Episode# 68: What is an Electro-Hydraulic Actuator?

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The Motion Control Show

What is an Electro-Hydraulic Actuator?

• Hydraulic Actuation
  • Episode 67: What is a Hydraulic Actuator?
     
• System Components for Hydraulics
  • Which components aren’t needed for an electro-hydraulic system?
    • Hydraulic Power Units (HPUs), hoses, and fittings
    • Valves, accumulators, and regulators
       
• Electro-Hydraulic actuator designs
  • Servo motor with a closed system containing the liquid controlled by a pump
  • Still includes a reservoir to hold liquid that is used to move the actuator
     
• How do we maintain fluid in an Electro-Hydraulic actuator?
  • No maintenance required
  • No vents so can be used in any orientation
  • Sealed so never exposed to air, therefore never oxidizes
  • Since not being constantly circulated, don’t get the shear damage that is typical
     
• Feedbacks and dual-loop feedback architectures
  • Encoder feedback from the servo motor doesn’t correlate to precision actuator motion
  • Feedback from the actuator allows for more precise motion
  • Can even use tertiary feedback
  • Types of feedback used at the actuator
    • Position
    • Pressure internally
    • Force
       
• Flexibility in design
  • Lack of mechanical tie between the motor and actuator provides more flexibility
  • Allows for many different angles and combinations for the motor/actuator combination
     
• Pros of Electro-Hydraulic actuators
  • Flexibility
  • Minimal fluid vs Hydraulics
    • Ounces vs Gallons of fluid
  • Advantages of Hydraulics
  • Advantages of Electric
     
• Cons of Electro-Hydraulic actuators
  • Dual-loop feedback
    • This also provides more capability and control
  • Package size at the actuator location

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