Hello everyone, I hope everyone had a great new year and to start 2018 out i'm looking to get some feedback on linear servos I will be adding to my product line up. These linear servos are made by Actuonix which was named fergelli before they swapped names. I am trying to get some previous user info and or thoughts on to help narrow things due to the many options in torque/stroke. With that in mind I can order anything to fit your particular need but would as you will see there are ton of options, which is a good thing. The first are the PQ12s these are tiny AA battery size linear servos that have three gearing options from 4-11lbs of torque all with the same 20mm stroke. So I figures since the speed is all really close and fast just ordering the 30:1 @4 lbs and 100:1 @11 lbs is the way to go. The would be great for gear doors and canopy locks, Here is a small video to show the three gear ratios:
The next actuators are the L12s, now these have many more options and will be more for gear doors, sliding/opening canopies, speed brakes, wing sweeps(F-14) and some folks have mentioned using them for flaps. These come in three stroke lengths, 30, 50, and 100mm which isn't a lot but you can pick three different gear ratios with each length. Here I figure doing maybe a 50/50 split since some folks will need torque for those big speed brakes, while others need a fast stroke but not much torque on canopies. The higher torque is slower but if you have a shorter stroke servo then it can be about the same as the longer stroke at a faster ratio. So you can see the L12s can easily be a huge amount to meet needs so getting some info for the first start is will be very helpful. Here is a video of the L12s: These are PNP and have built loads so if something hangs they shut down
I already have orders for PQ12s 30:1 for canopy locks and L12 50mm 100:1 for canopy open/close and L12s 100:1 100mm for speed brakes to help give u guys an idea of what folks are using. So any thoughts or what you like to use will help I have a Facebook page and currently adding the servos to my website
https://www.facebook.com/ActuonicxFenderbeanRC/https://braincubelights.com/collecti...onix-actuators
So let me know your thoughts and thanks up front!

These sure look different than my KP-11's with the linear output back in 1973!

Hey Fender, do you think one of these would work for a Ziroli P-40 sliding canopy mechanism? Do I just need to know how much throw (distance) to move the canopy back and forth first or is there some standard length for those types of things?

Thanks bro.

I know for a fact they will, if you look on flying giants main page you will see an article for these and a bunch of pictures and videos of people who have used them for just that. Seems to be the drug of choice for WWII sliding canopies, same for jets with canopies and speed brakes....I wanted to use them when i first got into jets to get rid of some air but you had to get them directly from Canada since nobody in the US had them.
All I would need is the length in mm of your sliding canopy from open to close.

yeah im amazed at the tech changes in just the last few years, great things for the hobby for sure!

Keith,

I use one of these for the sliding canopy on my scratch-built Panther. Its been in operation since I built the plane 6 or 7 years ago. It an L12 unit and I'm pretty sure its the 100mm 100:1 gear ratio. Its slower, but the real one was slow as well - least a guy's hand or head got smashed!

It works *great* for this application and since it works on a regular PWM signal like a servo, you can adjust the actual throw to the application using your transmitter's ATV just like a servo.

If you've ever seen me fly the Panther, the canopy is slaved to the gear channel, so I take off and land with the canopy open, just as in the full scale. The early jets didn't have an ejection seat, and even the ones that did, it wasn't rated for use at 0 altitude, so they would leave the canopy open during takeoff and landing. That way, if they had an incident like a flame out (not that uncommon back then) and had an off-field landing or ditched, they didn't have to worry about the canopy getting stuck closed and them not being able to get out...

Bob

What's the target price point for the small ones? Been eyeing these at places like ServoCity, but the price kind of puts me off for my purposes (this brand doesn't appear to be there, though)

Sure would like to play with a few, and if it's close to reasonable, then I wonder what the feasibility of using them to replace air cylinders on retracts is?

Hi Chuck, when I started with the Lights and now these items I quickly learned there is no profit, I pay for the shipping from the UK and now Canada. Plus throwing in the monthly fee for my website and im about breaking even, I really am doing this to bring something I like to the hobby and what I think as a whole can benefit the hobby. I am trying to keep these to as close to the price as if you were to buy direct, that being said my shipping will be much cheaper since I can send most items in the standard small box from USPS. I have the little PG12s listed on my website, I had to add two dollars just to break even on the PQ12s. If I could order 500-1k I could sell them about 5$ cheaper but I don't have thousands to spend for one order, give me time as I build up stock I will be able to match prices. I have priced my lights to beat the competition as well. Another way I look at this decision is this, depending on the servo you choose or the air cylinder/2-way valve/air line and any fittings/tanks/fill ports this is a much cheaper option. Most servos would range from 50 plus for a gear door and they are heavier than the PQ12
https://braincubelights.com/collecti...onix-actuators

Yeah from what im gathering here and from other places the 100mm 100:1 is about standard fro the sliding cockpits, the 30/50mm lengths people seem to be using as gear doors mainly since they are shaped closer to air cylinders.

Great information, thanks!

Hey Fender, I'll buy one of those 100mm 100:1 jobs from you. Just let me know how brother and I'll pull the trigger. Thanks!

Pm sent amigo

Thanks, I replied.

One last note, I try to keep my product advertising to Facebook and my website but I’m putting an order together for the end of the month so if your interested let me know. Cheers