What are the broad categories of actuators? Thanks.?
Answer:
Electric or Pneumatic are the most commonly used. Although there are also Hydraulic Piston type, Relay and Piezoelectric types but these are rarely actually used in the industry.
An actuator is a mechanical device for moving or controlling a mechanism or system. The actuator is usually a physical mechanism but also refers to an artificial intelligent agent.
Examples include:
* Mechanics - motors, hydraulic pistons, etc.
* Human - Arms, hands, fingers, legs
* Mail transfer agent - Update software
* In engineering, actuators are a subdivision of transducers. They are devices which transform an input signal (mainly an electrical signal) into motion. Specific examples are Electrical motors, pneumatic actuators, hydraulic pistons, relays, comb drive, piezoelectric actuators, thermal bimorphs, Digital Micromirror Devices and electroactive polymers.
* Motors are mostly used when circular motions are needed, but can also be used for linear applications by transforming circular to linear motion with a bolt and screw transducer. On the other hand, some actuators are intrinsically linear, such as piezoelectric actuators.
* In virtual instrumentation actuators and sensors are the hardware complements of virtual instruments. Computer programs of virtual instruments use actuators to act upon real world objects.
Electric (AC or DC), pneumatic, hydraulic. Also either on/off (ie open or shut) or proportional so that part of full movement can be maintained. Protection against the environmental conditions, water and dust, is important, varying from very little protection to full submergence in water (look up IP protection on the net) as well as temperature resistance.
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