A remote actuator is a device that provides motion to activate a secondary mechanism from a distance. It can be powered by electricity, compressed gas or fluid, and controlled by a remote button or computer interface. Remote actuators are used in various environments where physical activation is not practical or safe. They come in different sizes, output orientations, and torque ratings and are used in almost every sector.
A remote actuator is a device designed to provide the output motion necessary to switch, move, or adjust a secondary mechanism to a location remote from the control source. For example, when a gate opener is activated by the driver of a car approaching the gate, the motor and gear arrangement that opens the gate is considered a remote actuator. Remote actuators can be powered by electricity, compressed gas or compressed fluid and can be controlled by a simple remote button or by an elaborate and sophisticated computer interface. The remote actuator may be located a couple of inches or several miles away from the control input source depending on the particular application. These actuators are typically used where physical activation of the secondary mechanism by an operator is not practical or safe and are found in a wide variety of domestic, industrial and manufacturing environments.
The term remote actuator is actually a bit of a stretch since an actuator is, by definition, a remote triggering device. The term is, however, widely used to describe a range of devices used to provide remote or automated activation of the secondary mechanism. In general, the defining characteristics of the remote actuator are quite simple. The device must provide the working motion used to activate a secondary device and must do so without any operator intervention in the delivery of that motion. This applies whether the actuator itself is physically started by an operator or an automation input.
Remote actuators are available in a variety of sizes, output orientations, and torque ratings, and can be operated from a variety of power sources. These include electric current in the case of electromagnetic and motorized electromechanical actuators, and compressed gas or oil in the case of pneumatic and hydraulic types, respectively. Output orientation is usually linear or rotary with rotary remote actuator designs divided into multi-turn motor types and quarter-turn hydraulic or pneumatic types. Actuator sizes and torque capabilities range from small solenoids for tools to huge hydraulic pistons for construction equipment.
The typical application for a remote actuator is a work environment where direct physical intervention by the operator is impractical or dangerous. These include small internal spaces for tools or machines, large installations where components are located away from personnel workstations, and corrosive, hot, or explosive working conditions. Indeed, it is difficult to think of a sector or an application which does not envisage one or the other type of remote actuator.
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