Actuator

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I. Origin of the actuator The actuator, also known as an executor, is a type of mechatronic device commonly used in the field of automatic control. It represents the actuating component among the three main components of automated instruments (sensing devices, control devices, and actuating devices). It mainly involves the automatic operation of certain equipment and devices, controlling their switching and adjustment to replace manual labor. Based on the type of power, they can be classified into pneumatic, hydraulic, electric, electro-hydraulic, etc ； Based on the type of motion, they can be classified into straight-line motion, angular motion, rotary motion (multi-turn type), etc. Since using electricity as a power source offers advantages that other types of media cannot match, electric types have seen the fastest development in recent years and are widely used. Electric types can be further divided into combined structures and mechatronic structures according to different standards ； Electrical control type, electronic control type, and intelligent control type (with HART, FF protocols) ； Digital and analog ； Manual contact debugging type and infrared remote control debugging type, etc. It has developed rapidly alongside the increasing demands for control performance and the advancement of automatic control technology. 1. In the early industrial era, many control processes were manual or semi-automatic; during operation, humans had direct contact with the hazardous parts of industrial equipment as well as hazardous materials (various chemical substances in solid, liquid, and gas states, as well as radioactive materials), which posed a high risk of injury to people and was extremely unsafe ； 2. The equipment has a short lifespan, is prone to damage, and requires frequent repairs ； 3. Using semi-automatic or especially manual control results in low efficiency, large errors, and low production productivity. For these reasons, actuators were gradually developed and applied in industrial and other control fields, reducing and preventing personal injuries and equipment damage, greatly improving control accuracy and efficiency, and simultaneously enhancing production efficiency as well. This year, with the rapid advancement of electronic component technology, computer technology, and control theory, actuators both domestically and internationally have entered the era of intelligent control. II. English name for actuators: ACTUATORS III. Application areas of actuators Actuators are primarily used in the following three fields: 1. Power plants Typical applications include: ① Applications in the thermal power industry – Air supply fan dampers, primary air inlet dampers, air preheating dampers, flue gas recirculation dampers, bypass dampers, secondary air inlet dampers, main air box dampers, burner adjustment rods, burner swing drivers, hydraulic push rod drivers, turbine speed control, flue gas control valves, steam control valves, control of ball valves and butterfly valves, sliding doors, gates. ② Other applications of valve actuators in the power industry – Ball valves, dust removal control via water spraying, turbine speed control, control of large hydraulic valves, gas control valves, burner ignition, steam control valves, condensate recirculation, deoxidizers, boiler feedwater systems, superheat controllers, reheat temperature controllers, and other related valve applications. 2. Process control Used for controlling production processes in industries such as chemicals, petrochemicals, molding, food processing, pharmaceuticals, and packaging. It enables precise positioning, starting/stopping, opening/closing, and rotating of valves, tools, pipes, dampers, slides, and platforms based on predetermined logical instructions or computer programs. The system adjusts itself using real-time parameters such as temperature, pressure, flow rate, size, radiation, brightness, color intensity, roughness, and density, thereby enabling control over batch, continuous, and cyclic processing processes. 3. Industrial automation is applied in a wide range of fields such as aviation, aerospace, military industry, machinery, metallurgy, mining, transportation, and building materials, where it is used to adjust and control the moving parts of various automated devices and systems in different ways. Key applications in process control and industrial automation are as follows: ① Applications in sulfur ore production: injection flow control, control using ball valves and butterfly valves. ② Applications of actuators for potassium carbonate pipelines: sliding gates, distributors, gate valves, ball valves and butterfly valves, spherical control valves. ③ Applications of actuators for water treatment: liquid flow control, pressure control using pressure regulators, acid solution flow control. ④ Applications of actuators in limestone/cement plants: control using ball or butterfly valves, handling dry cement, gypsum, or liquids; supply and exhaust fans, adjustable air dampers, bypass air dampers, environmental pollution control and dust removal devices, sliding gates for controlling the flow of raw materials in hoppers and storage areas, gate valves for controlling the flow of raw materials at the feed inlet, gas control valves for adjusting the air intake to burners in converters, steam control valves for regulating the steam required in the production process. ⑤ Applications of actuators in grain processing plants: gate valves, distributors, dispensers, material unloading/heating devices, dust isolation baffles, air flow control (material drying), control using ball valves and butterfly valves. ⑥ Applications of air dampers and valve actuators in steel mills: control using ball or butterfly valves for cooling water, wastewater, or other cooling media; adjustable air dampers, supply and exhaust fans, bypass air dampers, gate valves, environmental pollution control and dust removal devices, sliding gates for controlling the flow of raw materials at the feed inlet, control of raw materials in hoppers and storage areas, gas control valves, steam control valves, adjustment of air intake to burners in converters, regulation of steam required in the production process. ⑦ Applications of air dampers and valve actuators in aluminum plants: air supply fan dampers, primary air inlet dampers, air preheating dampers, flue gas recirculation, bypass dampers, secondary air inlet dampers, main blast furnace dampers, burner adjustment rods, burner swing drivers, hydraulic push rod drivers, turbine speed regulation, flue gas control valves, steam control valves, control using ball valves and butterfly valves, sliding gates, gate valves. ⑧ Applications of process control dampers: air supplementation, exhaust fan bypass, hot/cold air mixing, emergency shutdown. ⑨ Applications in the petroleum industry: flow control in injection processes, pressure control of main valves in gas lift systems, flow control in injection processes, sampling of oil quality from oil wells/valves for production use. ⑩ Applications in natural gas production and transportation: flow control of gas lift processes, pressure control of main valves in gas pipelines, control of compressor surge, natural gas pressure control, pressure control of main valves in natural gas pipelines, emergency shutdown, control of natural gas regulators, pressure control, compressor surge control, flow control. IV. What are the well-known companies in the international market? Actuators were developed abroad earlier and have maintained a significant advantage to this day. Siemens produced the world’s first electric actuator in 1905. Since the early 1990s, some foreign manufacturers of electric actuators have developed a new generation of products to capture the market. Some of the more well-known companies in the world are as follows: 1. ROTORK from the UK. Since the early 1990s, some foreign manufacturers of electric actuators have developed new products to gain a foothold in the market. Earlier, the British company ROTORK introduced the IQ type intelligent electric actuator in 1995. The IQ series of intelligent electric actuators represents an earlier generation of intelligent electric actuators introduced by the British company ROTORK. The base model of these actuators is the ROTORK multi-turn electric actuator; intelligent control is achieved by adding microprocessors, peripheral circuitry, and software to this base design. It uses an infrared remote control to set the parameters of the actuator, thus enabling maintenance without the need to \"open the cover\". Its limit mechanism is set using digital signals generated by Hall sensors, while torque protection is achieved by monitoring the motor current and magnetic field. This is set by generating digital signals via Hall sensors, while torque protection is achieved by measuring the motor current and magnetic field. Replacing the conventional counter drive mechanism and cam switch assembly with electronic sensors facilitates local condition monitoring and safety assurance, as well as simplifies debugging tasks. 2. JORDAN in the United States: The American company Jordan Controls was established in 1955 and has been specializing in the production of electric actuators for plant dampers ever since. Especially in demanding operating conditions such as high ambient temperatures, limited installation spaces, difficulty in maintenance, and frequent operations, Jordan’s products remain the preferred choice for most users around the world. This is thanks to the manufacturer’s nearly fifty years of experience as well as its advanced design and manufacturing concepts. In this field, especially in regulated applications with a high adjustment frequency (where the actuator can operate 2,000 to 4,000 times per hour), it holds a market share of over 70% in the European and American markets. The only competitor is the German company HARTMANN& BRAUN, but its prices are more than three times higher than those of this company. Jordan’s main advantages include a high adjustment frequency (2000–4000 times/hour), integration of the motor, servo amplifier, and drive mechanism, permanent lubrication that eliminates the need for maintenance, the ability to install it at any angle, as well as spur gears and Scottish yoke drive mechanisms. Currently, all well-known domestic brands (such as ROTORK, SIPOS, AUMA, etc.) use a split design without exception; in particular, the lifespan of the gearbox is very short. The use of a turbine worm drive results in high wear, significant heat generation, low transmission efficiency, and a short service life; the maximum adjustment frequency is only 1200 times per hour. Moreover, it requires regular lubrication and maintenance, and cannot be installed in arbitrary locations. Main series: SM, LA, MV, VA, EH, TA-1200, MC-1100, SM/LA-3300. 3. EMG 1883 in Germany: The German AEG group was established, and it began producing electric actuators around the year 1900. In 1946, AEG Group, which was the second-largest electronics company in Europe at that time (with its power plant construction division being the best in Europe), established a wholly-owned subsidiary named EMG to handle business related to electric actuators. In 1976, EMG developed a patented eccentric planetary gear transmission mechanism, which was successfully applied to its actuators. In 1984, the power plant construction division of the AEG Group was sold to Siemens, becoming Siemens’ power group KWU. EMG began to establish an independent global sales network. In 1992, the AEG Group, which employed over 100,000 people worldwide, was acquired by the Daimler-Benz Group and became part of Daimler’s Industrial Division, after which it was split up. In 1996, the EMG Industrial Group became independent. In 2003, EMG Group established a office in China to start exploring the Chinese market. Main series: DREHMO (Standard, Matic I, Matic C). 4. ABB was established in 1988 through the merger of the Swedish company Asea and the Swiss company BBC, which were founded in 1883 and 1891 respectively; its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland. It is a global leader in the fields of power and automation technology; the ABB Group has thousands of companies in over 100 countries around the world, with 139,000 employees. ABB’s relationship with China dates back to the early 20th century: as early as 1907, ABB supplied a set of steam boilers to China. As its business continued to grow, the group established its China regional headquarters in 1974 at **. At the end of 1994, the China regional headquarters was moved to Beijing. In 1995, ABB established a wholly-owned holding company in Beijing: Asia Brown Boveri (China) Investment Co., Ltd., which is responsible for all investment activities in China. Currently, ABB China has 23 sales offices in cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Shenyang, Wuhan, Qingdao, Nanjing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Fuzhou, Harbin, Tianjin, Dalian, Jinan, Hangzhou, Kunming, Nanning, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou, Changchun, Changsha, and **. It also has 27 joint venture/solo-owned enterprises in places like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Xiamen, Hefei, Xinhui, Zhongshan, and **, with a total workforce of over 6,000 people. Main series: ONTRAC (MOE700, MME 800). The Ontrac series of intelligent electric actuators are smart electric actuator products launched by ABB in recent years. Its actuator base model is also a multi-turn electric actuator; its intelligent controller is installed within the actuator, and there is an operation panel for direct control. An LCD display is provided, and actuator parameters can be set through menu-based operations. It uses a Hall sensor to obtain position signals. The microprocessor calculates the torque based on the motor’s slip S, and compares it with the torque limit set by the user; once this limit is exceeded, the motor is forced to stop operating, and the microprocessor sends an alarm signal. This electronic torque protection method eliminates the need for traditional springs and mechanical switches in the process, making it very convenient for tuning. This actuator can also perform variable-frequency speed control and valve characteristic correction. In addition to the traditional 4-20mA control signal option, a PROFIBUS DP/V1 communication interface is also available. 5. HARTMAN&BRAUN from Germany – main series: PME 120. 6. AUMA from Germany. 7. SIEMENS from Germany. SIEMENS is the leader in the global automation industry; SIPOS is the abbreviation for SIEMENS Positioner. The world’s first electric actuator was produced in 1905, and to date, there is nearly a century of experience in the research, development, production, and sales of electric actuators. SIPOS is a registered trademark for its electric actuators. SIPOS has been widely used in various industrial production fields around the world. Almost all the actuators used in the bypass systems of electric turbines in Chinese power plants are original imported SIPOS units. Siemens also sold the production technologies for its SIPOS1 series and SIPOS 3 series to two manufacturing plants in China in 1987 and 1992 respectively. Siemens continuously updated its technology, phasing out SIPOS 1 and SIPOS 3. For the first time on a global scale, it applied advanced and mature motor frequency conversion control technology to electric actuators, using built-in integrated frequency converters to control the motors in these actuators. In 1997, it introduced to the market the new generation of SIPOS 5 series electric actuators designed for the new century. SIPOS 5 entered the Chinese market at the end of 1997, and it has gained great popularity in the market due to its simple structure, advanced technology, reliable performance, ability to perform self-diagnosis of faults, high level of intelligence, and reasonable price. Within just three years, over 70 users in China purchased more than 3,000 units in total, and its quality, performance, and cost-effectiveness were highly praised and recognized by all users. To meet market demands, starting from October 1, 1999, Siemens’ electric actuator division was separated from the larger Siemens organization. Under its original registered trademark SIPOS, it became a specialized company for electric actuators with independent legal status in Germany: SIPOS Aktorik GmbH (SiPOS Electric Actuators GmbH). Cibos GmbH’s headquarters and manufacturing plant are located in Nuremberg, Germany, and it has sales and service offices in major countries and regions around the world. As of October 1, 1999, all of Siemens’ business related to electric actuators was transferred to Sibos, and Siemens ceased producing electric actuators. After becoming independent, Siemens Industry Inc. continued to use SIPOS as the registered trademark for its electric actuator products, but it was no longer part of the Siemens Corporation. Siemens is now one of the main customers of Sybos, and Sybos continues to want to provide products and services to Siemens. Main series: SIPOS1, SIPOS3, SIPOS 5 Flash 8. Bernard in France – Bernard SAS is a member of the France-China Electricity Association. Established in 1946, it is a world-renowned manufacturer of valve actuators (SERVOMOTEURS), and the nuclear-grade valve actuators it produces meet international standards. Since 1950, French nuclear power plants have begun using the company’s products. More than 60 nuclear power plants around the world use Bernard’s electric actuators. In 1996, the company’s products began to enter the Chinese market, supplying equipment for nuclear power plants in China such as Daya Bay, Ling’ao, Qinshan, and Tianwan. Currently, the company produces over 35,000 sets of control equipment per year, 70% of which are exported and are widely used in fields such as nuclear power, petroleum, natural gas, and water treatment. Main series: SERVOMOTEUR 9. BIFFI from Italy; 10. BELLOFRAM from the United States; 11. PS from Germany; 12. Unic from Japan. V. History of JORDAN Company: It was founded in 1955 by Mr. Chuck Jordan. In 1960, it introduced valve actuator devices for power users; in 1964 it introduced solid-state circuit controllers; in 1968 it introduced linear electric actuators; in 1970 it introduced angular and linear valve actuators. In 1978, it entered the Chinese market as a product supplied by American manufacturers. From 1979 to 1990, it operated as a subsidiary specializing in actuators for Foxboro Corporation. In 1987, it developed the first spring-return electric actuator. In 1990, it became an independent company. In 1991, it developed electric actuators using stepper motors, and this design won a design award in 1992. In 1995, it introduced intelligent digital servo controllers. In 1996, it achieved ISO-9001 certification. In 1997, the company’s website (www.jordancontrols.com) was established. In 1998, it introduced HART & Fieldbus interfaces. In 1999, it introduced high-speed, high-thrust hydraulic electric actuators. In 2000, it launched the SM-6000 series of electric actuators with continuous adjustment capabilities. In 2001, it became the independently operating company ROTORK. There are service and spare parts centers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Luoyang. VI. A brief overview of JORDAN’s entry into the Chinese market: Starting with its entry into the Chinese market in 1978 at the Shiheng Power Plant in Shandong, it now has dozens of power users in China, and no problems have ever occurred. In the Chinese market, it is currently widely used in various applications such as the dampers in power plant smoke and air systems (supply and exhaust fans, coal mills, powder discharge pumps, primary air, secondary air, etc.), the electric actuators of control valves (for feedwater, condensate, recirculation, etc.), and the quick-opening valves in fuel systems. VII. What are the main performance characteristics of the actuators used by JORDAN in China? In China, JORDAN primarily uses angular displacement (SM) actuators ； Linear travel (LA) ； Performance of short straight-stroke (MV, VA). VIII. The current status of execution devices in China. The execution devices and servo amplifiers used in our country were designed uniformly in the 1960s, and there have been few technological innovations over the past thirty years; the earliest models were DTZ and DTJ. However, in recent years (primarily during the Ninth Five-Year Plan period), as domestic requirements for control have continued to increase, various research institutions and departments have developed a new generation of intelligent electric actuators whose performance has improved significantly, with prices being less than half those of imported products. The main development companies include: Shanghai Automation Instrument Co., Ltd., Sichuan Instrument Group Company, Haiwanxun Instrument Co., Ltd., Shanghai Ruikai Instrument Co., Ltd., etc. The main models include: QSL, QSQ, DKZ-Z, ZKJ-Z, ZILJ, IKJ, etc. Currently, in China, there are many brands of actuators (including both domestic and foreign brands), resulting in fierce market competition. Foreign products are mainly focused on the mid-to-high-end market, while domestic products are concentrated in the low-end market. Foreign products have higher quality, but their prices are often several times, or even more than ten times, those of domestic brands; they invest significantly more in technology and business development compared to domestic companies ； Currently, some domestic products already offer a good cost-performance ratio, but overall, there is a need to accelerate technological progress and provide industry incentives, as well as to intensify commercial efforts. Domestic actuators are now widely used in various industries. However, in terms of industries that use imported actuators, these are mainly found in sectors such as military manufacturing, power generation, petrochemicals, chemicals, metallurgy, building materials, and environmental protection, as well as on production lines with a high degree of automation. From an investment perspective, the areas where imported actuators are widely used are mainly **large and medium-sized enterprises as well as key industries that receive substantial investment, foreign-invested enterprises, and private enterprises with sufficient funds and strong financing capabilities. China’s economy is booming, and as the world’s largest manufacturing hub today, the market potential for its execution agencies remains enormous: major initiatives such as the development of the western region, the development of the central region, and the revitalization of the old industrial bases in the northeast ； Increasing foreign investment ； Technological upgrades and transformations in established enterprises present significant opportunities. Today, corporate users in China have moved beyond their long-standing blindness and have become more rational; they no longer blindly admire foreign products nor do they pursue low prices at all costs. Domestic companies are striving to catch up with and surpass international advanced technologies in order to increase their visibility ； Foreign manufacturers, on the other hand, are targeting China’s huge market and constantly working to reduce prices in order to enhance their competitiveness there. QQ: 530633623