Solution
Custom Linear Actuator Design
Cerebrus engineers custom linear actuators for applications where an off-the-shelf slide will not meet the load, stroke, speed, precision, or environmental requirement. We size and build the actuator around your motion profile so it delivers the force and repeatability your machine needs over its full duty cycle.
Belt-driven and screw-driven configurations
Belt-driven actuators suit long strokes and high-speed motion where positioning tolerance is moderate — they are efficient, quiet, and cost-effective over travel distances that would be impractical with a leadscrew. Screw-driven actuators (ball or lead screw) suit shorter strokes that demand high thrust, fine resolution, and the ability to hold position under load.
We select the drive type, guide system, and bearing arrangement based on your requirements rather than fitting your application to a fixed product line. That includes high-speed and high-load variants, vertical axes with holding capability, and designs intended for cleanroom, washdown, or other demanding environments.
Sizing, precision, and integration
Correct sizing is the core of a reliable actuator. We calculate loads, inertia, acceleration, and duty cycle to select the drive, guideway, and motor so the actuator meets its precision and life targets without being over- or under-specified. Where sub-processes demand it, we account for deflection and thermal effects on positioning accuracy.
Actuators are delivered as motion-ready assemblies with the motor, drive, and feedback matched to your controller, so they drop into a larger machine or multi-axis system with a defined mechanical and electrical interface.
Tools & methods
- Motion sizing: load, inertia, acceleration, and duty-cycle analysis
- Belt, ball-screw, and lead-screw drive selection
- Linear guide, bearing, and structural design in 3D CAD
- Servo and stepper motor and drive matching
- Feedback selection (encoders, limit and home sensing)
- Environmental design for cleanroom, washdown, and high-duty use
What you receive
- Sizing calculations and specification
- 3D CAD model and mechanical drawings
- Assembled, motion-ready actuator
- Matched motor, drive, and feedback components
- Mechanical and electrical interface documentation
- Test data verifying speed, load, and repeatability
A typical engagement
Linear actuator work is often a component within a larger machine program, but we also deliver standalone actuators to other machine builders. Engagements start from your motion requirements, move through sizing and design review, and finish with a tested assembly and interface documentation ready to integrate.
FAQ
Linear Actuators: frequently asked questions
Should I choose a belt-driven or screw-driven actuator?
Belt-driven actuators are best for long strokes and high speeds with moderate positioning tolerance. Screw-driven actuators are best for shorter strokes needing high thrust, fine resolution, and the ability to hold position under load. We recommend the right type after reviewing your stroke, speed, load, and precision requirements.
Why not just buy a standard off-the-shelf actuator?
Standard actuators work well when your requirement fits a catalog product. A custom actuator makes sense when you need a specific combination of load, stroke, speed, precision, or environmental rating — or a defined interface into your machine — that no single standard product provides.
How do you make sure the actuator is sized correctly?
We calculate the load, inertia, acceleration, and duty cycle for your motion profile and select the drive, guideway, motor, and drive electronics against those numbers, with margin appropriate to the application. Correct sizing is what determines precision, reliability, and service life.
Can the actuator handle vertical loads and hold position?
Yes. For vertical axes we design in the appropriate drive type and, where needed, holding brakes and counterbalancing so the axis holds position safely under load, including on power loss.
Will the actuator integrate with my existing controller?
We match the motor, drive, and feedback to your control platform and provide the mechanical and electrical interface documentation, so the actuator integrates cleanly into your machine or multi-axis system.
Have a project in mind?
Tell us what you're trying to build or automate. We'll help you scope it and recommend the right approach.