EC Series Wire Cylinder Features

• No Air Supply Required: Electrical operation means no air lines or compressors, reducing system complexity.
• Compact & Lightweight: Matches air cylinder sizes (Φ2.5 mm – Φ8 mm) with the same grip force or payload capacity.
• Digitally Adjustable Speed: Fine-tune motion for optimal performance.
• Flexible Installation: Up to 16 wire controllers can be installed in close proximity.
• Reduced Maintenance: Fewer moving parts and no pneumatic leaks to worry about.
• Longevity: Tested to 10 million cycles.

EC Series Wire Cylinder Product Configurations

• Wire Gripper (EC-WEGR): Converts wire pulling motion into grip force; available in normally open or normally closed types.
• Wire Rod (EC-WER): Converts wire pulling motion into pushing motion for linear actuation; available with male or female threaded tips.

EC Series Wire Cylinder Specifications

Options:

• Cable exit direction
• Rod tips
• I/O PNP vs PNP
• Power supply input
• Encoder type
• Communication type
• Wireless communication

EC Series Wire Cylinder Applications

• Electronic assembly lines
• Precision pick-and-place operations
• Cleanroom environments
• Medical device production

EC Series Wire Cylinder Q & A

+ How does the EC Wire Cylinder work? 

The EC Wire Cylinders work very similarly to bicycle brakes. The Control Wire from the Wire Controller to the Actuator is very much the same type of cable and construction with a jacket around a wire that gets pulled. When that wire gets pulled, it pulls cam and lever mechanisms in the actuator that operate the mechanical movement. Springs are used to push the actuator back into position when the wire is relaxed.

 

+ Does the wire routing affect the actuator performance? 

Yes, the wire routing affects the efficiency of the Wire Cylinder. Both the length and the bend radius affect it. The longer the wire is, and the more it bends, the lower the efficiency.

 

+ How does the EC Wire Cylinder compare to a small air cylinder? 

The EC Series Wire Cylinders have tapped mounting holes that are dimensionally compatible with comparable pneumatic actuators. Their actuator form factors are very similar as are the overall product architecture when including all the components to make the actuator move for both the electric and pneumatic options. The EC Wire Cylinders have longer stroke, higher thrust, better repeatability and more control than their pneumatic counterparts. The electric actuators are slightly heavier than the pneumatic ones. While the cost of the electric parts are more than the pneumatic parts, when taking into account replacement units and energy costs, the electric options have a lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Learn more about converting pneumatics to electric.

+ Can the wire of the EC Wire Cylinders be replaced or adjusted?  

Yes, the wire of the EC Series Wire Cylinders can be replaced or adjusted using a simple 1.5mm hex wrench. 

+ Can the EC Wire Cylinders be manually actuated?  

Yes, by using a hex wrench the actuator can be manually operated. 

+ Can the EC Wire Cylinders be customized?   

Yes, certain parts of the Wire Cylinder actuators can be customized, in particular the wire lengths, rod tips, and gripper fingers. Ask us if you have other customizations in mind. 

Download IAI EC Series Wire Cylinder Flyer

Download IAI EC Series Wire Cylinder Instruction Manual

Download IAI EC ME382-1C Installation Manual

Download IAI Wire Installation Instructions

Call us today at (855) 737-4716 to learn more or fill out our online form and someone will get back to you.