01.08.2017, Kristianstad, Sweden – The engineers of Sweden’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Integrated Transport Research Lab (ITRL) are working to develop modern power steering systems with the help of Thomson actuators.

The power steering occupies a significant portion of the driver’s side of today’s cars. This, along with the complicated and costly maintenance required for the hydraulic steering system, as well as the limited movement of the wheels, make tight parking a challenge. Therefore, the team is trying to determine whether replacing conventional hydraulic steering technology with compact electromechanical technology could bring advantages of performance, cost, maintenance, sustainability and flexibility.

ITRL conducted several tests on research concept vehicles controlled by a linear actuator. To equip their research, they collaborated with Thomson Industries to supply them with four high-speed Max Jac MX24-B810E0 models to perform the steering functions and four Pro Series actuators to change the wheel camber inclination.

Steering Assembly, photo Matthias Tidlund

Their findings revealed that the new electric linear actuators were more responsive than the hydraulic actuators, and there was a level of flexibility not possible with conventional actuation. The Thomson actuator modification was able to deliver a high-powered system that produced twice the force of its predecessor and greater responsiveness without overheating. This capability could lead to the replacement of parallel parking with perpendicular parking and, in the future, enable automatic realignment during driving to reduce rolling resistance or adjust after hitting a pothole.

The Thomson actuators met the required performance specifications and hit a milestone in improving modern power steering systems and reaching new efficiency levels.

Max Jac MX24-B810E0

For further information on Thomson Industries Inc.’s Max Jac® heavy duty electric linear actuators and Electrak® pro linear actuators, visit the following links:

Max Jac Actuators: http://www.thomsonlinear.com/maxjac

Electrak Pro Linear Actuators: http://www.thomsonlinear.com/website/com/eng/products/actuators/electrak_pro.php

About Thomson

With more than 70 years of motion control innovation and quality, Thomson Industries, Inc. is the industry’s premier producer of Linear Ball Bushing® Bearings and Profile Rail Bearings, 60 Case® Shafting, ground and Ball and Lead Screws, Linear Actuators, Gearheads, Clutches, Brakes, Linear Systems, and related accessories. Thomson invented the Linear Ball Bushing Bearing in 1945, and has set the standard ever since with an unsurpassed set of mechanical motion control solutions serving global commercial and aerospace & defence markets. Thomson Industries, Inc. has facilities in North America, Europe and Asia with over 2000 distributor locations around the world.

Thomson Industries, Inc., 1500 Mittel Boulevard, Wood Dale, IL 60191-1073; 1-540-633-3549; 1-540-633-0294 (fax); Thomson@thomsonlinear.com; www.thomsonlinear.com.