Motion Platform Actuator Calculator

How the guided heave, pitch and roll platform works

A central telescopic gimbal guide constrains horizontal translation and yaw, while permitting heave, roll and pitch. Three or four actuators set that pose. Three-leg reactions follow equilibrium; four-leg reactions additionally depend on the entered relative axial stiffness. This is a guided three-degree-of-freedom platform, not a six-axis Stewart platform. Dynamic rider acceleration is not modeled.

Measurements for this application

Measure the two pin circles, platform heights and combined center of gravity. The central guide must permit both tilts.

• Record base pin circle radius, top pin circle radius, start platform height, end platform height, start roll. Measure between pivot or mounting-pin centers.
• Account for payload / supported load, moving structure weight, combined cg fore/aft offset, combined cg lateral offset. Use the heaviest permitted operating condition.
• Enter the actual motion limits and check the mechanism at both ends and through the full path.

Choosing an actuator for guided heave, pitch and roll platform

The calculator checks the required force, stroke and mounting length before displaying variants. Super Duty actuators take priority, followed by Utility and C-Series where their dimensions and ratings fit. Industrial actuators take priority above 450 lbf of moving load or required actuator force; feedback Micro Pen actuators take priority for the humanoid finger.

Compare exact variants, set travel limits for any unused stroke, and verify the controller, duty cycle, environment and mounting details. Save the design or download its engineering brief to keep your measurements and results together.

What does this calculator solve?

Guided heave, pitch and roll platform is solved along the entered start-to-end path. The animation follows those measurements and the force plot shows the demand through the move. The stated model assumptions define which parts of the real mechanism are included.