Advantages of Hydraulic Actuator | disadvantages of Hydraulic Actuator

This page covers advantages and disadvantages of Hydraulic Actuator. It mentions Hydraulic Actuator advantages or benefits and Hydraulic Actuator disadvantages or drawbacks.

Introduction

• Transducer is a device which converts one form of energy into the other form of energy. Both sensor and actuator are energy conversion devices. Hence they can be called as transducers.
• A sensor is a device which converts physical parameter to electrical output.
• An actuator is a device which converts electrical input signal to mechanical or physical output signal (e.g. force or displacement).

Following are the main types of actuators.
• Hydraulic actuator
• Pneumatic actuator
• Electric actuator

What is Hydraulic Actuator?

• A cylinder or fluid based motor which converts hydraulic power into equivalent mechanical power.
• It is operated by source of energy which is hydraulic fluid pressure.
• It converts input energy into mechanical motion when it receives control signal.
• Motion can be linear or rotary.

Hydraulic Actuator

The figure-1 depicts hydraulic actuator.

Benefits or advantages of Hydraulic Actuator

Following are the benefits or advantages of Hydraulic Actuator:
➨They are very rugged in construction.
➨They are suitable for high force applications.
➨They are designed to hold the force.

Drawbacks or disadvantages of Hydraulic Actuator

Following are the drawbacks or disadvantages of Hydraulic Actuator:
➨Fluids will leak and hence will deliver less efficiency.
➨Moreover leakage leads to cleanliness issues and potential damage to surrounding components and areas.
➨Hydraulic actuators need many additional parts which include fluid reservoir, motors, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, noise reduction equipments etc.
➨The overall weight of the system is very high.

Also refer advantages and disadvantages of electric actuator >> and pneumatic actuator >> for more information.


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