Guidelines to Select Between Self-Contained Electro-Hydraulic and Electro-Mechanical Cylinders

This research paper presents guidelines on how to select between self-contained electro-hydraulic and electromechanical cylinders. An example based on the motion control of a single-boom crane is studied. The sizing process of the different off-the-shelf components is analyzed in terms of design impact when replacing a traditional valve-controlled hydraulic cylinder. The self-contained electro-hydraulic solution is the best choice when a risk for high impact forces is present, when the required output power level lies continuously above 2 kW, or when installation space, weight, and cost are critical design objectives. However, the electro-mechanical solution is expected to show more controllability due to the fact that it has higher levels of drive stiffness, and energy efficiency as well as lower system complexity. This solution also requires less effort to control the actuator's linear motion accurately. All of these factors result in a more straightforward design approach.