Material Handling

Electric Linear Actuators for Material Handling

Material Handling Applications with Electric Linear Actuators

Material handling and packaging have been a key sector of Tolomatic’s business since the beginning in 1954. Today’s applications span the supply chain from raw material handling, single unit packaging, conveying and palletizing, to order fulfillment and logistics. Tolomatic electric actuators are applied to virtually every axis of linear motion in these applications. Some examples:

  • Packaging – Boxing, bagging and sealing, stacking, pressing, height adjustment, indexing, positioning, gantry system pick and place, label placement
  • Conveying – Sorting, shuttling, escapements, height adjustments, diverting, kick offs, side guiding, swing arms, height adjustment, gantry system pick and place, transfer stations
  • Palletizing – Stacking, positioning, height adjustment, lifting, gantry system pick and place, wrapping/unwrapping
  • Order fulfillment & logistics – Pick and place, height adjustments, autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) functions for everything from cartons to freight containers

Tolomatic offers a full range of pneumatic and electric actuator designs.  However, the advantages of electric linear actuators are becoming more important as productivity demands and total cost of ownership become stronger driving forces.  Electric actuators provide clean, consistent, control with no air, no oil, no leaks to jeopardize productivity or quality.  In today’s fast-paced production environments, electric linear actuators provide control for efficient product change-over flexibility, without iterative adjustments.  With a full line of rod style, rodless, and IP69K actuator solutions – all built-to-order—Tolomatic is an ideal partner for engineering collaboration on material handling machine designs.  Reach out to our team of application engineers to optimize linear motion in your application: Ask an Engineer.

Material Handling Success Stories

Material Handling Resources

Material Handling Products

Lane Diverting

Product Family: Electric
Product Used: ERD Rod Cylinder

Automated Sorting

Product Family: Pneumatic
Product Used: BC2 & MXPS

Remove External Packaging

Product Family: Electric
Product Used: MXB-P

Solar Panel Manufacturing

Product Family: Electric
Product Used: B3W15

Diverting & Conveying

Product Family: Electric
Product Used: ERD15

Lane Changer

Product Family: Electric
Product Used: MXE, ERD

Product Change-Over

Challenge: Automating product change-over on bottling conveyor.
Product Family: Electric
Product Used: ERD

Conveyor Door Control

Challenge: Control of waste removal door on a high speed pizza conveying machine.
Product Family: Electric
Product Used: B3W10

Overhead Pull-Off System

Challenge: Diverting boxes to different conveyors.
Product Family: Pneumatic
Product Used: BC2 Rodless Cylinder

Palletizing & Slip Sheeting

Challenge: Slip sheet placement on pallets for palletizing
Product Family: Pneumatic
Product Used: MXP32

2 Level Conveyor

Challenge: Accurately position boxes in filling station then, after filling is completed, move boxes onto conveyor leading to packaging station.
Product Family: Pneumatic
Product Used: BC2 Rodless Band Cylinders

Transfer Station

Challenge: Indexing conveyor transfer station
Product Family: Electric
Product Used: ERD Rod Style Actuator; MXP Profiled Rail Pneumatic Actuator

Fiberglass Rolling

Challenge: A manufacturer of fiberglass automation equipment was using pneumatic cylinders to control the vertical roller and the winding roller used to package fiberglass insulation into rolls.
Product Family: Electric Rod-Style Actuator
Product Used: RSA

IMA Linear Servo Actuators

Electric rod actuator integrated with a servo motor in a single, compact design that integrates with 3rd party drives and accessories. Forces up to 8,044 lbf (35.8 kN).

BC2 Band Cylinder

BC2 pneumatic band cylinders provide multiple mounting options and a wide variety of load carrying capacities.

MXP-S Air Cylinders

The MXP-S solid bearing long stroke pneumatic air cylinder offers a large carrier mounting pattern for load stability.

MXB-P Actuators

Linear actuator that uses a profiled rail bearing and belt drive train to move heavy loads at high speeds. Loads up to 1,290 lbs (586 kg).

B3W Actuators

B3W linear belt drive actuators have an enclosed ball bearing design for heavy loads, high bending moments, and long service life.

RSA-HT Heavy Duty Electric Linear Actuators

The RSA-HT heavy duty electric rod linear actuator accommodates larger motors and delivers high force with excellent accuracy and high speed. These high force electric linear actuators feature ball or roller screw selections, an enhanced high thrust bearing, and heavy duty internal bumpers. The standard grease zerk extends screw life by making relubrication easy and convenient without disassembly. RSA-HT actuators are suitable for valve actuation, punch press, injection molding and a wide range of other application.