Exlar Actuators Provide Linear Actuation for US Navy Advanced Gun System

    MINNETONKA, MN, August 04, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Exlar Corporation announces its award to provide linear actuators for the U.S. Navy's Advanced Gun System (AGS) Program.

BAE Systems, along with partner General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, delivered to the U.S. Navy the first automated magazine for the 155-mm Advanced Gun System (AGS) being developed for the DDG 1000 (Zumwalt) Destroyer Program. The magazine is the first major production component to be delivered under the AGS program. It is one of a total of four magazines that will be built under a Navy contract to produce four AGS weapon systems for the Navy's first two Zumwalt class destroyers.

More than 40 Exlar GSX20 and GSX30 linear actuators are used for each gun and magazine as part of the Advanced Gun System. Exlar's inverted roller screw actuators with integrated brushless servo motors provide linear actuation as part of the world's largest fully automated ammunition supply magazine.

Exlar's GSX series actuator combines a brushless servo motor, an inverted roller screw and an encoder/resolver feedback source into a single compact assembly, which eliminates the cost and complexity of a systems engineering approach, as all elements for producing linear motion have been properly matched and designed into the actuator.

The brushless servo design of the GSX series linear actuators allows them to be used in state-of-the art closed loop servo systems where electronic control of positioning and velocity is required. In these systems, position feedback can be provided in a number of different forms to match customer specifications, including resolvers, encoders or internally mounted linear position feedback sensors.

The GSX series actuators employ an inverted roller screw mechanism to convert the rotary motion of the brushless motor into high speed, high thrust linear motion. This mechanism has a lead accuracy of 25mm/300mm for high precision operation and can also be supplied with zero backlash.

GSX actuators are suitable for use in many other demanding applications, including: automatic tool changers, dispensing, wire guiding, chip and wafer handling, robot manipulation, testing, web guidance, indexing material cutting, tension control, volumetric pumps, simulation testing, automated assembly, injection molding and riveting, joining and fastening.

Exlar Corporation designs, manufactures and sells linear and rotary motion products worldwide. For general product information, contact Exlar Corporation, 1470 Lake Drive West, Chanhassen, MN 55317, phone 952-368-3434, and fax 952-368-4359. Visit our website at www.exlar.com.

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