FIRGELLI - IDEAS IN MOTION
We offer a wide selection of universal Electric Linear Actuators for every application imaginable. Our stroke range options go from 1" (Inch) to 50", and force from 15-lbs to 2,200-lbs which should support any product integration. We keep everything in stock and ship out the same day if we get your order before 1 pm PST.
- Force 500–1124 lb
- Stroke 6–40 Inches
- Force 200 lb
- Stroke 5–60 Inches
- Force 2200 lb
- Stroke 10–35 Inches
- Force 150 lb
- Stroke 9 Inches
What is an Linear Actuator
A Linear Actuator is a device that pushes or pulls something in a linear direction or straight line. The rotational motion in its electric motors powered by electrical energy is what causes this motion. FIRGELLI has specialized in Electric Actuators for over 20 years, but that is not the only type that exists. Hydraulic Actuators use a variety of liquids as their source of energy, and Pneumatic Actuators operate using compressed air. When it comes to Quality and Price, FIRGELLI cannot be beaten. Electric Linear Actuators are the preferred option when precise smooth movement is needed and are much easier to install and program to fit your project. We go more into depth on this subject in our Blog if you are interested in learning more.
Classic vs Premium Actuator
Choosing the right Actuator is not easy when there are so many to choose from, especially as there are so many variations to our high-quality Electric Actuators, such as stroke length, voltages, speed, and force. For most of our products, we have provided a video that demonstrates all the features and benefits that you may find useful in getting to the right product page. Above is a comparison video of our two most popular Actuators that you may find helpful. If all else fails then we suggest giving us a call and talk to our tech people to assist you further.
About FIRGELLI Automations
For 2 decades FIRGELLI has been developing Electric Linear Actuator Systems and motion control products for just about every industry on the planet. We began developing Micro Linear Actuators for the robotics industry and then expanded our product range to include High-Speed Linear Actuators, Track Actuators, followed by Feedback Actuators that now use either built-in potentiometers, hall sensors, or optical feedback sensors. These Feedback Actuators offer enhanced control capabilities and superior resolution for those applications that require positional control, tracking, or syncing.
If you need help selecting the correct product for your application you can try our Linear Actuator Calculator. This will really make your search much easier, saving you time and effort as our calculator can do the calculations for you.
We carry in stock 12-24Vdc Actuators in stroke lengths ranging from 1-inch to 50-inch in many different configurations from our Industrial Heavy-Duty Actuators that offer 2,200-lbs force, to our mini-series offering as little as 15-lbs of force. Generally, there are several different types of actuators, here are some of the types available:
Linear Actuators for any application
With 20 years of Linear Electrical Actuator design development and manufacturing experience, we offer you a wide selection of DC Linear Actuators from very short strokes to the longest stroke options in the industry. We have the capability to create custom sizes if required including custom strokes, voltages, speed, and forces. Our staff are very knowledgeable and helpful in the field of Linear Motion control.
Our high-quality Actuators are used in just about every application imaginable, with such a wide range of force and stroke length options we can support most project requirements. Our main distribution Hub is located in Washington state where we hold a large Inventory to support the USA and global markets. Our friendly staff are on standby to help with technical questions and support.
Our Products all come with an 18-month Guarantee and are the preferred solution when you need simple, safe, long-life motion control.
Resources and Help
We have a wide range of articles which cover a variety of topics which you may find useful. We have articles such as our "Linear Actuators 101" , and then for more detailed and advanced engineering articles we have articles such as "How to achieve Synchronized motion".
Our other big resource section is our Tutorials page. Here we get much more specific with some actuator controlling features for more advanced users and applications. If we don't cover anything that suits your needs then you can always call our tech team at 1-866-226-0465 or email us at support@firgelliauto.com and please feel free to send us drawings, sketches, napkin notes, or whatever you have that may help us help you.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Linear Actuator is a device that requires an energy source input and an external signal input. These inputs create an output usually in the form of motion that can be either rotary or linear. An Electric Linear Actuator is a device that converts the rotational motion of an AC or DC motor into linear motion. It can provide both push and pull movements. This movement makes it possible to lift, drop, slide, adjust, tilt, push, or pull objects with the simple push of a button. Today there are hundreds of millions of Actuators used in the world to perform many different tasks. An Electric Linear Actuator consists of a DC or AC motor, a series of gears, and a lead screw with a driving nut that pushes the main rod shaft in and out. FIRGELLI sells 12v Linear Actuators and 24v Linear Actuators.
The first thing to know is that a linear actuator does exactly what its name implies: it actuates (or 'moves') in a linear (or 'straight') fashion. There are many different ways that a motor can do this, and their motion is commonly achieved with a rod extending and retracting, or a slider that moves on a track. The linear motion is created by using a Lead-screw. The screw turns either clockwise or counter-clockwise and this causes the shaft, which is basically a nut on the screw to move up and down the screw as the screw turns. This is what converts rotary motion from the electric motor to Linear motion.
The motors used are either AC or DC motors, most however run on 12v dc. To make a Linear Actuator go the opposite direction you simple reverse the wires from the Actuator (reverse polarity) from the battery or power supply. This is typically done through a switch that automatically reverses the polarity to the motor for you. Different speeds and forces are achieved by using different gear ratio's inside the Linear Actuator gearbox system. Please remember in a Linear Actuator, force and speed trade-off against each other. That means if you want high force you have to settle for a lower speed than if you require lower force. This is because the only constant in a Linear Actuator is the Motor speed and force for a given input voltage.
To make the shaft stop when it gets to the end of the stroke, our products have built-in limit switches or micro switches as they are sometimes known. These limit switches are inside the main shaft and are nothing more than a small switch that is triggered by the nut inside that slides up and down the screw. There is one for the top extended position and one for the lower retracted position. For more information on this, check out our Blogs page.
There are a few variables to consider, but we can simplify this greatly for you, by using our calculator we built. This Calculator is based on the physics calculations our in-house team uses every day, we just decided to simplify it and make it available to everyone. If this calculator does not cover your application please please email us any diagrams, sketches, etc, and we will be glad to help.
FIRGELLI has made it possible to make a Linear Actuator faster with its speed controller which allows you to choose from 16 different speed settings. Firgelli's FA-SC1 speed controller enables you to adjust the speed using either manually set DIP switches or an external voltage signal. We have created an in-depth easy to follow tutorial on how to make your Linear Actuator Faster. Contact us if you have any questions.
When selecting the product which you want to order, only the in-stock items will be listed under the options. For example, if you are looking for a 3", 150lb actuator and it is out of stock, 3" will not show under the available stroke options.
Yes, you can save on your order when purchasing our Actuators in large volumes. Discounts will be calculated at checkout. Our base discount is 20% when you purchase a minimum quantity of 11 units of an actuator, and then the discount scales up as you purchase more. The full discount information table can be found on each actuator product page.