×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Low force application

Low force application

Low force application

(OP)
We are currently working on a low force application that would require 0 lbs to 30 lbs of force applied to a part. The system will be mounted vertically. The currect design utilizes a pneumatic cylinder with tooling attached. We utilized two electronic pressure regulators (SMC) to regulate the Rod an Cap end of the cylider to achieve the required differential force. The issue is the lower forces as we expected. It turns out that the cylinder O-rings have a high enough frictional effect and requires too large a breakaway force to get the load moving. This in turn compromises our ability the achieve extremely low forces. I am entertaining the idea of switching to a small motor of some sort and using current/torque control to apply the required forces. Does anyone have any suggestions or experiences working down in these low force ranges?

RE: Low force application

Look into linear actuators.  I believe they could easily help in your application. We used them to clamp molds at Signetics eons ago and they are certainly more capable now.
You can run feedback control and totally profile your force.

RE: Low force application

(OP)
Thanks for the input, I will be looking into the linear actuators as long as I can get them down to the physical dimensions that are required. They have definitely come a long way....

RE: Low force application

Go to Airpot.

http://www.airpot.com/

The cylinders they make are essentually friction free. Selective fit carbon pistons in a honed glass cylinder.

RE: Low force application

OR,

rebuild your current air cylinders, using Bal-Seals instead of o-rings for the piston and rod seals.

Mike Halloran
NOT speaking for
DeAngelo Marine Exhaust Inc.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources