Tiny, powerful VCA features excellent heat dissipation

The miniaturised device delivers a peak force of nearly 0.23kg (0.5lb) and measures just 0.375" (0.9525cm) in outside diameter. With a total weight of 10.49g (0.37oz) it produces over 20 times its own weight in terms of force, with an operating stroke of 4mm (0.157"). The tiny size and housed packaging allow for easy mounting in size critical applications.

The moving magnet design also offers excellent heat dissipation. By allowing the magnet to move and keeping the coil fixed, any heat generated by the coil assembly can be readily conducted away. No moving wires and a high heat dissipation makes this VCA suitable for high duty cycle applications such as pick and place machines, remotely controlled switching, medical and laboratory equipment, military and aerospace.

"This tiny packaged device opens up a whole realm of possibilities for applications with extreme space limitations," said Jim McNamara, Senior Application Engineer, BEI Kimco. "To our knowledge, it is the smallest diameter VCA on the market. Housed actuators are becoming much more popular with our customers when compared to un-housed actuators. Our continually expanding offering in wider size ranges supports this demand."

BEI Kimco's voice coil actuators feature all the inherent advantages of voice coil technology including direct-drive and hysteresis-free operation for highly accurate motion. Other advantages of this technology include high acceleration, absence of commutation and excellent resolution.