Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!sunybcs!kitty!larry
From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Mechanical actuators
Summary: Solenoids...
Message-ID: <3249@kitty.UUCP>
Date: 20 Jun 89 04:23:20 GMT
References: <1436@xn.LL.MIT.EDU>
Distribution: na
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 22

In article <1436@xn.LL.MIT.EDU>, rsteele@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Rob Steele) writes:
> I need a mechanical actuator to operate under microprocessor 
> control.  Ideally it would be a solenoid that works off of 
> 5 VDC and not much current.  The thing will be pulsed at
> around 7 Hz. with a 50% duty cycle and need not exert much 
> mechanical force.  Am I dreaming?  What alternatives should
> I know about?

	Try Ledex as a possible vendor for your solenoid.  7 Hz is a pretty
fast actuation rate, and I would be concerned about mechanical wear and
overheating if this rate will continue for any length of time.

	Also, I would consider a higher voltage - like 12 or 24 - for the
solenoid, since it will vastly reduce the current which your solenoid
driver circuit needs to handle.  5 volt DC solenoids tend to be rather
ineffiecient, and draw a lot of current, in addition to being more affected
by voltage drop across the driver circuit.

<>  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp. - Uniquex Corp. - Viatran Corp.
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