Product Information

The Rotomation line provides pneumatic and low pressure hydraulic rotary actuators operating at typical pressures of 80 and 500 psi, respectively. All but one of the rotary motions are generated by rack and pinion units in which a cylinder and piston at each end of a rack drive it and the pinion back and forth. A rotary actuator has a one-piece pinion shaft so that back and forth motion is directly coupled to the shaft. A stepping actuator delivers single direction rotary steps by connecting the pinion to the shaft with a one way clutch. With a similar drive mechanism, an indexing actuator produces accurate angular steps by a precise ratchet stop on its shaft. Pick and place actuators combine rotary motions and linear motions by transmitting rotary actuator torque to a linear cylinder via a splined shaft to rod connection.

In all the rotary devices above, the torque can be doubled by placing an additional rack with pistons and cylinders on the other side of the pinion and arranging plumbing for pressure and exhaust to diagonally opposite cylinders. These dual rack units are designated with a 2 as a second digit: 12,22, 32, or 42.

The miniatures are pneumatic but the others can be operated on air or hydraulic oil. In instances where motion control requires, one or more cylinders are driven by air and the others by oil. Operating conditions and required controls define actuator features to mesh with system control.

The Rotomation product line includes actuators having eight motions which drive process machines directly, without complex mechanical conversion.

The motions are listed below with icons describing and identifying each.
Rotary Actuator: Back-and-forth rotation between two positions, like a windshield wiper.
Multi-Position Actuator: Back-and-forth rotation to three, four or five fixed angular positions accessible in any sequence. Three position is the most common requirement and is basic assembly on which four and five position units are based.
Indexing Actuator: Rotation in one direction in fixed steps to hard stops. No accumulating errors.
Stepping Actuator: Rotation in one direction in steps without hard stops.
Pick and Place Actuator: Combines the rotary actuator with a linear cylinder to provide separately controllable linear motion and rotary motion.
Multi-Position Pick and Place Actuator: Pick and Place operation with three, four or five angular stop positions accessible in any sequence. Three position is the most common requirement; four and five position units are based on this assembly.
Pick and Place Actuator with Vacuum: Pick and Place actuator having provision for vacuum connection between fixed port and rod end for vacuum.
Nitpicker: Like Pick and Place but has indexing actuator drive to provide rotation in one direction in fixed steps.