Until now electric actuators were still equipped as standard with a three-phase asynchronous motor and control via a reversing contactor combination. Nowadays, modern electric actuators, such as the CM series from Schiebel, are equipped with energy-efficient systems such as BLDC technology paired with a compact and modular design

All features are complemented by maximum safety: the failsafe function guarantees safe opening/closing in the event of a power failure. The safety position is reached by means of a mechanically spring that stores a safety stroke. This feature, which has been tested for decades and constantly being developed, is a central component of Schiebel's safety strategy. In the event of a malfunction, a maximum safety level can be achieved through very high closing speeds, which can also be used in normal operation.

Newly developed electronics take the supply of electrical energy to the active failsafe brake to a new level. The required torque of the brake is measured and individually adjusted to suit the specific application of the actuator. This results in energy savings of up to 50 percent and helps customers to reach their sustainability goals. This is achieved by means of pulse width modulation integrated into the electronics, i.e. a square-wave voltage pulse that can be variably adjusted in width and length. Depending on the application, the supply voltage can be reduced from 24 VDC to up to 18 VDC - without affecting functionality, availability, and safety. With this relatively small but technically complex measure, Schiebel achieves a high benefit, thus contributing to a lower total cost of ownership and reducing the duration of the RoI. The energy-related advantage of electromechanical failsafe systems over hydraulic or pneumatic solutions is thus further increased. Thanks to the new solution, the use of ten failsafe actuators in a system, for example, can save more than 1.6 tons of CO2 over a period of ten years.