The lumber processing industry demands rugged, strong, reliable and accurate equipment in all its operations. Machine designers who serve this industry need extreme force linear actuators to move heavy loads.  Hydraulic cylinders have been the go-to, but they have limitations, such as poor control, leaks, temperature sensitivity, maintenance requirements and lack of feedback. Now there are electric rod actuators powered by roller screws that can meet the requirements of these high force applications.

It used to be that when a machine designer was confronted with a high force linear actuator application, the only solution was a hydraulic cylinder.  That meant the designer had to factor in the bulky hydraulic power unit (HPU), the inevitable leaks of hydraulic fluid and the downtime produced by frequent maintenance.

Now there’s another option when a high force linear actuator is needed. There are electric linear actuator products that can meet demanding specifications with ease.