Linear Actuators 101
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Have you ever wanted to know how linear actuators work or how to use them? Hopefully this video explains everything you need to know so you can start using linear actuators in your projects!
This video is sponsored in part by Servo City, check out their selection of linear actuators and linear servos:
www.servocity....
They also have a great video on the difference between linear actuators and linear servos:
• Comparing Linear Servo...
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A great example of a real , knowledgeable professor ! Very well explained ..
I heard “linear actuator” in a video a while back. Today, I have no idea where it came from, but for some reason the words “linear actuator” popped into my head. I had to know what it was.
Thank you.
I'm a Garden Tractor "BUFF", and I have been attempting to make Ground Engagement Attatchments for my 1987 Craftsman GT6000 for my property.
This Video REALLY helped me understand what I need, and how a Liner Actuator works!
Many thanks for YOUR Video!😎
Take care,
🤓 -Thomas
Western Washington State
I been having issues with auto headlight doors and the dilapidated system within it , I believe this will replace that whole system without major costs and time . ❤thanks a million!!!!
Nice! Glad I could help.
I love how you show what will be in the video before an Ad runs, wish more people did it!
Now I know 100% more than I did before. Very handy.
This was quite educational.
I'm looking at the idea of using it for a boat for the Trim.
Servocity is VERY EXPENSIVE
They sell quality linear actuators, you can of course get cheaper ones, depending on your need and application.
How did you make out? Im Trying to piece together some ideas to control a small wing
Thank you so much man ive been trying to find a video that explains how to hook up a actuator when it only has 2 wires and your video it's the only one that explains it to me in a way i can understand
Absolutely informative I'm a real bone head and this was well done enough for even me to understand. Thank you. Luca
Same here.
Best video I've found so far. I enjoyed your explanation of the DPDT switch. It's so simple and I note they put this on when selling them so I'm totally at ease with spending a lot of money with the confidence I can hook this up very easily to a 12V battery.
Thanks.
I LOVE learning! I was trying to invent something & needed something along the lines of a "pressured piston" "motorized piston" & found these instead! LINEAR ACTUATORS. So cool, thanks for helping me nerd out. Lol
this is one of the best videos about Linear Actuators
Thanks a lot for all the effort made to share it❤
Glad you liked it!
LINEAR ACTUATORS
SIR
Just watched yr above video to learn about them.
I liked yr technical video and the video is desirable and praise worthy.
As a demonstrator and instructor you are unique and yr oxford English is very cristal clear and easier to follow every bit.
In future videos do not change anything and keep it that way for the reason the video is of very high calibre as is in this video,
Thank you for teaching LINEAR ACTUATORS.
Vatsa India
These things are so much fun. I just built a spare tyre holder for my Jeep and used one to open and close it. Totally unnecessary but loads of fun :)
Right on!
Super informative thanks. Those are going into a Work bench and lifting a Porter Cable jointer up to the surface of the bench. Now just need to find the proper tracking devices to hold it steady and guide the platform up and down without wobbling.
Hi ! It is mandatory to stop the current when actuator gets to the end ??? Or is automatic an its not necessary to cut the current ? Txs !
most decent actuators will have diodes to prevent power from extending them past the end of travel.
Very clear video, thanks for the explanation how to use linear actuator brother👍
Sure thing!
Regarding load rating and picking out the correct actuator, you should also mention about complexity when incorporating an air shock or other stability in motion.
Very impressive! All this is going on my resume. You R the Linear Actuator Whisperer".
ha, thanks.
Thankyou for this. After a full engineering college course in Control systems I couldn't learn what you taught me in 20 mins. Sadly that's about 10 yrs later.
Practical application. I guess that's what's missing in today's education.
I saw this pop up in my feed and thought it was this year's April 1st video so now I've been double bamboozled.
Thanks your lovely explanation and I'm never forget you because of this video it's soo helpful. I'm trying to envent something special and little bit confused about switch of electric motor. How I can tell you every detail thing. I'm sure I can get full answer from you thanks
Since first watching this video I have found another reason to use a motor controller. You may need to put a large current through the motor using thicker cables. A controller can handle the current and may even include over-current protection. (my motors can hit 12v/40 amps at the stall point) The switches or logic board you use to trigger motion can operate at low voltage using thinner cables.
That's not entirely accurate. You can get an appropriately sized switch with the correct wires. Usually a motor controller will have a soft-start and stop function though, limiting the in-rush current however.
Suggest to chose Richmat brand Linear Actuator. stable quality and reasonable price
Very good and illustrative video on this matter. Thank you for your efforts,
I know these could be used in some diy projects for plows etc, raising farm equipment, and from the past think they used them on star trek doors, but, how would I lift a subaru up to 2 inches, when needed? Have bad pot hole problems but do not want to really modify frame or such
Great explanation and loved how you opened one up to show the guts. I've never worked with or used one before but now feel confident that I now understand it. Thanks and I will check out your other vids.
For what purpose this usesly used . Is very sexy and controller with large, short transmission with force. What is the prices.
The most disappointing thing I have found about acquiring surplus linear actuators is that many of them will support moving say 200 Lbs extending, but only 50 Lbs retracting. Another thing to check before you spec something out. Michael in CO. Now subbed.
SM Jones gravity sucks man
Thank you. You just helped me for my project
Great video. Could you link the little board to control linear actuator over a micro controller?
It's a RoboClaw, you can get them from ServoCity.com
You are a really good teacher. Very informative video.
Wow! I didn't realize Speed came out almost a quarter century ago. It makes sense when I think back, but that took me by surprise!
As many people said before: great video! Thanks
How much weight can they hold before they go down ?
Like for a table / desk
Asking before the video stops playing, I expect the kind of movement like when you lifted the plow on your snow mover kind of slow. If you're gonna play a video game or some kind of simulator you need More speed. Wondering how you get there. If you cover it in the video. I'm sure I will see it. Thanks for a great explanation already😊
More speed comes with less torque. It's always a trade-off. You can get a much more powerful linear actuator to compensate. You can also increase the voltage, but this will degrade the brushes in the motors faster. It's always a trade-off.
If you leave power hooked up to the leads all day long will that damage anything in the actuator? For instance if I apply +12vdc and the actuator extends fully and I leave that voltage applied all day long until I switch to -12vdc for retraction and leave it there all night.
Thank you for the wonderful video. Do you know if they make an automatic switch which make the linear actuator will automatic go in/out continuous until I kill the power?
Not that I'm aware of. But they stop when they hit the end of travel.
@@RobertCowanDIYthanks Robert, I would like for it to come out by itself. I am looking to build something that will run automatic for 10 hours straight. I saw some video they had setup with timer.
I’ve got a floor hatch into our crawl space that is the only point of access. I’d like to put a linear actuator in it but I am worried if anything ever happens to the actuator we won’t be able to access it. Are there any actuators that can be manually opened without access the actuator itself to remove the pins? Thanks!
Hi, I have an INCA TV lift with a tubular motor. We lost the remote, and
lift got stuck in up position. Any advice how to bring it down? Any
ideas or how to reverse the motor movement? Highly appreciated. Thanks
for sharing awesome ideas.
If I want to do a drop down upper cabinet do I have to oversize the force of the actuators since it will be holding the weight all the time?
Very well done. Thorough and easy to follow. I am considering using LA in my van futon build. I prefer to do it with springs, pulleys and cables, though. BTW I love your logo! We think alike!
Thanks!
Say I wanted the 12v linear actuator to continuously extend and retract automatically for a can crusher, what kind of switch would I need? Or is that even possible?
Hello Robert, I want to move a 500kg book shelf which is placed on heavy duty ball bearing slides- what specification of actuator load should I use, what about the backload movement , and forward movement of the load, after the motor stops.
Are you moving it straight up and down, or along the surface? Are you actually lifting the full 500kg?
I just wanted to say this was a great video, very much enjoyed listening to your explanation.
Thank you so much for the very informative video. May I ask you a question about my project? Lifting a queen-size bed (hypothetically weight about 400 lbs with mattress) in RV, should I use four for each corner with the minimum load capacity of 100 lbs each? Or each one should be rated 400 lbs? You have given me a completely new option.
Great video, I found you researching how to fix my power recliner, unfortunately our dog chewed the wire that leads into the actuator motor, right against the little square splitter. there is not enough wire exposed to splice back together.becused hew chewed it right up against the square splitter.
the actuator is a kaidi (kdpt007)
is there any way to repair without buying a whole new actuator?
If it's just the wire, you don't need a whole actuator, just open it up and fix the wires?
@@RobertCowanDIY
The cut wire is right against that hard molded plastic square splitter and a 5 wire din comes out and a 2wire control wire for the other motors. Comes out
Didn't want to damage everything else inside trying to cut into that hard plastic molded splitter?
Any suggestions . A sharp utility knife ?
Sir if I may ask..is it good for outdoor use.. especially for rain or shine environment
Some have IP ratings for use in outdoor environments. Linear actuators are just a type of motor, this is just a broad overview of what they are. There are nearly infinite variations.
Thanks a lot Robert.
I am in need of a cheap actuator to open/close a kitchen drawer. So when I push OPEN then it should latch until hitting the adjustable limit switch. Are you aware of any ready made actuator with these features? They are hard to find.
I wouldn't look to linear actuators. There are auto door/drawer opening mechanisms specifically for kitchen cabinets. look at what Ikea and others have. Look for hardware stores that carry cabinet hardware. You might even be able to do this as spring-loaded without power.
@@RobertCowanDIY It is a vertical drawer that should drop down from the ceiling :)
simplified and very easily made to understand Thank you for you excellent video
You can actually use a latching toggle if you have limit switches at each end of travel for the actuator, like in a TV lift, where the actuator may not need to travel all the way in or out.
By using a toggle like you show and limit switches, you can adjust the limit on each end with the limit switches so the TV stops exactly where you want without overtravel and you don't need to continually hold the toggle to get the TV all the way up or down.
I typically use magnetic limit switches that are threaded, like Allen Bradley 12mm round ones so you can fine tune the limit on each end.
Also, if you want the actuator to move the device faster, you can hinge the attachment point to double, triple, etc the movement based on the actuator speed. Think scissor lift. You can also slow the movement in the same manner by using a fulcrum instead of a scissor hinge.
What would be a good resource for the double/triple technique you describe? I understand the basic idea of magnifying the movement but I'm looking for a method to do it when the actuator and object to be moved are all along the same axis/track (as opposed to something like a window/door opening where you can take advantage of the swing action and attach mounting brackets close to the hinge).
@@g1hau what are you trying to move?
I have a large panel on wheels that needs to move 2m back and forth using an actuator, but a stroke that long is not practical. It's not very heavy, and rolls easily.
The actuator needs to sit in a trough within which the panel rolls.
@@g1hau so, like a sliding door type situation?
That's not a bad analogy, sure.
Hello! Do you know how do actuators that can extend more then two times it's length work? They put them in quite expensive standing desks
at 12:06 ....... what would happen ......if you put the Bigger sprocket onto the motor & the smaller sproket onto the screw shaft thing ..........in other words, if you swap both sprokets whats the result?
So for dead load - if there is no current and are within specs load wise, the actuator holds its position mechanically or what? ie if there's pressure on the arm, it doesn't take constant energy to maintain position but what holds it in place?
You can't really back-drive a worm gear, so that's your holding power, simple mechanics.
@@RobertCowanDIY Gotcha! Found this thanks to you - gon leave it for others with the same Q: www.motioncontroltips.com/when-are-worm-gears-self-locking-and-where-is-this-useful/ .
Hey, im SUPER new to any kind of servo, pneumatic, linear actuator stuff..... Can i use a linear actuator with lets say maximum pulling force of 900n as a exercise thing where u hold the weight and it would pull bands gradually increasing the force your holding statically???
Do you know of a linear actuator with a telescopic arm? Use case is a lifting mattress platform to provide added storage underneath. Thinking like a 12 inch vertical unit providing about 3 feet of lift for a mattress platform. Servo style would be great - apply voltage and 4 actuators work together to lift mattress and platform about 3 feet. In idea phase here so any info is great
If I buy 4 of the same linear actuators and want to use one switch to activate them all simultaneously how would I go about wiring them together?
You'd wire it the same way you would any motor. Just wire them all in parallel.
@@RobertCowanDIY Thanks!
@@samsin102 Of course
Great Video.... I have a question. Can this be set up to work using Car Brakes... meaning, press the Brakes on your car and the actuator goes up and then when you release the brake pedal, the actuator goes down. Please let me know. Thank you.
Friends old lawn tractor and snow plow attachment... I want to lift blade, going to weld at end of existing piviot for push down lift plow up action and possibly 2 more for right left.. Question is.. Say his blade hits ice chunk/anything stuck to ground.. With actuator(s) stationary... What happens if more than rated force encountered? Do they move back or break?
very informative video. i want to lift a heavier desk. two questions 1. how can i control 2 or 4 of actuators at once? and where can i get them? thanks
controlling more than one is the same as controlling a single. You just run power to the others. as long as you have enough power to handle all of them, it's not different. Check Servocity.com.
Hi Robert great video i have a 110v massage chair linear actuator and it has started to sink when no load is on it like i can push the seat down by hand i never used to be able to do that and it won't stay up when im using the massage chair in certain postions when load is on it say i used to pull down the chair to move it and it would stay upright when turned off now the seat wants to travel down when i push down on it? the motor seems fine what would it be mate do i need to buy another? Thanks in advance
It's just driving the actuator, most likely because things are getting loose. It should be fine.
Question about actuators.
I did buy two actuators that have same speed 5.7 mm/s, when I installed them one travels just a little bit faster than another one when I try to lift same item using bolt actuators one end goes up faster than another. What is the way to adjust the speed of the actuator to make them equal?
I would like to commend you on a great job. There are a lot of really cool projects that one can do with simple inexpensive linear actuators. That was a good video.
Thanks sir. I am from India and interested in various drives. Interested in small model making.
DO THEY HAVE TO BE TURNED ON FOR OPENING AND CLOSING EACH TIME. AS THIS MAY BE A PROBLEM I NEED TO OPEN AND CLOSE CONSTANTLY?!
rewatch the video. it's just a motor, but once you hit the travel limit, it will turn off.
Which is better pnematic, hydraulic, electric actuator
Joe Proscia
My dad has a Franklin lift chair the remote light is on when you move the switch the actuator runs but it does not move in or out.
Let me know your thoughts
Thanks
Awesome man, thanks for sharing this video, i actually gained some good knowledge.
Glad to hear it.
Apparently God tells you everything we need to know about linear actuators & then you spoon it out to the rest of us, thks.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
sure slave
@@elliotdelacruz390
My comment is clearly a compliment on the presenter's actuator expertise.
Try to remember this is social media & you just might develop some social manners.
@@tombouieOk Boomer
Treadmills that have a motorized adjustable height often have linear actuators on them. I just got two nice ones from an old craftmatic adjustable bed frame my neighbor gave me for scrap. I want to build a scissor lift work table out of those.
nice work,thanks for all you have done🙂
Nice video 👍🖖
Could I use a Linear Actuator for a pcp air pump to make it automatic and how could I build a automatic pressure stop 🤔
Sir. Is it the same dynamic load for pull and push. I am using pull loading. Do you think it is more powerful if I use a push loading?
Hi maybe you can help me. If I need to lift one side of the bed 1-2 feet, where should I mount the actuators since the angle changes as it rises.
You'd be best to just model it up, or draw it on a napkin. Heck, even make a scale model with popsicle sticks or something.
Hi Robert. Love your video and your easy way of explaining.
I'm trying to run a single leg from an electric standing desk (originally 3 legs), using a 24V solar panel in my new project. There is a linear actuator inside the leg, but I have a total of 6 cables instead of the 5 you had on yours. You were able to run your actuator up and down just by adding 12v, that doesn't work on mine.
It works great when I connect the leg to the original control box that runs on 230Vac and I've measured up that the leg runs on 30Vdc.
Can you give me some tips that can help me in this task or do I have to dismantle the entire construction and disconnect everything except + and - ?
Hope you can help me
This might not be a brushed motor. It could be a brushless, which requires 3 wires and cannot be driven directly from a power source without a controller. The best bet is to google the model number (or any markings) on the linear actuator and see what you come up with.
@@RobertCowanDIY Ok, then I'll take one of the legs apart to see if I can figure out what all the cables are for. I've tried to Google it without any luck. I guess it's to old, but it's a good and very powerful leg so I would love to use it in my solar powered dual-axis solar tracker project.
Thanks for the reply and making me a bit smarter.
@@SolarProjectsSweden Sure thing. It might be a good idea to try to trace the wires back to the source. It might have additional wires for 'parking' or end-stops, etc. It 2 wires is brushed, 3 wires is for brushless, 4-6 wires is for a stepper, BUT you could have a brushed motor with 4 sensor wires, or a brushless with 3 sensor wires, etc, etc.
@@RobertCowanDIY Thanks Robert. I'll open one of them during the weekend to try and figure out how it works and what kind of actuator it is.
did you include the basic wiring diagram for using the 2P2T switch? Can't seem to find it any where
I didn't, just search for linear actuator switch wiring on google images or something, it's pretty easy to find.
If loss power can the linear actuator move manually by pushing at it or will it ruin the actuator? Like on a door for fail-safe.
Nope, it doesn't work like this because of the worm gear, you can't backdrive it.
@@RobertCowanDIY So it is no good for doors power opening and closing then, just incase power out.
Im hAving trouble with those tiny round thing with teeth on it... Seems kind of worn down it became loose contact. I cant find any spare parts
I have linear actuators to open and close the hard cover on my truck toneau cover and want to have a safety cut off that will stop the operation if something gets caught between the cover and the side of the truck, currently it is like a guillotine and if anything solid gets caught the actuators tear away from their fixings , do you have any recommendations
Hello, thanks for the explanation! I am working on a system that would need this type of motion but it has to be very quick, can this be changed to make it quick?
If it needs to be fast, you might want to look at linear motors rather than actuators. Or maybe a leadscrew, similar to what's in CNC machines. But typically, linear actuators won't be terribly fast.
Would one of these serve under severe weather conditions for a heavy gate open/close? Or are these strictly ‘lab instruments’ for controlled conditions?
There are MANY different kinds, some can be used in outdoor environments. Just look for weather sealed, or some sort of IPxx rating.
Thank you. Thank you Thank you Thank you. My team is making an automatic shopping cart. I was thinking how can I turn the castor wheel with a programmable motor.. Now having seen the LInear Actuator, please suggest an easy way to control it with a remote. Commentators, kindly help if you know the hardware I need to control the caster wheel.
Robert, do you know if you can power a 12 volt linear actuator with a 1amp 12 volt car battery trickle charger ? or could you use a tractor/car battery - the tractor/car battery is 12 volts but probably has high cranking amps - would these amps ruin the linear actuator ?
Thanks -- good video
I'm not sure, but I think those sense current draw and such and will get confused as the motor changes it's load. Also, the actuator will backfeed current when it stops. You really need just a power supply, not a charger. A car or tractor battery is IDEAL. Also, a motor (or actuator) only uses as much current as it needs. Having excess doesn't hurt anything, unless the motor locks up and starts to draw a lot, but that's easy to fix with just a fuse, and probably unlikely. But in short, a sealed lead acid is pretty perfect for this application.
@@RobertCowanDIY thanks Robert - Interestingly, a multi-meter does show voltage on my trickle charges But the linear actuator still won't work with any of them - must be some sort of circuitry in the charger to prevent this type of use - so I am scouring my supply of old AC-DC chargers from old phones and rechargeable tools to see if I have anything in the 12V 1 amp range
Awesome breakdown Robert! I need a pneumatic or electric cylinder/actuator to hit something very hard/quickly. Any suggestions?
Zuper excellent... i learned a lot. GBU....more power Sir
Robert was wondering if i could pick your brain? What would be the fast actuator on the market. Im looking for something like a pneumatic cylinder that could replace a hydraulic cylinder but just as fast or faster. Any info would be great thanks.
Do they make a remote control linear actuator? I'm limited on space, it will lifting a 10 lb cabinet door. How thick are these actuators/
They make all sorts of things. You need to determine what specs you need and then find an actuator that meets your needs. There are hundreds and hundreds of options.
Thank you for your effort to share your knowledge with us
Good overview of something I was always confused about. Now I need to figure out a project to use one of these babies in!
an exosuit is something I'm working on. maybe it's something cool for you to try
Well I wanted to know more about linear actuators, and I now do ! Excellent video.
Hi Chris, we are focusing on designing and manufacturing all different kinds of linear actuators, may we have your contact details then have a further communication together.
hi Robert, which one is water proof ?
Its a great video, very helpful. Thank you 🙏
Glad it was helpful!
OMG. ONE OF THE BEST INFORMATIVE VIDEOS I HAVE EVER WATCHED ON YOU TUBE. THANK YOU. I WILL BE LOOKING FOR MORE FROM YOU. AGAIN OMG. WHAT A GREAT JOB YOU DID. STEVE
TOO COOL for school RC !!!! 👍👍👍👍👍👏👏👏 Thank You !!!😊
Awesome video
Very informative and to the point
Love to see your finished projects
Very well explained and presented.
Crystal clear explanation.
Kudos!
Fantastic video , I'm doing some research for a pretty awesome project on my own channel, this was extremely helpful. Thanks
Hello robert i need some mechanism wich is fast, for pressing staff in mold
what can i use it ? Linear Actuator is i think slow
You will want to use hydraulics most likely.
@@RobertCowanDIY thank you
I have one problem with my actuator it is 36 inch and connected to 3.8 meter Antenna elevation , It was working normally but now my antenna elevation moves 8 degree down without reason . I checked actuator motor and sensor there is no issue and checked actuator arm as well during operation no any mechanical noise , after I set that again to pick the Satellite it was moved again like 7 degree in down but the controller and driver did not show any fault .does any one have idea actuator has any mechanical issue or is it somethings else ??
@Rbert👍👍 thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences very appreciated it here. Namaste 🙏
Great video, I'm interested in installing them in a large greenhouse to open and close both side and ridge vents. Any issues with being in a hot and humid greenhouse exposed to UV light? I would also like to use Z-wave automation to control the actuators. Any thoughts/ suggestions would be appreciated. Thank You
you should be alright with the atmosphere and the UV. Just so long as your electronic hardware stays encased you shouldn't have any problems. I would be aware of condensation running under the casing and getting into electronics.
also be sure to check oil/lubricants
Did you ever set up the greenhouse with some actuators for the vents? I’ve got a small greenhouse and was wondering about a way to have the windows open automatically when a certain temperature has been reached. I’ve got a thermostat controlled outlet ready and am wondering if it’s as simple as running a 12v converter to the actuator which turns on when hot and opens the windows