Beckhoff Extends Electric Cylinder Lineup

Beckhoff is adding more devices to its scalable AA3000 electric cylinder series to extend the significant advantages in total cost of ownership, footprint, energy efficiency and sustainability to more applications. The new AA3100 devices offer the necessary force, dynamics and compactness needed for linear motion applications. However, this direct-drive solution delivers all the advantages of servo technology, including controlled positioning, safe holding at a standstill and high efficiency.

The AA3100 series is designed as a drop-in replacement for hydraulic or pneumatic actuators. These legacy approaches waste excess energy and floorspace required for compressors, while adding costly and complex mechanical components. In the case of hydraulics, they can leak and create messes on the plant floor. To simplify replacement of these devices, the AA3100 devices leverage an ISO 15552 flange size and bolting points on both sides as well as an external thread mount on the shaft end of the spindle to mount ball heads, clamping hooks or other common adapters.

There are two variants each for the first products in the series, the AA3123 and AA3133 electric cylinders:

AA3123
- 5,300 N peak force, 1,300 N continuous force and 0.28 m/s maximum speed.
- 2,650 N peak force, 650 N continuous force and 0.56 m/s maximum speed.

AA3133
- 12,500 N peak force, 2,800 N continuous force and 0.12 m/s maximum speed.
- 6,000 N peak force, 1,400 N continuous force and 0.24 m/s maximum speed.

Like their predecessors in the AA3000 series, the new AA3100 devices offer the compelling benefits expected from Beckhoff electric cylinders:
- Integrated mechanism: The devices feature precise roller bearings, ball screw and guide to provide backlash-free, purely translatory motion.
- Ultra-fast commissioning: a safe 24-bit multiturn encoder with high resolution, One Cable Technology (OCT) and an electronic identification plate all make startup go faster.
- Simplified data access: TwinCAT 3 automation software automatically configures position travel limits and known position offset for the encoder after reading in the device’s electronic nameplate.
- Significant customizability: A range of spindle pitches and a backlash-free holding brake are available to help meet the unique requirements of any application.