EC EleCylinders: the best alternative to pneumatics

Date: 2 February 2022

Electric actuators from IAI with many advantages over air cylinders

The EC EleCylinders from IAI Industrial Automation have been specially developed to create advantages over pneumatic cylinders.

The EC Elecylinders are basically constructed as follows:

• Ball screw with slide or rod
• Stepper motor with incremental or optionally with absolute encoder
• Decentralized control for 2 positions Connection
• 24Vdc Power supply with digital inputs and outputs
• Serial port or optionally with Bluetooth for setting up and monitoring

Advantages EC EleCylinders in relation to air cylinders:

• simplicity
• high performance
• easy to maintain
• profitable

 

Advantage 1: Simplicity with respect to air cylinders

1. Simple selection of an actuator
   Based on strength / weight - desired speed and acceleration / deceleration.
2. Easy commissioning
   Very simple programming via PC or control panel Optionally available with Bluetooth for connection to TB-03 control panel
   Operation is possible with only ON / OFF signals, just like solenoid valves
   
3. Fast and quick programing
   Starting and end position
   Acceleration - velocity - deceleration

 

Advantage 2: High performance with respect to air cylinders

1. High level control of Acceleration-Velocity-Decelartion
   The EleCylinder allows fine adjustment of Acceleration, Velocity, and Deceleration, which can be adjusted individually in percentages. Air cylinders use flow valves to control movement and does not have the ability to finaly-tune the AVD individually.
   
2. Cycle time can be reduced
   Air cylinders cannot operate at high velocity due to the impact at stroke ends which occurs when excess velocity is applied. The EleCylinder can start and stop smoothly at high velocity, reducing cycle time.
   
3. Stable velocity
   EC Elecyliders Have excellent velocity stability even in the low velocity range. Maintains consistent quality.
4. Accurate positioning
   To set EleCylinder start/end points, you may set the desired value by using the forward/backward step buttons set as low as 0.01 increments on the jog-screen to vislually confirm the workpiece position.
   Air cylinders require position adjustment for mechanical end, auto switch, or shock absorber, as well as checking and tuning of each component's positioning.
   
   

Advantage 3: Easy to maintain with respect to air cylinders

1. Overload and maintenance notifications
   The prediction function for maintenance gives an overload warning if the actual load is greater than that of normal operation. It also gives maintenance period warnings.
   
   

 

Advantage 4: More profit with respect to air cylinders

1. Improves productivity
   Air cylinders cannot operate at high velocity due to the impact at stroke ends which occurs when excess velocity is applied. The EleCylinder allows individual adjustment of AVD with percentage input for smooth starting/stopping at high velocity. This enables reduced cycle time.
2. Reduces momentary stops on the production line and improves equipment operating rates
   Depending on the state of equipment, various air cylinder issues can trigger momentary stops on the production line. The EleCylinder can eliminate air cylinderrelated momentary stops.
   
3. Long service life
   Instead of an impact mechanism, the EleCylinder incorporates a ball screw and ball circulating type built-in linear guide to achieve a long service life. Based on calculation using the conditions above, the lifespan of the EleCylinder is five times longer than that of air cylinders.
4. Reduces electricity bills
   The difference in the rate of power consumption for the EleCylinder and air cylinders depends on the operational frequency. The higher the operational frequency, the more e ective the energy-saving becomes. Based on tests conducted by IAI, the EleCylinder's power consumption, under the following conditions is 1/6 that of air cylinders.

Total Ownership of Costs of EC EleCylinder in relation to air cylinders

The purchase cost of an EC Elecylinder is higher than an air cylinder. Profitability is achieved during opertation due to the many advantages above.

 

Versions EC Elecylinders

The following types of EC Elecylinders are available:

EC-S: 

• Version with slide and guide
• Stroke: 50-500 mm
• Max. load: 51 kg
• Max. push force: 673 N
• Max. speed: 860 mm / s

EC mini: 

• Design with table or rod and guide
• Stroke: 30 or 50 mm
• Max. load: 8 kg
• Max. push force: 90 N
• Max. speed: 300 mm / s  

EC-R: 

• Rod version
• Stroke: 50-300 mm
• Max. load: 80 kg
• Max. push force: 1094 N
• Max. speed: 860 mm / s

EC-RR: 

• Rod version with Integrated guidance for radial loads
• Stroke: 50-300 mm
• Max. load: 80 kg
• Max. push force: 1094 N
• Max. speed: 860 mm / s

EC-RW: 

• Rod version in IP67
• Stroke: 50-300 mm
• Max. load: 80 kg
• Max. push force: 1094 N
• Max. speed: 860 mm / s

More information:

Send your email to iai@atbautomation.eu or call with Martin van der Steenhoven (+31 297 38 05 54)