In order to satisfy the constant quest for greater speed, accuracy and control that modern production lines demand, Thorite is now incorporating electric actuators into its System Solutions.
Electric actuators offer greatly increased control, with regard to mid-positioning, numerous stops, acceleration & deceleration, profiling, synchronisation and smoother movement. They are also far faster than pneumatic cylinders, which can move at around 5m/s, whereas electric actuation doubles this speed to 10m/s and can achieve up to 123m/s² acceleration.
Thorite's range of electric actuators also incorporates increased operational efficiency – pneumatic cylinders offer 15% efficiency, compared to electric's 80% efficiency. Previous differences in costs between electric and pneumatic actuation is now much reduced, with prices rapidly approaching parity, making electric actuators the better value option for many applications. Rounding off the list of benefits are simple installation, a stop accuracy of circa 10microns and true "plug'n'play" convenience after programming.
As the UK's biggest distributor of pneumatic products and process systems Thorite has long been a provider of industrial systems solutions, specifying and installing a huge variety of equipment selected for its efficiency and value.
Following considerable market research, Thorite has taken the decision to partner leading electric actuator manufacturer Festo, which has led to the company allocating significant resources for specifying and installing electric actuator systems into many applications.
Speaking of the decision Ross Gowler, Thorite's Marketing & Engineering Services director said: "Electric actuators are a key element in the evolution of production technology designed to meet the demands of modern, lean engineering, manufacturing & processing organisations. Their incorporation into our Systems Solutions enables us to meet – and often exceed – industry's demands for increased speed, control, accuracy and flexibility. They are being very warmly received by our customers, which convinces me that the future of industrial automation and robotics will be electrically actuated – and I'm delighted the full range of Festo equipment is now part of our product range."
Thorite
www.thorite.co.uk