Many applications call for the carrying action of a rodless electromechanical actuator. And many of these need the high speed and long stroke capabilities of a belt-driven linear actuator. But what do you do when your application is in a dusty, harsh environment? Many rodless electromechanical actuators can’t handle these conditions. Their roller bearings get clogged with dust and stop working. Could a solid bearing be the solution?

Stringent regulations govern the food processing industry. Food processing equipment and components, like electric linear actuators, must meet food safety regulations and stand up to clean-in-place (CIP) procedures. Food industry cleaning procedures may include regular washdowns with hot water, steam, high pressures, and caustic chemicals. Corrosion resistant materials and a water-shedding design are musts.

“How long will it last?” Every machine design engineer gets asked this question and will have to calculate the anticipated life of the machine – life that’s based on machine components including linear actuators. Engineers also have to consider expected life when they’re evaluating competing components.

When you’re called on to specify electric linear actuators, one of the critical decisions you’ll face is whether to use a rodless or rod-style model. Either actuator type has advantages and disadvantages.

In general, if the actuator has to carry a load, a rodless product is what you need.  However, if a load needs to be pushed or pulled, select a rod-style actuator. 

Until recently, the food processing industry has handled contamination reactively. If a foodborne illness was traced back to contamination at a manufacturing plant, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) had the manufacturer fix the problem.

The flaw in this system, though, was that most of these illnesses were preventable. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 48 million people (1 in 6 Americans) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year from foodborne diseases. That makes food contamination a major public health issue.

The federal government stepped in to change the way the FDA and food producers operate with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) – signed into law in January 2011. This important legislation shifts the focus to preventing contamination problems instead of just responding to them.  FSMA affects all automation components used in the industry, including linear actuators.