Preparing to take flight: not your everyday electric actuator application

Flight Simulator Drawbridge is Powered by Tolomatic Actuators

SOLVED: Another unique challenge, by FPE Automation's team of engineers. 

By Sandia Harrison, Director of Marketing and Steve Moore, Application Engineer

The constant flow of future pilots crossing the drawbridge to begin their flight training will not likely be aware that they are walking over a Tolomatic RSA electric actuator. 

It's a common theme in manufacturing - much of what keeps us safe, and makes things happen, remains behind the scenes. 

This application was no different. Top secret all the way. The type of stuff that would make an excellent motion picture about industrial espionage. Except that this is real life, and the company involved was not about to let that happen. 

FPE Automation has been a trusted solution provider to this team of flight simulator engineers for the past 10 years. For that reason, FPE Automation was the only vendor considered for this project. Their decision was based on both confidentiality and the ability to get the job done. Clearly, the stakes are high here. 

There were many meetings with their engineers, FPE Automation and Tolomatic during the development of the concept and design. FPE Automation's Steve Moore, pictured here, had this to say:

“After careful consideration we chose the RSA series actuator for its robust strength, rigidity, and moment loading capabilities at long strokes”

The Tolomatic RSA series actuator you see in the picture is driven by a servo motor. It raises and lowers the drawbridge to the flight simulator door. Since aspiring pilots will constantly be crossing above, safety is a concern. Reliability is a must. 

The finished product allows pilots of the future to access the most advanced flight simulator ever built. 

The team of engineers is so satisfied with the outcome that they have invited FPE Automation back to work on a different unique project at this location. Perhaps that will be the topic of a future story.

FPE Automation is quite often the go-to team for unique challenges like this one. We have the expertise and flexibility to find solutions, and will go above and beyond to make things work. 

What you do is what we do.