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LinearSolenoidDesignGuideandTechnicalInformationGWLisk

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Design Guide

LINEAR SOLENOIDS TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Linear Solenoids
Solenoidsconvertelectricalenergyintoforceandmotion.Whenthecoilisenergizedwithelectriccurrentan
electromagneticforceiscreatedaroundthecoil.EnclosedsolenoidssuchastheLisktubularsolenoidsare
designedtodirectthatmagneticforcethroughthesteelhousingandintothestopandarmature(plunger).Thestop
becomesanorthorsouthpolefacedependingonthepolarityofthecoil.Thearmaturebecomestheoppositepole
face.Theseoppositepolesareattractedtooneanotherandthiscreatestheforceandmotioninthearmature.

Rotary Solenoids

Theamountofforcecreatedisrelatedtotheamountofelectricalcurrentapplied.Otherfactorssuchasthe
numberofturnsofwireinthecoil,thesizeofthesolenoid,andthemagneticcharacterofthesteelusedwillaffect
theamountofforcedeveloped.
Theforceisalsodependentontheairgaporstrokeofthesolenoid.Theforceislowestatthemaximumairgap
andhighestwhenthepolefacesarefullyseated.Ingeneraltheforceisinverselyproportionaltothesquareofthe

Solenoid Valves

distance(gap)betweenpolefaces.

TYPICAL SOLENOID CROSS SECTIONS

Industrial & Mobile Products

Military/Aerospace Solenoids
and Solenoid Valves

LVDTs
1.LeadWires600voltTefloninsulated392F(200C)rating.
2.LeadWireExitStandardexitisfromendoppositetheworkingend.
3.StrokeThedistancetheplungerwillmovewhenenergized.
4.TapeInsulationMylartapeinsulatesoutercoilwindingsfrommetalhousingandalsoholdscoilwiresin
place.

Flame Arrestors

5.ThreadedPlungerConnectionotheroptionsalsoavailable.
6.PlungerHighquality,magneticsteel,nickelplated.
7.BossAdditionalendplatematerialprovidesimprovedmagneticfluxpathaswellasincreasedplunger
support.
8.CrimpedHousingJointTightmetaltometaljoint.
9.TubularHousingHighqualitymagneticsteelwithcorrosionprotectedsurfacenotonlycompletelyprotects
coilbutalsoservesasmagneticfluxpathformaximummagneticefficiencyinsmallestpossiblepackage.
Openframe"C"and"D"unitsdonotofferthisprotectionnorthemagneticefficiency.
10.MoldedBobbinGlassfilledmoldednylonbobbin,orequivalent.
11.MagnetWireInsulatedwire,392F(200C)rating,automaticallydrywounddirectlyonbobbin.
12.StopHighqualitymagneticsteel,corrosionprotectedsurface.NoMountStyleAllstandardmountsare
dimensionedfromorlocatedattheworkingend.

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1.EndPieceHighqualitymagneticsteel,corrosionprotectedsurface.
2.PlungerExternalFacePlainflatface,standardpullconnectionsavailable.
3.StrokeDistanceplungerwillmovewhenenergized.
4.PlungerBoreSleeveCorrosionresistant,nonmagneticmetalsleeve.
5.PanelNutMountOthermountsarealsoavailable.
6.StopHighqualitymagneticsteel,corrosionprotectedsurface.
7.PushRodCorrosionresistant,nonmagneticmetal.

GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Beforedecidingonasolenoidforaparticularapplication,thereareanumberofpointsthatshouldbeconsideredto
assurethatthesmallest,mostefficient,andpropertypeisselected.Thesepointsallinfluencetheproperselection
andsomethoughtshouldbegiventoeach.

Pull / Push / Hold

Thebasicfunctionofthesolenoidistoperform:
PullForceWhenenergized,theplungerretractspullingtheload.Deenergized,theplungerisextendedto
specifiedstrokedistance.
PushForceWhenenergized,thepushrodextendspushingtheload.Apushsolenoidisactuallyapullsolenoid
withtheadditionofapushrodthatridesagainsttheinternalfaceoftheplungerextendingthroughthefixedpole
piece.
HoldForcePlungerispulledineitherelectricallyorbyexternalforceandcontactstheoppositepolepiece.With
powerapplied,theplungerremainsfixedresistingtheexternalpullorpushload.
CombinationTwoorallthreeofthesefunctionscanbecombinedintoonesolenoid.

Stroke
Thetotalmovementexpectedofthesolenoidwhenelectricalpowerisapplied.Itisalsooftendefinedastheair
gapbetweenmoveableplungerandthefixedpolepieceinthedeenergizedcondition.Forgreatestefficiencyand
smallestsize,designfortheshorteststrokepossible.Whenagivenamountof"work"isrequired,trytousea
shortstroke/highforcecombinationratherthanlongerstrokeandlowerforce.

Force
Theloadthesolenoidiscapableofpulling,pushing,orholdingatthestartofspecifiedstrokewhenenergized
underaspecificsetofconditions:ofvoltage,temperature,anddutycycle.Theforcerapidlyincreasesasthepull
orpushstrokelengthdecreases.Thisagainpointstotheimportanceofdesigningfortheshortestpossiblestroke.
Keepinmindthatthesolenoidforcewilldecreaseascoiltemperatureincreases.Foranygivenstroke,theforce
willreducetoabout65%ofthechartvalueswhenthecoilreachesthe350F(177C)stabilizedtemperature.

Pole Face Configuration

Flatpoleface(shortstroke)Theplungerface(internalend)andfaceofthefixedpolepieceareflat.Aflatface
constructionshouldbeselectedforrelativelyshortstrokesorwheremaximumholdforcesarerequired.
ConicalPolefaces(longstroke)Plungerfaceandfaceoffixedpolepiecearematching60concaveandconvex
cones.Forrelativelylongstrokeswithlowerholdingforces,aconicalpolefaceversionshouldbeselected.

Duty Cycle
Acomparisonofthetimeasolenoidisenergizedtothetimeitisdeenergized,expressedasapercentage:

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DutyCycle%=[(ONtime)/(ONtime+OFFtime)]x100.
Foragivenforce/strokerequirement,thesmallerthedutycyclepercentage,thesmallerthesolenoid.
ContinuousdutySolenoidONcontinuouslywithoutinterruptionforperiodsofabout30minutesorlonger.
WithnoOFFtimetoallowthecoiltocool,continuousdutysolenoidsmusthavecoilswoundtolimitthecurrent
drainandmustbelargeenoughtoprovideforadequateheatradiationtopreventcoilburnout.Thismeansthata
continuousdutysolenoidwillbeconsiderablylargerthananintermittentdesigntoproducethesameforce/stroke.
Onewaytogetaroundthecontinuousdutyunitsizeproblemistogotoatwocoilwork/holddesign.
IntermittentDutySolenoidONforonlyashorttime,usuallynotmorethan2or3minutes,thenfollowedbyan
OFFtimewhichisnormallyatleastaslongastheONtime.ThisONtimeandOFFcyclingcanberepeated
continuouslyovertotallifeofthesolenoid.AstheONtimedecreasesandtheOFFtimeincreases,morecurrent
canbeappliedtothesolenoidwithoutcausingcoiloverheating.Bybeingabletouselargercurrentdrain(increased
power),asmallersizesolenoidcanbeselectedtoproducethesameforce/strokeoutput.
PulseDutyAnintermittentdutyunitwithextremelyshortONtime.Adutycyclenormallyinthe10%to25%
range.Thisismaximuminputpowerforthatsizesolenoid.
SpecialPowerApplicationswhichrequiredifferentpowerlevelsthanthoseshownforstandard,intermittent,or
pulsedutycycles.Thiscoversapplicationsatambienttemperaturesignificantlyaboveorbelow76F(25C),ora
desiredcurrentdrain,belowstandardvalue,oraspecialdutycycle,orotherdesignrequirementaffectingpower.
Allcoilsforourstandardsolenoidsarewoundtoorderondemand.Thereforeitisnoproblemtoaccommodatea
specialwindingfor"inbetween"dutycyclesorspecialvoltagesortemperatureconditionsinourstandard
solenoids.

Power / Voltage / Resistance

Allunitsareratedonthebasisofmaximumallowableinputwattagethesolenoidcandrawwithoutexceedingthe
350F(177C)stabilizedcoiltemperaturewhenoperatedatitsrateddutycycleina76F(25C)ambient
atmosphere.
Sothatthesolenoidoperatesatitsdesignedpowerlevelcoilsarewoundtovariousresistancevaluesdepending
onspecifiedvoltageanddutycycle.
CoilscanbewoundforanyDCvoltage.Thosemostcommonlyspecifiedare6,12,24,28,and120VDC.Forthe
verysmallsizeunitsoperatingatthehighervoltagelevels,specialcoilsmayberequired.

Nominal Coil Resistance

Thenominalcoilresistanceat76F(25C)canbedeterminedasfollows:
Resistance=Voltage^2(asspecified)/Wattage(asspecified)
Inoperation,thecoilresistancewillincreaseduetotheheatingofthecoilwire.

Current Draw
Foranygivensolenoid,thecurrentdrawat76F(25C)canbedeterminedasfollows:
Current=Wattage/Voltage.

Coil Temperature
Theactualtemperatureofthemagnetwireinthecoilwindingisthecombinationofambientcoiltemperatureplus
heatingduetocurrentflowthroughthecoil.
AmbientTemperatureThestablecoilwiretemperaturewithnoelectricalpowertothesolenoid.
HeatRiseThestableincreaseincoilwiretemperatureduringsolenoidoperationatratedvoltageanddutycycle
indesignedambientconditions.Standardunitsaredesignedfora274F(134C)maximumriseinaconstant76
F(25C)ambientenvironment.
StabilizedTemperatureThefinalstabletemperaturethecoilwirereachesduringoperationambient
temperaturepluscoilheatrise.Standardunitsaredesignedfor350F(177C)maximumstabilizedtemperature.
HeatSinkItisimportanttoconsiderthesizeoftheheatsinkwhenselectingthesolenoidsizeandapplicable
wattage.

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Force Vs. Coil Temperature

Foranygivenstroke,solenoidforcedecreaseswithcoiltemperatureincreaseand,conversely,increaseswhen
coiltemperatureislowered.Thisistheresultofchangesincoilwireresistancewithchangesinwiretemperature.
Thehigherthewiretemperature,thehighertheresistancewillbe.Forestimatingpurposes,forevery7F(3.9C)
changeincoiltemperaturefromambientoutputforcechangesabout1%.Asolenoidoperatedina76F(25C)
environmentatratedvoltageanddutycyclelongenoughforthecoiltoreachthe350F(177C)ratedstabilized
temperaturewillhaveanoutputforcereductionofapproximately65%.

Loose Or Fixed Push Rod

StandardconstructionforLisksolenoidsprovidesoptionsforbothlooseandfixedpushrodsonpushstyleunits.
Uniquepushrodneedscanbeeasilyaccommodateduponrequest.

Removable / Retained Plunger / Push Rod

Withstandardconstructiontheplungerisremovableinallstylesofsolenoids.Onpushunitsthepushrodisalso
removable,eitherasaseparatepieceorattachedtotheplunger,dependingupontheoptionselected.
Eithertheplunger,orthepushrod,orbothcanbeconfiguredtoberetainedinthesolenoidifrequired.

Return Springs
Returnspringsareoftenusedtoreturntheplungerand/orpushrodbacktoitsoriginalposition.Returnsprings
canbeinternalorexternaltothesolenoidandcustomfitforacustomer'suniqueneeds.

Environmental Protection
Standardunitsaredesignedtomeetnormalenvironmentalandoperatingconditionsencounteredinconventional
industrialapplications.
Humidity/watersplashCoilareaisprotectedandexposedsurfacesplatedtowithstandoccasionalwater
splashandnormalinplantambienthumidityconditions.Forcontinuoushighhumidityexposureorwater
immersion,specialencapsulatedormoldedcoilconstructionsareavailable.Forextremeenvironmentalconditions,
hermeticallysealeddesignsarealsoavailable.
Sand/Dust/DirtUndernormalinplantambientconditions,standarddesignsshouldperformsatisfactorilyover
expectedlife.Unusualconditionsofairbornecontaminationmayrequireprotectivebootstosealofftheplunger
cavity.Additionalprotectionofexposedsurfacesmayberequired.Specialsandanddustsealeddesignsare
available.
TemperatureSincesolenoidoutputforcewillcontinuetoimprove(thoughcurrentdrawwillincrease)withambient
temperaturedecrease,operationofstandarddesignsinanambienttemperatureaslowas65F(53C)presents
noproblem.Itiswhensolenoidswillbeoperatedinanambientenvironmentabove76F(25C)thatsomecaution
mustbetaken.Ifthetemperatureissignificantlyabove76F(25C),coilburningmayoccurevenifsolenoidis
operatedatitsrateddutycycleandvoltage.Specialhightemperaturecoildesignsareavailable.

Potted Coil
Acommonoptionforextendedenvironmentalprotectionisapottedorencapsulatedcoil.Theusualprocedureisto
floodthegapbetweenthecoilandthehousingwithepoxy.Anotherlesscostlyencapsulationthatwouldbe
applicabletohighvolumeapplicationswouldbeovermoldingthecoil.
Pottingorovermoldinghelpinmakingthecoilhumidity/splashresistantinapplicationswherethisiscommon.If
moresevereconditionsexistfurthersealingofthecoilcavitycanbedonewithoringsandspecialconnectors.The
coilwillalsobeveryshockandvibrationresistant.
Anotherbenefitpotting/overmoldingprovidesistheabilitytoconducttheheat,generatedwhenoperating,more
efficientlytothehousingwhereitcanbedissipatedeasily.Thiswillallowmorepowertobeappliedtoagivensize
solenoid.

Service Cycle Life

Standardconstructionnominallyratedfor1,000,000cycles.Inactualservice,cyclelifeexceedingthisfigureis
constantlybeingexperienced.Periodiccleaningandlubricationwillhelpinextendinglife.Severeoperating
conditionsaheavysideloadontheplunger,forexamplemayshortencyclelife.Sincemanyfactorsotherthan

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thesolenoidconstructionitselfhavetheireffect,theratedlifeexpectancyisvalidonlyforthelaboratoryconditions
underwhichlifetestswererun.Speciallonglifedesignsareavailable.

Response Time
Responsetime,usuallymeasuredinmilliseconds,isfromthepointatwhichpowerisapplied,untiltheplunger
reachestheendofitsdesignstroke.Twomainfactorscontributetotheoverallresponsetime.Oneistimeittakes
thecurrenttoovercomecoilinductanceanddeveloptherequiredmagneticfluxfield.Theotheristhetimeittakes
fortheplungertoactuallytravelthestrokedistance.Fluxbuildupnormallytakesmorethanhalfofthetotal
responsetime.Generallyspeaking,theresponsetimevariesbetween5millisecondsforsmallsizeunitsatshort
strokesupto250millisecondsforlongstroke,largersizes.
Toachievefasterresponsetimesthesolenoidsmustbeoverpowered.Asolenoidsizemustbeselectedwhichwill
produceaforceatthestartoftherequiredstrokeseveraltimesaslargeaswouldbeneededundernormalspeed
operation.Strokeshouldbeasshortaspossibletokeepplungertraveltimeatminimum.Specialhighspeed
designsareavailable.

Phone: 315.462.2611

info@gwlisk.com

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