Applications / Industrial automation

Electric cylinders for industrial automation

Servo and stepper electric cylinders that replace pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders on production lines. Programmable position, speed and force, from 50 N to 200 kN, with the motor brand you already use.

Send your applicationCompare the four series
SERVO MOTOR → BALL SCREW → PISTON RODRotary motion in, precise linear motion outstrokeencoder feedbackball screw, 80–90 % efficient
±0.02 mmRepeatability, all series
50 N–200 kNRated thrust range
1,000 mm/sMax. speed (LT, ST series)
2,000 mmMax. stroke (LT93, HT80–HT100)

Where they work

Linear motion for machines that repeat the same move all day

Pressing and press-fitting

Servo presses that control force and position on every stroke, without hydraulic power units.

Positioning and lifting

Lifting tables, stops and multi-position axes that move to any programmed point, not only to two end positions.

Packaging and material handling

Pushers, diverters and strapping machines that need high cycle rates and quiet operation.

Valves, dampers and molds

Valve and damper control, injection molding and mold adjustment where oil or compressed air is unwanted.

Heavy industry

Continuous casting, steel and process plants that need thrust up to 200 kN in a sealed steel cylinder.

Food, pharma and solar

Food and pharmaceutical machinery and solar tracking systems that run outdoors from −10 to 80 °C.

Electric instead of pneumatic or hydraulic

Program the motion instead of adjusting valves

An electric cylinder turns the rotation of a servo or stepper motor into linear motion through a ball screw. Position, speed and force are set in the drive, and changed in software when the product changes.

Any positionStop at as many programmed points as the process needs. A pneumatic cylinder only knows its two end positions.
±0.02 mmRepeatable positioning, with the motor encoder coupled directly to the screw.
80–90 %Mechanical efficiency of the ball-screw drive. No compressor or hydraulic unit running in the background.
No leaksNo compressed-air or oil leaks, no hoses or filters. Routine service is periodic re-greasing.

Product range

Four series, one selection

Choose the series by thrust first, then the lead and motor for the speed you need.

SeriesBodyRated thrust (N)Max. speed (mm/s)Max. stroke (mm)Motor up toTypical use
DGREC Economical
EC39 / 52 / 65		Aluminium50–5005001,200750 WLight pushing, adjustment, cost-sensitive machines
DGRLT Light duty
LT51 / 64 / 75 / 93		Square aluminium profile500–8,0001,0002,0002 kWHigh-speed positioning, handling, packaging
DGRST Standard
ST65 / 85		High-strength aluminium3,000–10,0001,0001,5002 kWGeneral automation, pressing, lifting
DGRHT Heavy duty
HT50 to HT230		Carbon steel tube1,500–200,0008002,00015 kWServo presses, heavy industry, hydraulic replacement

All series: repeatability ±0.02 mm, lead error 0.023 mm / 300 mm. Maximum thrust and maximum speed are not normally reached at the same time; the motor and gearbox are chosen to balance the two. Strokes above 500 mm are usually combined with an external guide.

How to read a model code

Every option is in the part number

DGRST-U-85-T5-L300-S100-F10-P1000-i1

DGRSTSeries: EC economical, LT light, ST standard, HT heavy duty
UMotor mounting: U folded (parallel), I inline
85Cylinder bore or profile size (mm)
T5Ball-screw lead (mm)
L300Stroke (mm)
S100Rated speed (mm/s)
F10Rated load (kN)
P1000Motor power (W)
i1Gear ratio, from 1:1 to 1:100

Configuration

Fits the machine you are building

Motors

Servo motors from Panasonic, Mitsubishi, Yaskawa, Sanyo Denki and Delta, stepper motors, or the brand you specify.

Gearboxes

Planetary gearboxes from 1:1.5 to 1:100 when the application needs more thrust than speed.

Mounting

Front flange, rear flange plate, trunnion bracket, rod clevis, LB flange plate and universal joint.

Inline or folded

Inline for the slimmest installation, or folded back on a timing belt where length is limited.

Built-in anti-rotation

The rod is guided against rotation inside the cylinder, so no external guide rod is needed for pure axial loads.

Stroke sensing

Two stroke-limit sensors per cylinder: magnetic on aluminium series, inductive on the steel HT series.

Sizing

What we need to size your cylinder

01

Force

Maximum push and pull force, and whether the load is vertical or horizontal.

02

Stroke and speed

Stroke length, maximum speed and the cycle time you need to reach.

03

Duty cycle

Cycles per minute and operating hours per day, so we can calculate ball-screw life.

04

Mounting and motor

Installation space, mounting style and your preferred motor brand.

Application examples

See them in machines

Electric cylinder servo press

Read the application →

Automatic drilling machine

Read the application →

Automatic steel packing machine

Read the application →

Solar tracking system

Read the application →

Questions from machine builders

Can an electric cylinder replace my pneumatic cylinder directly?

In most cases, yes. Send us the stroke, force and mounting of the current cylinder. We choose the series and mounting accessories that fit the same installation space as closely as possible.

Servo or stepper motor?

Stepper motors are the lower-cost choice for light loads and simple point-to-point moves. Servo motors give closed-loop control, higher speed and the ±0.02 mm repeatability for demanding positioning and pressing.

Can the cylinder take side loads?

The cylinders are designed for axial load. For horizontal mounting with side loads, or strokes above 500 mm, we recommend an external guide.

What is the lead time?

Standard cylinders leave the factory in 7–10 working days.

Can I get 3D models?

Yes. Send us your configuration and we provide 3D models and dimensioned drawings.

What is the warranty?

12 months from delivery.

Application review

Tell us about your machine

Send force, stroke, speed, duty cycle and mounting. An engineer replies with a proposed series and configuration.

Email our engineering sales team

[email protected]

Write an email

Send us mail