Electro-Mechanical vs. Hydraulic & Pneumatic Actuators

Electro-mechanical actuators are often a better choice than hydraulic or pneumatic alternatives with the advantages of simpler and smaller installation, easier control, lower energy costs, higher accuracy, less maintenance, less noise, and a cleaner, healthier environment. Check out our Electro-Mechanical actuator comparison below.

Electrical Actuators vs. Hydraulic & Pneumatic Cylinders

Electro-Mechanical actuators comparison
	Electrical Linear Actuators	Hydraulic Cylinders	Pneumatic Cylinders
Installation	All electric operation requires simple wiring.	Requires expensive plumbing, filtering, pumps, etc.	Requires expensive plumbing, filtering, pumps, etc.
Accuracy	Very repeatable (to ± 0,013 mm) and rigid, multi-stop capabilities.	Requires expensive position sensing and precise electrohydraulic valving to implement, though tends to creep.	Difficult to achieve. Requires expensive position sensing and precise valving to implement, though tends to creep.
Control	Directly compatible with standard programmable controls, thus allowing easy automatic operation of complex motion sequences.	Requires electronic/fluid interfaces and exotic valve designs. Hysteresis, dead zone, supply pressure and temperature changes complicate control.	Inherently non-linear, compressible power source severely complicates servo control.
Speed	Smooth, variable speed from 0 to 2 m/s with controlled acceleration.	Difficult to control accurately. Varies with temperature and wear. Stick-slip can be a problem.	More susceptible to stick-slip and varying load, though well-suited for light high-speed applications.
Reliability	Repeatable, reproducible performance during the entire product life, while requiring very little maintenance.	Very contamination sensitive. Seals are prone to leak, so require regular maintenance. Reliable with diligent maintenance.	Very contamination sensitive. Air sources require proper filtration. Good reliability, but usually involves many system components.
Power	Up to 222 200 N	Virtually unlimited force. Most powerful.	Up to 25 000 N. Typically used below 6000 N.
Life expectancy	Up to millions of cycles at rated load. Easy to predict.	Dependent on design and seal wear, but usually good.	Dependent on design and seal wear, but usually good.
Environment	Standard models are rated for -30 to +70 °C. Inherently clean and energy efficient.	Temperature extremes can be a major problem, since seals are prone to leak. Waste disposal is increasingly problematic.	Temperature extremes can be a major problem, since seals are prone to leak. Air-borne oil can be a problem.
Load holding	Acme screw units are self-locking if power fails. Fail-safe brakes are available for ball screw and roller screw models.	Requires the use of complex backup safety devices.	Requires the use of complex backup safety devices.
Cost	Moderate initial cost, very low operating cost.	Components often cost less, but there are increases in installation and maintenance costs. Hydraulic power unit cost is high if not pre-existing.	Components often cost less, but there are increases in installation and maintenance costs.