Corrosion is one of the biggest challenges when using actuators. It impairs performance, service life and safety, increases maintenance costs and has a negative impact on the environment and energy efficiency. The cause is usually penetrating moisture, often favored by pressure differences in the housing or extreme temperatures that promote condensation. Salty air, aggressive chemicals or exhaust gases can also accelerate the process. Modern generations of actuators counter these risks with corrosion-resistant materials, improved sealing concepts and temperature resistance. When correctly specified, they can replace pneumatic or hydraulic systems with low maintenance and reliability - provided that materials, coatings and maintenance routines are carefully matched to the operating conditions.

Thanks to its high corrosion resistance, stainless steel is the preferred material for actuators in damp or chemically aggressive environments. Anodized aluminum offers a lighter and cheaper alternative with good scratch and wear resistance, but is less resistant to corrosion. Nickel coatings and special plastics can be used as a supplement, but do not achieve the durability of stainless steel. A combination of materials often provides the best balance between protection, weight and cost.

Even the best material is of little use without a reliable seal. A good seal protects actuators from moisture, chemicals, dust and dirt. The degree of protection is indicated by IP protection classes: IP65 stands for dust-tightness and protection against water jets, IP66 to IP68 offer increasing resistance to water, up to and including immersion. IP69K additionally protects against high-pressure and hot water cleaning. Combinations of these protection classes guarantee the highest level of corrosion protection.

Actuators defy extreme temperatures

Corrosion-resistant electric actuators are designed for temperature ranges from -40 °C to +85 °C. This wide range is no coincidence: it is based on careful coordination of the materials used, which work together reliably in both cold and hot conditions. If such temperature differences are not taken into account during the development phase, this can have serious consequences: from increased corrosion and excessive wear to leaking seals, corrosion-resistant electric actuators are almost maintenance-free thanks to their highly developed materials and seals as well as their temperature resistance. Models such as the Thomson Max Jac achieve a duty cycle of up to 100% and last up to 500,000 cycles without maintenance. Machine designers have traditionally used pneumatic or hydraulic actuators for demanding applications. However, electric heavy-duty actuators now offer comparable or even better performance than their classic counterparts in most categories. Despite their compact design, they can move heavy loads while remaining corrosion-resistant and durable.

Same energy input, more power

Electric actuators with ball screws instead of sliding screws offer more power, efficiency and speed with the same energy input. Models for industrial use achieve speeds of up to 100 mm/s. Even higher speeds are required for applications such as high-speed pick-and-place machines and less for the actuation of valves or butterfly valves, where corrosive environments are almost the rule. The robust actuators suitable for these applications offer extended functions, particularly in corrosive environments, that are not found in pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders - be it position feedback, high energy efficiency or connection to automation systems.