Linear Actuators in California

This project shows how one of our waterproof linear actuators in California was used to create a DIY automated chicken coop door! Rearing chickens at home can be a lot more than just collecting the eggs. It does come with a set of responsibilities of ensuring they are well-fed, healthy; they have access to water, sunlight, ventilation and much more. But most of all, you need to be able to shut the chickens in and let them out of their coop daily, which does require a bit more time and effort. With this automated mechanism, it eliminates the need for manual control of the coop door.

Trent Peterson, a graduate from California Polytechnic State University, designed a Stewart Platform robot to be used in one of Cal Poly’s robotics courses. The purpose of this design was to showcase what is being learned in the theory portion of the class, giving students the ability to apply their knowledge and verify inverse kinematics by studying the robot’s operation, range of motion, and limitations. Trent used six of our PA-14P actuators, that are unique as they have built-in potentiometer feedback. Learn more about our linear actuators in California and their capabilities by reading more!

This was a really unique project that we were delighted to be part of – Michael McMaster used our PA-14 actuator to build recreations of R2-D2 and R4-P17! "I typically use PA-14 actuators, as they fit in small spaces, are cost-effective and very powerful!" He also controlled the robots with an RC switch and some limit switches. Based in California, Michael sourced our electric actuators by speaking in depth with our expert engineers, who love to get involved with creating unique customer projects!