PACTORK Pneumatic Actuators: A Small but Powerful Lineup Made for Semiconductor Equipment

Hello, this is VALVEPARK.

PACTORK is a small but powerful pneumatic actuator line made for semiconductor equipment. The body is kept small while the torque is large for its size. Semiconductor processes have become more complex and the equipment has become smaller. The space inside the equipment for valves and actuators has shrunk just as much.

A pneumatic actuator is a device that uses the force of compressed air to turn a valve stem by 90 degrees to open and close it. PACTORK has two ways of turning the stem. They differ in the mechanism that converts the straight movement of the piston into rotation.

1 Rack & pinion: A toothed bar (the rack) attached to the piston turns the gear (the pinion) in the center.

2 Scotch yoke: A pin on the piston rod pushes a slotted yoke to turn the stem.

On the left is the rack & pinion, where a toothed bar turns a gear. On the right is the scotch yoke, where a piston rod pushes a slotted yoke.

A PACTORK pneumatic actuator. It has a gray body with blue end caps on both sides, and an indicator on top that shows open and closed.

PART 01

Will it fit in the tight space inside my equipment?

The RP-65SDP is PACTORK's scotch yoke double-acting model. It is 35mm shorter than the standard RP-65SD (202mm) of the same 65 size, and only 5mm longer than the RP-50SD (162mm), which is one size smaller. Its width and height are the same as the RP-65SD.

RP-50SD: length 162mm, width 75mm, height 90mm

RP-65SDP (PACTORK): length 167mm, width 89mm, height 107mm

RP-65SD: length 202mm, width 89mm, height 107mm

Four pipe lines run side by side inside a tight piece of equipment, with a compact actuator mounted closely on each valve.

For the dimensions of other sizes, please contact us. If you also tell us the distance from the valve stem center to the surrounding piping or equipment wall, we can match the size more accurately.

PART 02

Is the force enough even at low supply pressure?

The table below carries over only the values at the 90 degree rotation point from the catalog torque table. Closing is the torque when air is supplied to the closing side, and opening is the torque when air is supplied to the opening side. The unit is N·m.

4bar: RP-50SD 31.3/33.8, RP-65SDP 56.4/60.8, RP-65SD 69.2/70.7 N·m

5bar: RP-50SD 39.2/43.6, RP-65SDP 70.5/78.4, RP-65SD 84.9/87.0 N·m

6bar: RP-50SD 47.7/50.3, RP-65SDP 85.9/90.5, RP-65SD 108.5/102.3 N·m

7bar: RP-50SD 55.4/62.6, RP-65SDP 99.7/112.7, RP-65SD 125.2/120.0 N·m

From 4bar to 7bar, the RP-65SDP values for both closing and opening are about 1.8 times those of the RP-50SD. The RP-65SDP's closing torque of 56.4 N·m at 4bar is larger than the RP-50SD's closing torque of 55.4 N·m at 7bar. Compared with the RP-65SD, which is 35mm longer, it reaches about 80% (99.7 vs 125.2 N·m for closing at 7bar).

The upper part shows body length, and the lower part shows closing torque at the 90 degree point at 7bar. From the top, the order is RP-50SD (gray), RP-65SDP (orange), and RP-65SD (dark gray).

This ratio is the value for the RP-65SDP only. If you contact us, we will send you the full torque table for other PACTORK models, including the 0 degree, 45 degree, and 4.5bar values. The maximum supply pressure of the RP-65SDP is 10bar (145psi), and the catalog torque table covers 4bar to 7bar.

PART 03

What happens to the valve when the air is cut off?

1 Double-acting: Air is supplied to both the opening and closing sides to move it. Because there is no return spring, it does not go back to a set position when the air is cut off. If the position at the moment of the cutoff must be held, a separate position-holding setup may be needed.

2 Single-acting (spring return): Air is supplied to one side only, and the spring inside returns it from the other side.

On the left is the double-acting type, which takes air from both sides. On the right is the single-acting type, which takes air from one side while a spring returns it.

Please tell us whether the valve should be open or closed when the air is cut off. We will choose between double-acting and single-acting to match that condition.

An automated valve set with a PACTORK rack & pinion double-acting actuator mounted on a ball valve.

PART 04

How do I choose the right size for my valve?

We choose in this order.

1 Check the valve type and size, and the torque the valve requires.

2 Look up the actuator torque in the torque table at your site's supply pressure.

3 Pick a larger size with some margin, then check whether it fits in the installation space.

For a ball valve, the torque needed is largest when it starts to move and rises again at the end of the stroke. So we check that the actuator torque is larger than the valve torque at both the start and the end.

If you do not know the valve torque, the valve manufacturer and model name are enough. If the required torque exceeds the values of the PACTORK models, we will recommend a standard model or a larger size.

▸ View product: PACTORK compact high-torque pneumatic actuators for semiconductor equipment

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I replace my existing actuator with a PACTORK?

A. We first need to check that the mounting part matches. Send us the model name of the actuator you use now, or a photo and dimensions of the mounting part on the valve side, and we will compare them and let you know.

Q. What should I tell you to get a quote?

A. The valve type and size, supply pressure, installation space dimensions, the valve position when the air is cut off, and the quantity you need. You can leave out any item you do not know.

Q. Can I also get materials, operating temperature, and certification documents?

A. Yes. For materials, operating temperature, certifications, and option information not included in this post, contact us and we will send them for each model.

PART 06

Wrapping Up

Please send your installation space dimensions, supply pressure, and valve information to the contact below.