllers
They won’t let your actuator go over its max-speed, but they do have the ability to slow down your actuators if you find they are moving too fast. Boots
These are fantastic for outdoor automation. They are a simple, rubber boot that provides you actuators with extra protection from the elements.
Programmable Timers
These are meant to keep your actuators moving for a specified amount of time. You can walk away for a day and your actuators will keep on moving along.
Selecting Your Accessories
Accessorize
You Get What You Pay For
Price will always come into the mix. There’s not a whole lot to say about this except that if you choose an actuator solely based on its price alone, you might be getting a product that doesn’t function. Price is at the end of this presentation because, ideally, you should be thinking about
everything else before you get into price considerations. Put it at the front and you’re severely limiting your options. That being said, you don’t have to spend a whack load of money to get an actuator that functions the way you want it to. There is always a reasonable middle ground.
When thinking about automation,
take into account the amount of money you stand to save because of automation. If you’re automating windows to close when the temperature reaches a certain spot, how much money do you stand to save? When will the price of your actuators be recouped from the savings?
Thinking About Price
The Cost of Automation
By now you should have an actuator that will match your function. If you’re still unsure about any of this, you can give us a call and explain your needs. We’re here to answer all of your questions and find you an actuator that best suits your needs.
No upselling. No pressure. Just an actuator that delivers what it promises.
That’s it.
http://www.actuatorzone.com1.800.676.6123
Mission Complete