With the ‘Parallel’ features in the Actuator Connect™ configurator, running up to eight electric actuators in parallel has never been easier.
Let Hunter guide you through the Parallel features of an I/O actuator, one of several options configurable in the Actuator Connect™ configurator for the LINAK® I/O interface.
Learn more about our I/O interface here, or download a free version of the latest Actuator Connect configurator.
How many electric linear I/O™ actuators can you run in parallel?
You can run up to 8 actuators simultaneously, thereby enabling smooth synchronised movement. Parallel is ideal if you want to distribute a heavy load across multiple actuators or to avoid mechanical stress caused by bending on, for example, a hood lift. It is a prerequisite that the actuators have the same characteristics - both in terms of mechanics and configuration across all features.
Is it possible to transform a single I/O™ actuator into parallel?
Yes. All electric I/O actuators are prepared for parallel with the violet wire – which means that you can set up your actuator for parallel movement even if it was originally programmed as a single actuator. This way, you can easily stock several I/O full actuators and configure them for parallel movement later.
The ‘Parallel’ option is displayed on the left sidebar on the Actuator Connect™ screen. When selected, you can configure and change the number of linear actuators in the parallel system.
What does critical parallel mean?
Parallel works as a ‘critical’ system, which indicates that all actuators must be present in the system before it allows movement. The parallel system is controlled by a master which is the actuator with the highest serial number. The master commands the followers to move and receives status messages to ensure that the system is allowed to run only if everything is functioning properly. If it detects a malfunction or one of the following actuators struggles to keep up, the master will slow down so that the whole system follows the slowest in the system. For instance, if the load is not evenly distributed in the application.
With an electric linear I/O™ actuator, it is possible to run multiple actuators in parallel – even if originally set up as a single actuator. Regardless of any variations in load, the actuators stay precisely aligned when moving – and the master will always ensure that the followers are present in the system. When selected, you can choose the number of actuators in the parallel system. All actuators in the parallel system must have the same configuration across all features to ensure that the system works as intended. To make this process easier, you can copy the configuration from one actuator to the others by using the ‘save configuration’ feature in Actuator Connect™.
