Featured:
Allergies
Grilling Guide
eHow Now Blog

What Are Actuators Used for?

What Are Actuators Used for? thumbnail
Actuators move this airplane's elevator up and down.

Actuator is a term that encompasses various devices, but they all have one purpose. Actuators move something. They may rotate an object, open or close a device or push a surface up or down, but they always put something into motion.

  1. Description

    • An actuator is a mechanical device that produces movement. Actuators use electricity, air, hydraulics or other energy sources for power. The moving part of an actuator is usually connected to some component in order to move that component.

    Types

    • Linear actuators create movement in a straight line and may connect to something to create simple movements. This is a common type of actuator, but there are others. A screw jack uses a rotating screw to create movement.

    Uses

    • Linear actuators operate most aircraft flight controls. Different pipes or types of tubing may use actuators as valves that regulate the flow of a fluid, and tiny microactuators are being designed for use in Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS).

Related Searches:

References

  • Photo Credit empenage hercule c160 image by choucashoot from Fotolia.com

Comments

You May Also Like

  • How to Use Linear Actuators

    A linear actuator is a device that transfers a linear force or motion into a converted source of rotational motion, such as...

  • Types of Actuators

    An actuator is a mechanism used in the manufacturing of machines and equipment to initiate valves required to stop or start a...

  • How Hydraulics Work on a Jet Plane

    Comments. You May Also Like. How Do Hydraulic Calipers Work? Learn how hydraulic calipers work on mountain bikes in this free online...

  • Hydraulics & Pneumatics in Industry

    You May Also Like. Types of Pneumatic Cylinders. Pneumatic cylinders are in widespread use in industry wherever quick, powerful linear actuation of...

  • What Is an Electric Actuator?

    Electric actuators are found in processing plants of many kinds including refineries, power plants and wastewater treatment plants. Electric actuators perform very...

  • Types of Electric Actuators

    Types of Electric Actuators. At Penn State, the International Center for Actuators and Transducers (ICAT) coordinates research on the design of actuators...

  • How to Use Elevator Trim in an Airplane

    Elevator trim is used by pilots to hold an airplane at a particular pitch attitude. A wheel, lever, or switch in the...

  • What Is an Actuator?

    Whether you realize it or not, you make use of actuators daily. They are a vital component of many of the things...

  • How to Set Genie Up and Down Limits

    Genie chain-driven automatic garage door openers are very convenient, especially in bad weather. The up and down limits of the garage door...

  • Actuation Methods

    Actuators are used on machinery, appliances, vehicles and medical devices to cause motion of one part relative to another. Examples include automatic...

  • A Tutorial for Transducers

    A transducer is any type of device that can detect a type of energy and convert it into another type of energy....

  • How Does an Actuator Work?

    There are different kinds of actuators, some of which work with magnets that are actuated by coils and springs. Find out how...

  • Truth About Dating Sites

    A growing numbers of singles are tapping the keyboard instead of hitting the bars in their search for a significant other. According...

  • How to Replace a Hydraulic Actuator

    Hydraulic actuators are installed in a number of different applications. Their high force and linear motion make them useful in mobile and...

  • What Is a Valve Actuator?

    A valve actuator is a device that is mounted on a valve and provides the motive power to actually operate the valve...

  • How to Remove Trim Tabs

    Trim tabs allow a boat to plane faster and more even at lower speeds. When a boat planes, it means the bow...

  • How to Replace a Trim Tab

    Trim tabs are used to make a boat plane faster and more evenly at lower speeds. When a boat planes, it means...

  • Job Description of an Elevator Mechanic

    Elevator mechanics install, replace and assemble elevators. They also work with moving walkways, chairlifts, dumbwaiters and escalators. They work on similar ...

Related Ads

thumbnail
Featured