Pneumatic actuators are mainly used for flow control in the industrial field. The most commonly used actuators are scotch yoke pneumatic actuator and electric actuators. They have their own characteristics and application scope. Let's take a look at them together.
The actuators used in most industrial control occasions nowadays are pneumatic actuators, because they are powered by pneumatic sources, which are more economical and economical than electric and hydraulic actuators, and are simple in structure, easy to master and maintain. From the maintenance point of view, pneumatic actuators are easier to operate and calibrate than other types of actuators, and it is also easy to realize the exchange of positive and negative in the field.

Its greatest advantage is safety. When using locator, it is ideal for flammable and explosive environment, and if the signal is not explosion-proof or intrinsically safe, it has potential fire risk caused by fire. Therefore, although the application of electric control valves is more and more extensive, in the field of chemical industry, pneumatic control valves still occupy an absolute advantage.

The main shortcomings of pneumatic actuator are slow response, poor control accuracy and poor deviation resistance. This is because of the compressibility of gas, especially when using large pneumatic actuator, it takes time to fill the cylinder and empty the air. But this should not be a problem, because many operating conditions do not require a high degree of control accuracy and very fast response and deviation resistance. 2. Electric actuator
Electric actuators are mainly used in power plants or nuclear power plants, because high-pressure water systems require a smooth, stable and slow process.
The main advantages of the electric actuator are high stability and constant thrust which can be applied by users. The maximum thrust produced by the actuator can reach 225 000 kgf. Only the hydraulic actuator can achieve such a large thrust, but the cost of the hydraulic actuator is much higher than that of the electric actuator. The anti-deviation ability of the electric actuator is very good. The output thrust or torque is basically constant. It can overcome the unbalanced force of the medium and achieve the accurate control of the process parameters, so the control accuracy is higher than that of the pneumatic actuator. If the servo amplifier is used, the exchange of positive and negative effects can be easily realized, and the valve position of the cut-off signal can be easily set (keep/turn on/turn off). When the fault occurs, it must stay in place, which is impossible for the pneumatic actuator to do. The pneumatic actuator must rely on a set of combined protection system to realize the position preservation.
The main shortcomings of electric actuator are: complex structure, easy to break down, and because of its complexity, the technical requirements for field maintenance personnel are relatively higher; motor operation needs to generate heat, if the regulation is too frequent, it is easy to cause motor overheating, thermal protection, but also will increase the wear and tear of deceleration gear; the other is slower operation, from the regulator. It takes a long time to output a signal and move to the corresponding position in response to the control valve, which is inferior to the pneumatic and hydraulic actuators.
Do you understand the characteristics of the pneumatic actuator and the scotch yoke pneumatic actuator? If you have the purchase demand of scotch yoke pneumatic actuator, please call us.