Kyntronics Smart Hydraulic Actuator targets efficiency

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The actuation market is projected to grow from an estimated $38.8 billion in 2017 to $49.28 billion by 2022. Given this growth trajectory, the focus is moving away from traditional actuation options that have a myriad of cumbersome deficiencies to more streamlined innovative solutions that provide higher efficiency (lower costs), increased uptime, and integrated simple connectivity.

The goal is to take advantage of enhanced technologies that can achieve higher efficiencies via factors such as less maintenance, advanced connectivity, lower weight, compact footprint, accuracy, and energy efficiency.

In response to the customer demand for these actuation efficiency goals, motion control/actuation specialists Kyntronics in Cleveland, Ohio, have developed its patent-pending SMART Hydraulic Actuator (SHA) — a major development in ‘power-on-demand,’ servo-controlled, variable speed actuation. Made in the U.S., this new actuation technology achieves the optimal technological compromise — combining the best advantages of hydraulics and electromechanical servo technology — minus their disadvantages engineered in an all-in-one, scaleable, modular assembly.

New to the OEM market, the Kyntronics SHA advantage represents the world’s only standard, all-in-one (variable-speed motor, drive, cylinder) actuation system that precisely controls position, force, and speed in applications requiring from 500 pounds (2,225N) to more than 100,000 pounds (445kN) of force capacity. High force and quick cycle times in a compact package, the all-inclusive system produces strokes up to 120in (3,048mm).

Ultimately, the system configuation delivers a myriad of benefits resulting in lower operating costs and better performance across a wide range of OEM applications.

Traditional actuation systems over the past several decades focused on three primary types: electromechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic. With the advent of Kyntronics SHA, SMART electro-hydraulic actuators now represent a fourth category that leads the growth trajectory of next-generation actuation. Whereas traditional actuation systems all have their distinct advantages, each have inherent core disadvantages, including:

ELECTROMECHANICAL (EMA)

  • Lower reliability due to the continuous mechanical wear.
  • Prone to environmental contamination and degradation in performance.
  • Expensive and difficult to control force.

HYDRAULIC CYLINDER ACTUATORS

  • Oversized continuous running hydraulic power units are energy inefficient.
  • Integrated network of hoses and fittings are prone to leaking and must be maintained.
  • Susceptible to fluid contamination causing valves to malfunction and control issues–high maintenance.

PNEUMATIC

  • Similar drawbacks to hydraulic (see above).
  • Requires a pneumatic infrastructure of pipes, fittings and valves that often leak and waste energy.

KYNTRONICS INNOVATION/SOLUTIONS

Kyntronics SHA is fully engineered as a standard modular product — rendering it inherently more cost effective as it leverages standard, off-the-shelf components. This all-in-one system combines the key benefits of an electronic servo system with the power density of hydraulics. The flexible system can be oriented in any position and features a compact footprint–combining the power to weight ratio advantage of hydraulic technology with the versatility, ease of installation, and control of electric servo technology.

This true, ‘all-in-one’ actuation solution is powered by a servo motor that drives a hydraulic pump that generates pressure to act on a cylinder to provide optimal mechanical actuation force. The configuration also features a servo drive controller, actuator, manifold, and built-in transducers–providing essential closed-loop precision force and position control. Fieldbus capabilities include Ethernet, CAN, & Serial.

A notable key benefit of the system is the way the differential volume is accounted for between a cylinder’s cap and rod ends. To compensate for this differential, the hydraulic cylinder includes an outer low-pressure cylinder with a second inner high-pressure cylinder — creating a chamber between the two.

Ultimately, the uniquely engineered product delivers high force density in a small footprint with precision, while offering superior “power-on-demand’ energy efficiency–only running when needed.

RELIABLITY

Hydraulic actuators are well known to outlast all other actuation solutions. There is no metal-to- metal wear points vs. roller or ball screw actuators. With the self-contained SHA, the fluid cannot become contaminated from external sources. With a simple rod seal replacement, the SHAs can run for years sometimes outlasting the machinery.

Kyntronics SHA is leading the way for advanced actuation for wide-ranging applications and markets including: special machines, automotive, aerospace, medical equipment, metal bending/forming, defense, material handling, testing stands, steel mills, lift tables, and more. 

MORE INFO  www.kyntronics.com