Linear Actuator force Calculator
A common use for our linear actuators is the raising and lowering of hatches, these could be trapdoors for accessing wine cellars or a flatbed tonneau cover for your vehicle. This widget is aimed at assisting you in determining the required stroke length and force required to open such a hatch.
To use this widget enter the required parameters on the left hand side. Then select your desired actuator; this step requires a bit of experimentation, try several different actuators and stroke lengths to see potential mounting positions.
General tips:
- A common misconception is that if a hatch only weighs 100lbs then a 100lb actuator is enough to open it. This is not true. If lifted vertically then yes, 100lbs is enough, but when an actuator pushes at an angle you need a much larger force.
- This widget automatically factors in a multiplicative factor of 1.2 in the load requirements as a minimum safety factor (actuators should not be run at 100% their maximum rated load).
- This actuator automatically defaults to recommending two actuators (one mounted on either side of the hatch), this is for added stability. Never push a hatch open from just one side. We do have the option in the widget to change the number of actuators from “two” to “one”, but only do this if you are mounting the actuator in the center of the hatch.
