Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2026 Leadership
    • 2025 Winners
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Educational Assets
    • Engineering diversity
    • Reports
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • MAGAZINE
    • NEWSLETTER

Beckhoff extends electric cylinder lineup

By Miles Budimir | September 14, 2023

Beckhoff is adding more devices to its scalable AA3000 electric cylinder series to extend the advantages in total cost of ownership, footprint, energy efficiency and sustainability to more applications. The new AA3100 devices offer the necessary force, dynamics and compactness needed for linear motion applications. However, this direct-drive solution delivers all the advantages of servo technology, including controlled positioning, safe holding at a standstill and high efficiency.

The AA3100 series is designed as a drop-in replacement for hydraulic or pneumatic actuators. These legacy approaches waste excess energy and floorspace required for compressors, while adding costly and complex mechanical components. In the case of pneumatics, they can leak and create messes on the plant floor. To simplify replacement of these devices, the AA3100 devices leverage an ISO 15552 flange size and bolting points on both sides as well as an external thread mount on the shaft end of the spindle to mount ball heads, clamping hooks or other common adapters.

electric cylinder
A Beckhoff AA3100 electric cylinder with a compact ELM servo drive.

There are two variants each for the first products in the series, the AA3123 and AA3133 electric cylinders:

The AA3123 variants:

  • 5,300 N peak force, 1,300 N continuous force, and 0.28 m/sec maximum speed
  • 2,650 N peak force, 650 N continuous force, and 0.56 m/sec maximum speed

The AA3133 variants:

  • 12,500 N peak force, 2,800 N continuous force, and 0.12 m/sec maximum speed
  • 6,000 N peak force, 1,400 N continuous force, and 0.24 m/sec maximum speed

Like their predecessors in the AA3000 series, the new AA3100 devices offer these benefits:

  • Integrated mechanism: The devices feature precise roller bearings, ball screw and guide to provide backlash-free, purely translatory motion.
  • Ultra-fast commissioning: a safe 24-bit multiturn encoder with high resolution, One Cable Technology (OCT) and an electronic identification plate all make startup go faster.
  • Simplified data access: TwinCAT 3 automation software automatically configures position travel limits and known position offset for the encoder after reading in the device’s electronic nameplate.
  • Significant customizability: A range of spindle pitches and a backlash-free holding brake are available to help meet the unique requirements of any application.

For more information, visit www.beckhoff.com.

 

You might also like


Filed Under: Linear Motion Tips
Tagged With: beckhoff
 

About The Author

Miles Budimir

Miles has been with Design World since 2009 covering motion control, automation, and test and measurement. He holds a BSEE degree and an MA in Philosophy from Cleveland State University and has experience working in the controls industry as a project engineer. Miles has taught engineering technology courses as well as engineering ethics continuing education courses for professional engineers in the state of Ohio. He is also a drummer, and enjoys travel and photography.

LEARNING CENTER

Design World Learning Center
“dw
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for Design Engineering Professionals.
Motor University

Design World Digital Edition

cover

Browse the most current issue of Design World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading design engineering magazine today.

EDABoard the Forum for Electronics

Top global problem solving EE forum covering Microcontrollers, DSP, Networking, Analog and Digital Design, RF, Power Electronics, PCB Routing and much more

EDABoard: Forum for electronics

Sponsored Content

  • From film to tape: Engineering for low outgassing in space
  • For the machines that don’t take days off. How Electrification Is Reshaping On- and Off-Road Machinery.
  • CASE STUDY: Inside ThredUp’s High-Tech Transformation of Its Four-Story Conveyor System
  • Performance Starts with Precision Cuts
  • eBook: Setting The Standard For Precise Alignment
  • How Concentric Maxi Torque Bushings Speed the Deployment of High-Precision Machines
View More >>
Engineering Exchange

The Engineering Exchange is a global educational networking community for engineers.

Connect, share, and learn today »

Design World
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Manage your Design World Subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Design World Digital Network
  • Control Engineering
  • Consulting-Specifying Engineer
  • Plant Engineering
  • Engineering White Papers
  • Leap Awards

Copyright © 2026 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2026 Leadership
    • 2025 Winners
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Educational Assets
    • Engineering diversity
    • Reports
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • MAGAZINE
    • NEWSLETTER