Neometrix / Electromechanical Actuators / Electromechanical Actuator / NMX-EMA-47

NMX-EMA-47 · ENGINEERED-TO-ORDER CLASS — PROFILE · SIZE · BUILD · TUNE · PROVE · RECORD

Electromechanical Actuator. Sized by its duty, not its peak.

Name: Electromechanical Actuator
Brand: Neometrix
SKU: NMX-EMA-47

An electromechanical actuator is a motor that has been taught to push. A screw turns the motor's rotation into a straight push, and a drive tells the motor how hard and how fast.

So the machine has two jobs. It must push the load as the duty asks, and it must survive doing it, cycle after cycle, without cooking its motor or wearing out its screw.

Discuss an electromechanical actuator Capability note (PDF)

A single electromechanical linear actuator lying on two grey support blocks on a test bench: a slim brushed aluminium body, a polished stainless rod ending in a plain clevis eye, and a compact dark grey servo motor with an encoder cap bolted in line at the other end with one black cable and connector, and no people

Fig · 01 — An electromechanical linear actuator: a servo motor in line with the body, a screw inside, and a rod ending in a clevis eye — illustrative render.

The screw

ball or rollerchosen by load and life

The motor

servo, sized by dutypeak and continuous torque

The drive

three loops, tunedon the real actuator

The record

force, stroke and heatone record per actuator

Status

engineered to orderno actuator yet delivered

ISO 9001ISO 14001ISO 3408 ball screw referenceIEC 61800 drive reference

Overview

Why an actuator is sized by its duty, not its peak.

Because a force rating is a promise for a moment. The motor, the screw and the drive are each limited by what they must do over the whole cycle.

Fig · 02 — The actuator in one picture: a drive that commands the motor, a motor that turns the screw, and a nut that pushes the load along.

A force rating is for a moment. The duty is for a lifetime.

What the actuator is for

It moves a load along a straight line to a commanded position, with a commanded force, and holds it there. It does this with a motor, a screw and a drive, and no fluid.

Why the screw matters

The screw turns rotation into push, and it sets the life. A ball screw is simple and efficient. A roller screw carries more load and lasts longer in the same size, at a higher cost.

Why the duty cycle decides the size

A force rating says what the actuator can push once. The duty cycle says how often, how fast and for how long. The motor is sized from that whole picture: its peak torque for the hardest moment, and its continuous torque for the heat of the average.

Why heat is the quiet limit

A motor makes heat that grows with the torque it holds, even when it is not moving. An actuator that holds a load for long periods can overheat while barely moving, so the holding load is part of the duty.

Why a brake is part of the design

A screw with little friction can be driven backwards by its load. Where the load must stay put when power is lost, a holding brake is needed, and it is sized and tested like any other part.

Why the drive is not an accessory

The drive closes three loops: current inside, speed around it, position outside. Poor tuning makes the actuator hunt or lag whatever the screw is, so the drive is tuned on the real actuator under its real load.

The method

Profile, size, build, tune, prove, and record.

Six steps in a fixed order. The two shaded steps are the ones a catalogue pick skips.

FIG · 02ELECTROMECHANICAL ACTUATOR · PROFILE / SIZE / BUILD / TUNE / PROVE / RECORD — SIZED BY THE WHOLE DUTY CYCLE, NOT BY A PEAK FORCE

The step people underrate is the profile. An actuator chosen from a peak force alone has never been asked whether it can survive the cycle.

Fig · 03 — Three ways an actuator fails its duty: it overheats, it wears out, or it hunts — a drawing of the idea, with no values.

1 · Profile

The load, the speed and the dwell are drawn for the whole cycle, not only for the hardest moment.

2 · Size

The motor, the screw and the drive are chosen together from that profile, with margin on both the peak and the heat.

3 · Build

The housing, guides, end stops, brake and feedback are built around a screw that takes push only.

4 · Tune

The three loops are tuned on the real actuator under its real load, not on a model of it.

5 · Prove

Stroke, force, response and endurance are tested, with the motor temperature kept all the way through.

6 · Record

Force, stroke and heat are kept, one record for each actuator.

Work content

What the actuator contains, element by element.

Read it as a checklist: an actuator missing a row will buy that row back later, usually as a failure at the end of travel.

A single long ground steel screw shaft with a fine continuous thread and one cylindrical steel nut with a round flange and four bolt holes part way along it, resting on a grey bench, and no people

Fig · 04 — A precision screw and its nut, the part that turns rotation into push and sets the life of the actuator — illustrative render.

Element	What it does	What matters
Screw & nut	turn rotation into push	ball or roller, chosen from the load and the life, with preload where stiffness matters
Servo motor	turns the screw	sized from peak and continuous torque, with the heat of holding counted
Drive & controller	close the three loops	current, speed and position loops, tuned on the real actuator under load
Feedback	reports position and speed	an encoder or resolver on the motor, and a position sensor on the output where accuracy matters
Housing & guides	carry the side loads	the screw takes push only, so guides and anti-rotation take everything else
End stops & limits	protect the ends of travel	soft limits in the drive and hard stops in the housing, so a fault cannot drive the nut into the end
Holding brake	holds the load without power	sized to hold, tested to hold, and released by the drive
Seals & lubrication	keep the screw clean and greased	a seal that suits the environment, and a lubrication plan the user can follow
Cables & connectors	carry power and feedback	routed so that they are not flexed at the end of travel
Procedure	fixes the sequence	profile, size, build, tune, prove and record, the same for every actuator
Testing & documentation	prove it on the real duty	stroke, force, response and endurance tests with the temperature kept, and a record the customer can inspect

The element that decides whether an actuator survives is not the motor. It is the screw. A screw chosen for the average load meets the peak every cycle, and it wears out early.

Fig · 05 — One design, three duties: slow and strong, fast and light, and holding for long, with the duty picking the screw and the motor.

Full specification — expand

Actuator	A servo motor with feedback; a ball or roller screw and nut; a housing with guides, anti-rotation and end stops; a holding brake where the load must be held without power; a servo drive with current, speed and position loops tuned on the real actuator; seals and lubrication; cables and connectors; a written procedure; and testing and documentation before handover
The One Idea	A force rating says what an actuator can push once. The duty cycle says whether it can keep on pushing
Why The Screw Matters	The screw turns rotation into push and sets the life: a ball screw is simple and efficient, and a roller screw carries more load and lasts longer in the same size, at a higher cost
Why The Duty Cycle Decides The Size	A force rating says what the actuator can push once, while the duty cycle says how often, how fast and for how long, so the motor is sized from the whole picture, with peak torque for the hardest moment and continuous torque for the heat of the average
Why Heat Is The Quiet Limit	A motor makes heat that grows with the torque it holds, even when it is not moving, so an actuator that holds a load for long periods can overheat while barely moving
Why A Brake Is Part Of The Design	A screw with little friction can be driven backwards by its load, so where the load must stay put when power is lost a holding brake is needed, sized and tested like any other part
Why The Drive Is Not An Accessory	The drive closes three loops, current inside, speed around it and position outside, and poor tuning makes the actuator hunt or lag whatever the screw is, so the drive is tuned on the real actuator under its real load
Standards	ISO 3408 is the public reference for ball screws, IEC 60034 is the public reference for rotating electrical machines, and IEC 61800 is the public reference for adjustable speed electrical power drive systems. None of them sets the force, the speed or the life of a particular actuator: those come from the customer's duty, and this page prints none of it. Approval of the finished actuator for any regulated use rests with the customer and the authority they name; none is claimed here
Configurations	A complete actuator with its motor, screw and housing, an actuator with its servo drive and feedback, and a multi-axis system of several actuators on one controller
Scope Boundary	This is the actuator that pushes with a motor, a screw and a drive. It is not a hydraulic actuator (see servo-hydraulic actuators), not a bench that tests actuators (see servo-hydraulic actuator test bench), not a motion platform (see dynamic motion tilt test platform), and not a motor or a drive on its own: those are catalogue items, bought in
Status	Neometrix has quoted against successive electromechanical actuator requirements, and no delivered electromechanical actuator is claimed.

Configurations

One method, three ways to supply the actuator.

The method, the record and the sizing rule are shared. What changes is how much of the system around the actuator is supplied.

Complete actuator

Motor, screw and housing

A finished linear actuator with its motor, screw, housing and rod, sized to the customer's duty.

Actuator with drive

Ready to be commanded

The actuator supplied with its servo drive, feedback and tuning, so it arrives ready to take a command.

Multi-axis system

Several on one controller

Several actuators on one controller with a shared safety circuit, for platforms and loading rigs.

Fig · 06 — Three ways to supply the actuator, one method: a complete actuator, an actuator with its drive, or a multi-axis system.

And the part that is not equipment at all, yet decides all three: the duty profile. It is drawn first, it sizes everything that follows, and it is the standard the finished actuator is proved against.

Where it is used

Wherever a load has to be pushed and pushed again.

The common thread is a machine that must repeat a push for years, where a fluid line would be a nuisance.

Positioning heavy loads

Where a heavy load is moved to a commanded position and held there.

Test and simulation rigs

Where actuators drive motion platforms and loading rigs through long, repeated profiles.

Machinery and handling

Where the moving parts of a machine need a clean push with no fluid in it.

Where hydraulics is unwelcome

Where a pump, a line or a leak is unwelcome and electrical power is to hand.

FAQ

Common questions.

Longer answers, for readers who want the reasoning.

Q · 01 Why choose an electromechanical actuator over a hydraulic one?

Because there is no pump, no line and no fluid to leak, and the push is controlled electrically and finely. The price is that a screw carries the load through a few small contacts, so shock loads and very large forces are harder on it than on a hydraulic actuator. Which is right depends on the force, the duty and the site, and this page does not pick one for you: the servo-hydraulic actuators page covers the other choice.

Q · 02 Ball screw or roller screw?

A ball screw is simple, efficient and cheaper, and it suits moderate forces at moderate to high speeds. A roller screw has many more contact points, so in the same size it carries more load, is stiffer and lasts longer, at a higher cost. The choice comes from the duty profile and the life wanted, not from the peak force alone.

Q · 03 Why does heat limit an actuator?

A motor makes heat that grows with the torque it holds, and it makes it even when it is standing still. The motor is therefore sized twice: for the hardest moment, which sets its peak torque, and for the whole cycle, whose average torque decides the heat. An actuator that passes the first test and fails the second runs hot and is stopped by its own protection, usually when the duty is at its busiest.

Q · 04 Is this the same as the servo-hydraulic actuator, actuator test bench or motion platform pages?

No, and the differences are worth stating precisely. The servo-hydraulic actuators page is the fluid-power actuator, and the servo-hydraulic actuator test bench page is the bench that tests actuators of that kind. The dynamic motion tilt test platform page is a machine carried on six electromechanical actuators, where this page is the actuator itself. This page does not replace any of them, and it does not claim what they claim a second time.

Q · 05 What can an actuator not do?

It pushes along its axis; it does not carry side loads, so the guides and the mounting must. It cannot hold a load without power unless it has a brake, and it cannot exceed its peak torque, or its continuous heat limit for long. How long it lasts depends on the duty and the screw. No force, speed or life figure is printed here, and no laboratory accreditation is claimed: this page claims none. Approval for any regulated use rests with the customer and the authority they name; none is claimed here.

Q · 06 Has Neometrix built one of these?

We would rather answer this plainly than let a page imply otherwise. Neometrix has quoted against successive electromechanical actuator requirements, and no delivered electromechanical actuator is claimed. What stands behind the offer is adjacent: Neometrix engineers motion platforms carried on electromechanical linear actuators (see the dynamic motion tilt test platform page) and servo-hydraulic actuators with their test benches (see the servo-hydraulic actuators and servo-hydraulic actuator test bench pages). The screw, the motor, the drive's power stage, the bearings and the feedback devices are catalogue items, bought in, not invented. What Neometrix engineers is the actuator around them: the sizing from the duty profile, the housing and guides, the stops, the brake and feedback integration, the loop tuning and the tests. So the honest position is that the actuator is engineered to order, the neighbouring disciplines are in the building, and the first actuator of this exact kind will be built around the customer's own duty rather than lifted off a shelf.

Q · 07 Which standards apply, and who sets the force and the life?

ISO 3408 is the public reference for ball screws, IEC 60034 is the public reference for rotating electrical machines, and IEC 61800 is the public reference for adjustable speed electrical power drive systems. None of them sets the force, the speed or the life of a particular actuator: those come from the customer's duty and the decisions that rest on it, and this page prints none of it. Acceptance of the finished actuator, including its proving tests before handover, rests with the customer and whatever authority they name.

Q · 08 What do you need from us to quote?

Six things, and most of them describe your duty rather than the actuator. First, the duty profile: force, speed and dwell through one cycle, and how often it repeats. Second, the travel: the stroke and the positions that matter. Third, the environment: temperature, dust, wet and shock. Fourth, the holding need: whether the load must stay put with no power. Fifth, the interfaces: the mounting, the feedback and the controller it must join. Sixth, the life wanted and who will maintain it. From that we come back with a sizing note, a written method you can check, and a budgetary price.

The neighbouring actuator pages, and how they differ from this one.

Three neighbours: a machine that uses the actuator, the hydraulic alternative, and a bench for actuators.

↗ Carried on six actuators

Dynamic Motion Tilt Test Platform

A heavy-payload motion rig carried on electromechanical actuators - it uses the actuator, it is not the actuator.

↗ The fluid-power choice

Servo-Hydraulic Actuators

The hydraulic alternative, with a pump and lines - a different machine for a different duty.

↗ A bench for actuators

Servo-Hydraulic Actuator Test Bench

Tests actuators of the hydraulic kind on a bench - it measures an actuator, it does not supply one.

Browse all Neometrix product lines.

Get a quotation

Tell us the duty, the travel,
and the environment.

The projects desk replies within two working days with a sizing note, a written method you can check, and a budgetary quotation. Write to [email protected] or use the form.

Enquire — electromechanical actuator Capability sheet (PDF) +91 7777 876 876

ISO 9001 / 14001 ENGINEERED-TO-ORDER CLASS — ELECTROMECHANICAL ACTUATOR PROFILE · SIZE · BUILD · TUNE · PROVE · RECORD — SIZED BY THE WHOLE DUTY CYCLE, NOT BY A PEAK FORCE ENGINEERED IN NOIDA · INDIA