Option Abbreviation
1. Air muscle AM
(rubber tube)
2. Electric motors EM
3. Hydraulics Hyd
4. Linear Actuator LA
5. Muscle wire MW
6. Pneumatics Pnu
7. Servo motor Sv
8. Stepper motor St
Option Pro (Good) Con (bad)
Hyd Most power for size Valves are very expensive
High pressure available Leaks could be big problem
Fast very small cyl NOT available
Pne Good power for size Gases are compressible so
Lightest for high power control is unstable.
fast High pressure NOT available.
MW simple to operate Very little power
no valves & hoses etc. SUPER SLOW (1 Hz or less).
AM works like pneumatics Same problems as pneumatics +
slow reaction time and
very low power.
EM no valves or hoses big & heavy for same power as
pneu or hyd.
high power requirements
heat problems.
St small, fast very low power unless geared.
no valves or hoses etc expensive controllers
Sv small, cheap & very low power
controller is cheap too not as fast as steppers or
no valves or hoses etc. cylinders
LA Fairly strong Way to big and heavy for
android applications.
Rating scale: H = high,heavy M = Medium, L = Low, Light
F = fast, M = Medium, S = Slow
R = Required N = Not required
Table of Comparison of Muscle Options
Factor AM EM Hyd LA MW Pnu Sv St
Weight M H M-H M L M L L
Size M-H L-M S-M M-H S S-M S S
Cost L M L M-H L L L L-M
Valve(s) R N R N N R N N
Valve Cost L-M --- H --- --- L-M --- ---
Valve Size S --- M --- --- S --- ---
Valve Weight L --- H --- --- L --- ---
Controller R R R R R R R R
Cntlr Cost M M M M M M L H
Power M L-M H H L M-H L L-M
Speed S-M M M-F M-F very S M-F S F
Best usage M load ??? H ld ??? L ld M ld L ld L ld
(speed) med M-F Very S M-F slow F
Overall cost M-H M-H H H L M L L-M
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