Tiny pneumatic actuators with profiles typically 80 per cent lower than conventional hydraulic and pneumatic pancake cylinders open up new installation and automation possibilities for food and beverage industries, and conveyor, materials handling, processing, and manufacturing applications.
Firestone Airstroke® Polyactuator pneumatic actuators from Air Springs Supply can exert forces of more than .45kN @ 3.5 bar yet last for millions of cycles in demanding environments where space conservation is important, including food, packaging and hygiene-sensitive manufacturing and materials handling applications.
Compact air springs such as these Polyactuators have a starting height down to under 15mmThe cylinders – which have been laboratory tested to five million cycles to ensure performance quality – can also be used in conveyor transfer sections, roller brakes or heat sealing applications requiring just 15mm clearance.
Manufactured as an alternative to conventional pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders, the range includes three models, all of which can be daisy-chained, including 50P (50mm diameter), 70P (70mm) and 120P (120mm), the last of which can lift loads up to 45kg with a 12.7mm stroke at 3.5 bar.
“These tough but tiny actuators open up a whole new range of possibilities for production engineers,” says air Springs Supply Technical Product Manager James Maslin. “They are just as reliable as the Air Springs range of Airstroke® actuators in capacities up to 40,000g, but miniaturised for applications involving very small spaces and light forces.” Benefits of these small but mighty solutions include affordability, cleanliness, compact installation, and trouble-free performance:
- Corrosion-resistant polyurethane composition
- Compliance with FDA food-contact regulations 21 CFR 177.1680 (Polyurethane Resins) and 177.2600 (Rubber Articles Intended for Repeated Use)
- No maintenance required because they keep their structural integrity, flexibility, and shape over extended periods of service
- Easy to clean – no rods or seals to absorb grit and wear or break
- Not prone to leaking compressed air due to wear in seals and rods
- 80% lower profile than typical pancake cylinders*
- A fraction of the cost of traditional pancake cylinders
- Easily customisable to meet specific size and shape requirements
Versatile range: Air Springs’ products range from the tiny Polyactuator (model 70P shown left) and the heavier-duty Airstroke® actuators and Airmount® isolators right in individual stroke capacities up to 40,000 kg and measuring up to a metre across.
Firestone Industrial Products (for which Air Springs is exclusive Australian national distributor) manufactures the world’s best-selling air spring range. Its Airstroke® actuators and Airmount® isolators are used in materials handling applications worldwide.
The broad range of Airstroke® actuators and complementary Airmount® isolators are supported by Air Springs Supply’s long-established national sales and technical support network. They are available as OEM equipment or as replacement parts to replace similar components incorporated globally by OEM manufacturers.