Actuators are a critical component to the automation process. In fact, most of the heavy lifting for liquids, gases and discrete motion control is done by actuators. There is an important distinction, however, between actuator applications: process and discrete. The differences in these two worlds are vast, and it can be challenging for personnel inside of these two worlds to effectively communicate. This is where Valin’s expertise takes over.
In the process industries, for example, there are control valves with actuators specifically designed to open, close and control them. There are two types of process actuators to discuss: Pneumatic and Electromechanical. Pneumatic actuators are known for better performance in many instances, but there are situations where these are not a feasible option due to the lack of air supply. In these circumstances, the electromechanical actuator may be a better option. When air supply is not an issue, however, the pneumatic actuator is often preferred.
The discrete automation world is a bit different. In this industry, pneumatics is the least expensive option with the lowest expected performance. Between the leaks, high maintenance requirement and performance limitations, operators prefer to keep everything electric If possible. Thus, in the world of discrete automation, electromechanical actuators have a higher performance and lower maintenance.
So where does the crossover happen?In the process industries, sometimes the available pneumatic solutions do not meet the given application’s performance criteria. In these scenarios, an electromechanical solution may be the better option. Or perhaps you want to be able to control the speed of a valve’s closing or opening better…perhaps slower, faster, or some combination of speeds. In this case, the motion control capability of a servo-controlled electromechanical actuator from the discreet automation world is ideal. The challenge is having enough expertise in both worlds to recognize this and be able to make that pivot as needed.
What applications would benefit from electromechanical servo-motor controlled actuators? Any application where the customer would receive financial benefits from higher performance. These benefits could be higher accuracy, better repeatability, more controlled motion, or lower maintenance that result in an improved bottom-line performance.
The key is to have the most comprehensive understanding of the electromechanical options even if you don’t necessarily come from the discrete automation world. The specifying can be a little nuanced as there are environmental considerations, and the manual override works much differently.
So, the next time you’re in a situation where you’re looking for an actuator and the traditional designs aren’t necessarily meeting your needs, it may be time to branch out into other industries to find the proper solution.
We contributed an even more in depth look into this topic to Processing Magazine. You can read the full article
here.
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