instructables

DIY Linear Actuator

by farmerkeith

I want a linear actuator, or maybe a series of them, to open and close ventilation openings in my greenhouse.
Although I could buy linear actuators from EBay, I decided to have a go at making my own.

My requirements were:

The actuator should be strong enough the hold the ventilator open in the presence of wind gusts
The movement needs to be about 200 mm, to give a good size opening for air flow
Limit switches to stop movement when the end of travel is reached at both ends
Daisy-chain capability so that I can have multiple actuators, one on each of several ventilation
openings.

Warrning: This project involves (gentle) heating of PVC, and also the use of solvent cement (glue). These actions
may release toxic fumes. Take care to have a well ventilated work area and avoid breathing in any fumes as far as
possible.

Step 1: Materials and Tools

DIY Linear Actuator: Page 1

Materials required 330 mm M8 * 1.25 pitch threaded rod
Mounting base (fine grain hardwood, planed smooth
80mm * 14mm * 400mm) 5 nuts, M8 * 1.25 pitch

Small DC motor (type 37GB geared to 500 rpm) Ball bearing, 21mm (OD) * 8 mm (ID) * 7 mm (width)

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2 lengths of 15 mm PVC pressure pipe, 20mm and 6 screws, M3 * 6mm long (to attach the motor to the
330 mm long motor mounting bracket)

1 length of 20 mm PVC pressure pipe, 300 mm long 6 flat washers for M3 screws

2 saddles for 20mm PVC pressure pipe 4 screws, M2 * 12 mm long.

Motor mounting bracket 80mm wide, 40 mm * 40mm 15 wood screws, 4mm dia * 12 mm long
* 1.7mm galvanised steel
7 wood screws, 4 mm dia, 16 mm long
Bearing mounting bracket 80mm wide, 25 mm * 40
mm * 1.7mm galvanised steel 6 wood screws, 3 mm dia, 16 mm long

Bearing retainer plate, 80mm * 40 mm * 1,7mm 3 nylon cable ties 2mm wide
galvanised steel

Bearing location pad, fine grain hardwood. 80mm * 50 Tools

mm * 14mm Bench vice

2 micro switches actuated by lever arm with roller, Hand saw or bandsaw
SPDT
Cordless drill and/or corded drill
2 microswitch mounting plates, 40mm * 20 mm *
1.7mm gal steel Small angle grinder with cut-off and grinding wheels

3 microswitch mounting blocks, fine grain hardwood Safety goggles and hearing protections
45 * 25 * 8 mm
Tap and die for M8 * 1.25 pitch
2 diodes 1N5819
Tap for M5*0.7 pitch
circuit board 80mm * 20 mm
Tap for M4 * 0.7 pitch
6 pole screw terminal strip
PVC priming fluid and jointing glue
Hookup wire, multi-strand
HSS drill bits (for metal) - 2.5 mm, 3.2mm, (3.3mm),
Heat shrink tube, 2mm diameter * 300 mm 4mm, (4.2mm), 6mm (drill sizes in brackets are
desirable but not essential)
M6 hex coupler (a long M6 * 1.0mm pitch nut) (for
alternative see Step 2) Countersink bit (for making space for screw heads so
the screw is flush with the surface)
M8 hex coupler (a long M8 * 1.25 mm pitch nut)
Hole saws for 16mm and 22 mm holes in wood and
M5 grub screw 5 mm long steel.

1/8" roll pin 16mm long Ring/open end spanners - 10mm, 13mm

3 screws, M4 with countersunk flat head, 6mm long 2.5mm hex key (Allen key) for M5 grub screw

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Hot air gun

Screwdriver, pliers, wire cutter,

Step 2: Making the Drive Coupling

The motor has to drive the M8 threaded rod.

The motor shaft is 6mm diameter with a flat machined Carefully work the
onto one surface, making a "D" shaped shaft. M8 tap into the end
of the M6 hex
Because of small errors in alignment straightness of coupler with the
the M8 threaded rod, a flexible drive coupling is 6.5mm hole to make
required. My first attempt was a rigid coupling, which an M8 thread inside
worked but created additional motor losses and it. The thread should go half way through the coupler.
movement of the bearing. I then made a DIY flexible
coupling using essentially the same materials, which Then I made the M5 thread for the grub screw which
works well. It is also possible to buy a commercially locks the coupler to the motor shaft - see (2) in the
made flexible coupling, which also works well. image. Holding the M6 coupler in the vice with the M8
thread down, bore a 2.5mm hole into one of the flats.
I will show all three couplings, for information. Widen the hole to 4 mm with a second drill. Make a
thread in the hole with the M5 tap.
DIY Rigid coupling (unsatisfactory)
I bored through the M6 coupler with a 6mm drill so Cut the threaded rod to length (330 mm) and grind or
that the coupler slides over the motor shaft. file off any sharp edges. Run the M8 die over both
ends to make sure the thread is OK. Thread the
I then made an M8 thread in one end of the coupler. following onto the rod in this order: 1. an M8 nut; 2.
The finished result is indicated by (1) in the image the bearing; 3. another M8 nut. Thread them on so
below. First step is to bore one end only of the that there is about 15 mm of rod sticking out from the
coupler with a 6.5 mm drill (the proper drill size is 6.7 second nut. Now it should be easy to screw the
mm but I did not have that size; 6.5 mm worked OK). threaded rod into the M8 thread just cut into the M6
Be careful not to push the drill in too far, The wider coupler.

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hole should only go half the length of the coupler.

mm with a second drill. Make a thread in the hole with

the M5 tap.

I then bored a 7mm

Now I could do a diameter hole in
trial assembly of the other end of the
the coupler. The coupler. Be careful
6mm hole end of not to push the drill
the M6 coupler in too far, this hole
slips over the should only go half
motor drive shaft, and is locked in place with the M5 the length of the coupler.
grup screw. The M8 threaded rod screws into the end
of the M6 coupler (now it has an M8 thread in it). I filed the thread off the M8 threaded rod at one end,
When the M8 rod is screwed in until it is reasonably to a length of about 11 mm, until the end of the rod
tight, wind the 2 M8 nuts with the bearing in between fitted loosely in the 7mm hole in the end of the
them back and lock the nut closest to the coupling coupler.
against the coupling, using a spanner.
I ground a small flat on the coupler so that I could
This makes a rigid coupling betwen the motor shaft bore a hole through the coupler at right angles to the
and the M8 threaded rod. The problem with this is grub screw hole. With the rod fully inserted into the
that any misalignment between the two shafts will coupler, I drilled first a 2.5mm hole all the way
result in friction and flexing . Hence I went on to make through, then increased it to 3.0 mm.
a flexible coupling.
I then took the rod out of the coupler and increased
DIY Flexible coupling the hole in the coupler to 3.5mm.
This version of the coupling is made from am M6
coupler (just like the rigid coupling). The motor drive
side is the same as the rigid coupling. On the
threaded rod side, drive is transmitted from the The roll pin I am using is
coupling to the threaded rod by a cross-bar made nominaly 1/8 inch
from a roll pin. diameter. It measures
3.15 mm. It is a loose fit
in the 3.5mm hole in the
coupler, but has to driven
The roll pin is a good into the rod with a hammer, as it is a tight fit. With the
option for the cross rod inserted into the coupler, drive the roll pin through
bar, since it can be a until it is flush on the far side.
tight fit in the hole
through the threaded Any excess in the length of the roll pin can be ground
rod, and a loose fit in the couler. The tight fit in the rod off.
means that it won't fall out. The other option would be
to use a screw passing all the way through and with a Here is the final assembled version.
nut on the far end.
Commercial flexible coupler
I bored through the M6 coupler with a 6mm drill so This is available on Ebay for about $2.
that the coupler slides over the motor shaft.

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Then I made the M5 thread for the grub screw which
locks the coupler to the motor shaft. Holding the M6
coupler in the vice with the M8 thread down, bore a
2.5mm hole into one of the flats. Widen the hole to 4

6mm at one end, 8 mm at the other end, both secured it is probably quite enough for this application.
by 2 grub screws. Simple to use.

Flexibility is provided by the spiral cut in the body,

which allows it to flex if the shafts are not quite
straight.

There is no specification given about the maximum

torque or the maximum bending angle - but my guess

1 2

1. Completed coupling
2. Original coupler

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Step 3: Making the Push Arm

The push arm is a 330 mm length of "15mm" PVC small piece in until it is flush with the end of the
pressure pipe. It has one end squashed and bored to longer pipe. Leave to cure overnight or longer. This
take an M8 screw, and the other end has a M8 photo shows the push arm with the short length of
coupler fixed into it. pipe glued into it.

I squashed one end of the pipe by putting it in the Take the M8 coupler and make sure it runs freely
vice between a pair of wooden blocks, and winding along the full length of the M8 threaded rod. If it does
up the vice with one hand while holding the hot air not, you may need to run the M8 tap through the M8
gun to warm the plastic with the other hand. Be coupler, or the M8 die along the M8 threaded rod; or
careful not to make it too hot, the plastic will melt if it both.
gets too hot. Just a little heat is good to release any
internal stresses in the plastic. After that, you can Push the M8 coupler into the end of the PVC pipe. It
bore an 8mm diameter hole through the flattened end should be a tight fit. It will make it a bit easier to push
to make a connection to the object being moved. in if the PVC is heated - but not too much.

The M8 coupler is Once the M8

a very loose fit coupler is in the
inside the pipe so I PVC pipe drill
cut a short piece three holes at
the same length as points that face
the M8 coupler every second flat
(about 20mm), and of the M8 coupler.
using a saw cut a First drill a 2.5mm
piece out of it length ways. The space left behind hole, then widen it to 3.2 mm (or 3.3 mm if you have
after the piece is removed should be 11 mm wide. that drill). The using the M4 tap, put a thread into
each of the three holes. Use the countersink bit to
The "15mm" PVC pipe has an inside diameter of 17.9 make an indent in the plastic for each hole, just big
mm and an outside diameter of 21.4 mm. We should enough to take the head of the M4 screws. Then put
remove Pi * (21.4 - 17.9) mm = 10.99 mm so that if in the 3 M4 screws.
we roll the short piece with the cut out more tightly it
will fit inside the end of the pipe. In case the drilling has damaged the thread, or the
screws have protruded into the thread inside the M8
Make sure the cut piece will fit inside the end of the coupler, run the M8 tap through the coupler a few
longer pipe. Take it out again, prime both surfaces times.
with the priming fluid, apply glue to the inside of the
pipe and put them back together again. Push the

1. Cut pipe inserted into the long

pipe
DIY Linear Actuator: Page 8
 1

1. M4*6 screw tapped into the coupler

Step 4: Making the Base, Motor Mount and Thrust Bearing Mount

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Base drill bit, then 3.2mm. Some of them were slightly off
I started with the base and attaching the 20mm pipe so I had to use a small round file to widen them a little
to one end using the saddles.It should run along the bit.
centre of the base.
I drilled a pattern of 4 screw holes 4mm diameter for
I then inserted the push rod into the pipe, with the M8 the screws that attach the bracket to the base,
threaded rod screwed into it, and measured the making sure none of them is under the motor, which
distance from the base to the centre of the threaded would make it difficult to use a screwdriver after the
rod. This is the required height for the centre of the motor is assembled to the bracket.
motor shaft and the centre hole of the thrust bearing
mount. it was 14mm.

Motor mount bracket

With the motor attached to the
The motor mount bracket is a piece of 1.7 mm thick
motor mounting bracket with 6
steel 80mm long and with a base and side of 40mm *
M3*6 mm screws, I then checked
40mm. I recovered a supply of this material from
the alignment of the motor with
some old packing cases.
the position of the M8 threaded
rod - fine. I found that I had to put a washer under the
head of each screw, otherwise the screws went in too
far and distorted the motor casing causing it to bind.

Thrust bearing mount

The purpose of the thrust bearing is to transfer the
force of the push rod to the base, without putting
strain on the motor or the motor coupling. The motor
coupling is designed to transfer rotational, not
I first made a mark where the
longitudinal force.
centre of the hole for the motor
shaft housing should go, half
ThrustBearingMount1
way along the bracket and
14mm above the lower surface. I
The thrust bearing mount consists of a wooden
marked this with a centre punch,
bearing location pad sandwiched between a mounting
then bored a 2.5 mm hole. I then widened the hole
using a series of drills, in steps no more than 2mm,
until the hole was 12.7 mm wide, which is the right
size to take the shaft end of the motor (which is 12.0
mm diameter).

I then carefully marked positions for the 6 M3 screws

that attach the motor, drilled them first with a 2.5m

DIY Linear Actuator: Page 10

bracket and a retainer plate. bearing support bracket, drill pilot holes and screw it
to the base.
The bearing location pad is an offcut of the wood
used for the base. The pocket that holds the bearing Screw the start of the push arm thread on by hand,
is a hole 22mm diameter all the way through the pad. then run the motor to bring it about half way along the
The pad is slimmed down to about 1mm more than threaded rod.
the bearing thickness, ie 8mm.
Now you can re-install the 20mm pipe and secure it
The mounting bracket and the retainer plate both with the saddles.
need a 16mm hole that lines up with the M8 shaft.
The mounting bracket needs screw holes for
attachment to the base, and to attach the bearing
location pad.

The 16mm hole is large enough so that the M8 nuts

on the threaded rod
can freely rotate inside it, but small enough so that
the outside race of the bearing is held on each side
by the mounting bracket and the retainer plate.

When the mounting bracket, bearing and bearing

location pad are assembled, position the retainer
plate over the pad and drill holes for two M3 * 20mm
screws to go all the way through and securely lock all
the parts together.I used M3*20 mm screws, but
M3*15mm screws would have been sufficient and
preferable, leaving less unused thread which may
interfere with installing the mounting screws.

Assembly
Remove the 20mm saddles and pipe. This provides
access for installing the push arm.

Place the parts together on the base in order - push

arm,nut, bearing in its mounting bracket, nut,
threaded rod with coupling, motor in its mounting
bracket.

Push the coupling over the motor shaft and tighten

the grub screw. Then screw on the first nut, leaving 3
or 4 vacant threads. Slide the bearing up to the first
nut, and screw the next nut up to the bearing and
tighten them together.

Run the motor to make sure it runs freely. Mark the

position for the motor mount bracket, drill pilot holes
and screw it to the base.

Run the motor again. Mark the position for the

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Step 5: Adding the Limit Switches and Wiring

Mounting The connections are shown in the diagram above.

The limit switches need to be mounted so that they
sense the location of the push arm. The direction of movement is controlled by reversing
the polarity of the applied voltage (termiinals 1,2 and
The limit switches are microswitches with a lever arm 5,6).
and roller at the end. The lever arm needs to be
oriented as shown in the photos, otherwise it may When the push arm is being driven IN, positive
catch and bend when the push arm reaches it. current to the motor comes via the Normally Closed
(NC) contact of the IN limit switch. When the push
I used scraps of the metal used for the brackets to arm reaches the fully in position it operates the IN
make mounting plates for the switches, and scraps of switch which breaks the current path. The drive
wood from the bearing pad to make mounting blocks voltage is then transferred to the Normally Open (NO)
between the base and the mounting plates. The contact, and can be used to drive another actuator in
microswitches are attached to the mounting plates a daisy chain.
with M2 * 12 mm screws and nuts.
When the polarity is reversed, the negative voltage
reaches the motor terminal via the diode from
terminal 1, even though the NC contact of the limit
The IN limit switch is switch is open. The positive voltage reaches the
installed up close to the motor via the NO contact of the OUT limit switch,
bearing mount (se photo at which is in the operated position until the push arm
right). reaches the OUT end of its travel. When the push
arm passes the OUT limit switch, the switch breaks
the current flow to the motor, and its NC contact
transfers the drive voltage which can be used to drive
The OUT limit switch is another actuator in a daisy chain.
located so it detects
whether the push arm is Subsequent actuators in the daisy chain are
present or not at a point connected with terminals 1 and 6 connected to 1 and
200 mm from the IN limit 6 of the previous actuator, terminal 2 connected to 3
switch. of the previous actuator, and terminal 5 connected to
4 of the previous actuator.

Diodes
The roller of the OUT limit
switch goes through an 8mm
hole in the 20mm pipe, to The diodes are
sense whether the push arm needed so that the
is present or not. motor is stopped
by the limit switch
. when travelling in
one direction, but
. so the motor can
drive in the
. opposite direction. The diodes do not carry current
most of the time, since for most of the travel of the
push Page
DIY Linear Actuator: arm the
13 limit switches are not at their limits.
Circuit diagram push arm the limit switches are not at their limits.
However the diodes need to be capable of carrying
the starting current of the motor.

I used diodes of type 1N5819 which have a

continuous current rating of 1 Amp and a surge rating
of 25A.

The diodes are mounted on a little piece of prototype

circuit board screwed to the base under the coupling.

Wiring

Wires should be
multi-strand (to
cope with possible
vibration of the
motor) and thick
enough to carry the
motor current. I
used wire with 13
strands of 0.12mm.
I slipped a short
piece of 2mm heat
shrink tube over the soldered connections on the limit
switches, to make sure there is no chance of a short
circuit to the mounting plates.

The wires are brought out to the terminal strip to

make the external connection simple.

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