Home > GLA1500-N 12V DC Compact High Force Low-Noise Actuator

GLA1500-N 12V DC Compact High Force Low-Noise Actuator

Custom options are also available, please contact us for more information

The GLA1500-N is a compact-bodied and yet high force actuator with a very high build quality. It is capable of providing a pushing or pulling force up to a maximum of 1500N (152kg, 337lbs) with a travel speed of 9.5mm/s under no-load, reducing to 4.5mm/s under the full rated load. A built-in quadrature encoder allows the actuator travel speed (and position) to be accurately measured, which means that two (or more) of the actuators can be synchronised when paired with a suitable controller.

The model has an attractive mix of corrosion-resistant materials used throughout the exterior, including a stainless steel extending rod. Very rarely for an actuator of its size and layout (with motor parallel to the output) the transmission uses two worm-and-wheel reduction stages, making it one of the quietest compact-body actuators available at its force level.

Typical applications include electrically operated doors, hatches, special effects and adjustable furniture.

£106.70
£106.70
(each, exc VAT)

Availability: IN STOCK

SKU: GLA1500-N-12-100
Download Reference Sheet
GLA1500-N (12V)
PDF Download Image

The GLA1500-N fits neatly between our smaller GLA200 or GLA700-2 and larger GLA3000-N models, perfect for applications where the load is higher but where space is of a premium.
  
With an especially low noise output from their unusual transmission design these actuators are ideal for automation around the home, including electrically operated windows, cellar hatches and adjustable furniture. Operation at 12V DC means that the actuator can be driven from most vehicle batteries or by readily available power adapters. We also stock stainless steel mounting brackets designed specifically for use with the actuator.
  
The actuator body is rated to IP66 with good quality seals around the body, it may be used outdoors but ought to be shielded from direct long-term rain exposure to ensure longevity (washing/cleaning and the occasional splash are OK, the problem with fully exposed outdoor use is degration of seals over time). The surface quality of the actuator is excellent, ideal if they are to be mounted in a visible location.  
As with most of our stock actuators this model has built-in limit switches at the ends of travel, meaning the actuator should stop automatically at the fully retracted and the fully extended positions.

  
Integrated Encoder, for position detection and synchronisation

The actuator has a hall-sensor based quadrature encoder built-in to the motor. The encoder is powered by two of the six cores of the main cable (+Vcc Red, -GND Black) and can run from a DC supply of between 5-12V. It has a dual-channel output (channel A Yellow lead, Channel B White lead), with each channel generating 26.1 pulses per millimetre of travel (4 pulses per motor revolution). One of the channels is out of phase with the other, as such it is possible to tell both the speed (from pulse frequency) and direction (by reading the pulses of one channel and comparing it to the other) of the motor. The nature of the signals that are generated is illustrated below. Given a maximum no-load travel rate of 10mm/s for the 12V motor (when at 12V) the pulse frequency may be up to 261Hz per encoder channel (or the frequency rate may be greater than this if your controller is counting all rising/falling edges as opposed to only HIGH/LOW signal state changes). When used with the appropriate controller the encoder signals can be used for positional control with much greater accuracy and consistency than potentiometer-based actuator feedback systems. 

Quadrature Encoder Signal Output Actuator Extending Retracting

  
Leads & Connector Options

The actuator comes with a 2m long PVC-insulated lead as standard, this has six internal cores: Blue and Brown (to the motor, thicker wires), Red and Black (positive and negative power to the hall sensor encoder circuit, thinner wires), and White and Yellow (outputs from the encoder, channel 1 and channel 2, also thinner wires). If you are only running a single actuator (don't require synchronised control) and don't need position/speed feedback then you can connect directly to the brown and blue motor leads and ignore the others. The connections are illustrated in the below diagram which also shows the limit switch circuit inside each actuator, in series with the brown and blue motor leads.

Options are provided above for us to add a 6-pin connector (4.2mm pitch, 3x2 format, latched) onto the actuator lead, bringing the total lead length to either 1m or 2.5m. If you have a custom lead length or connector requirement, please contact us.

Actuator Motor and Encoder Circuit Connections Diagram
6-Core Actuator Lead
  
User Advice
As with any brushed DC electric motor, the direction of travel is affected by the polarity of the current supplied to the two motor wires (see leads & connector description above, and on the reference sheet, to identify the motor wires). Controlling the direction the current may be achieved using hardware such as our rocker switch harness, or GR-MOT1 control unit. By varying the input voltage between 0-12V DC it is possible to control the speed of the actuator. Reducing the voltage will also reduce load capacity (for example at 6V the actuator will have roughly half of the maximum load capacity as at 12V, and run with roughly half the no-load speed). As with any DC motor the actuator may be run at a higher voltage than the nominal 12V DC however operation at higher voltages will invalidate the warranty as it creates an increased risk of premature failure. 
  
Shock loads through the mounting points should be avoided (shock/impact loads may impart a force greater than the rated load through the actuator).
  
Be aware of the 'duty cycle' rating of the actuator, which determines the maximum proportion of the time that the actuator should be in operation for, to prevent overheating and ensure longevity. This is specified under 'Operating Characteristics' below.
  
Ensure that the control hardware and power source are capable of providing sufficient current for the loads you expect the actuator to experience. We cannot be held liable for damage caused to connected hardware due to inappropriate hardware selection.
  
A fuse, and/or other overload protection (such as active current monitoring), should be used to protect the actuator against stalling due to an overload, which can permanently damage the motor.
  
Device Safety
Electric actuators such as this model are low-voltage electromechanical components that are used in a wide variety of different applications. It is important that the safety of each installation is assessed according to its own requirements, construction, end user and environment. Please see a list of design principles on page 3 of the actuator reference sheet (PDF), which we strongly recommend that you adhere to in your end-application design.
  


CAD models (STEP, IGS, Autodesk Fusion 360) of the actuator are available upon request. Contact us with the size(s) and file formats that you require and we'll attach the files in return.
 
 
Operating Characteristics
Motor
Nominal 12V DC, up to 50W
Speed / Force
9.5mm/s no-load, reducing to 4.5mm/s at the full rated 1500N

Operating current
No-load: 0.8A
Maximum load: 5.7A. If using overcurrent detection to protect the motor, ensure that this is sensitive enough to react quickly to an overcurrent event.
Stall current
1500N (152kg, 337lbs) for supported (linear) loads.The maximum load should be reduced if the load is not supported in an axial direction, parallel to the movement of the actuator. Longer-travel actuators are affected to a greater extent by off-axis loads.
Noise levels
< 48dB under no-load
< 50dB under full-load
Maximum duty cycle
15% (this is the maximum proportion of time that the actuator may be in operation for, up to 2minutes during any continuous stretch. The duty cycle should be reduced below 10% for average loads >1000N)
Life expectancy
Nominal 40,000 strokes. 
Please be aware that there is likely to be some variation in the operating performance from actuator to actuator, allow for at least 10% difference above/below the given values. If you intend to use the actuators in sets of two or more driving the same assembly then you must ensure that the driven assembly is rigid enough to transfer forces between them effectively or else the output could twist and put excessive stress on the framework and actuators. If your structure is not very rigid, or needs to stay level throughout its travel (e.g. tabletop surfaces rising/falling level to the ground) then please get in contact to discuss automatic synchronising control options.
Actuator Build Detail
Size
(click on image to expand)

 
Installation length
This is the distance from the front to rear mounting hole centres when the actuator is retracted.
100mm stroke: 215mm 200mm stroke: 315mm
300mm stroke: 445mm 400mm stroke: 545mm 
500mm stroke: 675mm  
Add the Installation Length to the Stroke Length to get the full travel distance, measured between the centre of the two mounting holes.
Mounting
Two 8mm holes. One is towards the end of the piston rod, the other is on the rear of the gearbox housing. Designed-for-purpose mounting brackets are available here.
Body material
Cast & extruded Aluminium, with painted Steel motor can, rated to IP66
Certifications
UKCA and RoHS compliant product
Operating temperature
-15°C ~ +45°C
Transmission
Two-stage low-noise nylon worm-and-wheel. First stage 29:2 ratio (2-start worm), second stage 9:4 ratio (4-start worm), cumulative 32.625:1 ratio. With a 2.5mm pitch 2-start lead screw.
Limit switches
Two limit switches are installed at the ends of travel which automatically stop travel at the fully retracted and extended positions. The internal circuit is as pictured below (click on image to expand):
Cable
2m long, with 2 x 18AWG cores (Brown and Blue, to motor) plus 4 x 22AWG cores (to quadrature encoder), when the standard option is selected
Weight
When with standard lead, no connector
100mm stroke: 1280g 200mm stroke: 1480g
300mm stroke: 1740g 400mm stroke: 1940g
500mm stroke: 2170g  

If you have any questions about this item, including requests for bulk-pricing information, then please contact us.

 

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