Linear Motor Actuators

Linear motors generate linear motion directly, rather than requiring an actuator to convert rotary motion to linear motion. They are essentially unrolled servomotors, with the stator, or forcer, riding along a magnet track. They are available in ironless models, in which the forcer travels in a U-shaped magnet track, and iron-core models, in which the forcer travels along a line of magnets that are attached to an iron backing. Iron-core designs deliver more force but suffer from a high degree of cogging as a result of the iron core. Ironless models provide very smooth motion but with less force.