Benefits of Limit Switches and Actuators

For most ordinary people, the two terms limit switch and actuator have little meaning. But in fact, these two are very important to the performance of the product you buy.

The actuator is an essential part of the automatic control system. Its function is to accept the control signal sent by the controller, change the size of the controlled medium, so as to maintain the controlled variable at the required value or within a certain range. Limit switch is a commonly used low-current master electrical appliance. It mainly uses the collision of the moving parts of the production machinery to make its contacts move to switch on or off the control circuit and achieve certain control purposes. In this article, we will introduce the concept of limit switches in actuators and introduce their advantages.

What Is the Limit Switch in the Actuator?

The mechanical limit switch can stop the actuator at a certain length to prevent the gear from being peeled off. Because the magnetic limit switch can prevent the actuator from destroying what it pushes, it can also protect the user from injury. Limit control switches are more effective than current overload and detection, because the latter two methods will hardly stop and cause the gear to peel off.

Limit Switch Type

1. External Limit Switch

This kind of flame rollout switch is disconnected externally by a mechanical metal push button or lever. When the actuator or its controlled object presses this button or lever, the limit switch will disconnect and stop the actuator.

2. Internal Limit Switch

Similar to the external pneumatic limit switch, the internal limit switch is controlled by a small plastic strip inside the actuator, which will be disconnected when triggered. Some internal limit switches are very small, so they are called micro switches. And because the internal limit switch is installed inside, there is little interference from the outside world. No wiring is required to install the internal limit switch.

Why Choose Manual Restriction?

In addition to external limit endstop switches and internal limit switches, there is a third option that can be used to set actuator limits, which is to use smart controllers with Hall limit switch sensor to set artificial limits. You can set an artificial limit on the number of pulses on the Hall sensor. Once the limit is reached, the intelligent controller will trigger the artificial limit.

The height and length of the artificial restriction can be adjusted, which will be more accurate for any application. If you use a smart controller to set artificial limits, you can also set a dynamic limit switch, which means that when a certain current or force is applied, the power of the actuator will be cut off. This kind of dynamic limit switch is particularly useful for opening windows or other applications that require human intervention.

Although the actual use of each type of limit switch can ensure safety and prevent damage, the use of intelligent controllers to set manual limit switches can accomplish this task more effectively than other types of limit switches.