Application guide - Updated July 19, 2026
Use the sizing tool first: estimate equivalent load, dynamic capacity target, peak drive torque, and inverted vs standard roller screw architecture fit for aerospace EMA trade studies.
Input your aerospace EMA constraints to estimate screw sizing and risk.
Range: 1-200 kN. Use the maximum commanded actuator thrust.
Continuous force during active duty cycle. Must not exceed peak thrust.
20-600 mm
1-25 mm/rev
Range: 5-100%. Calculator assumes a 10% peak segment inside the active cycle.
Screening output for early architecture trade studies, not a certified life calculation.
Equivalent load uses a cubic mean over the active duty cycle. Target dynamic capacity applies a 1.5 screening factor. Peak drive torque uses thrust x lead divided by 2pi x 0.85 assumed screw efficiency.
Standard planetary architecture is favored for strokes above 150 mm because the shaft can provide a cleaner heat path and simpler lubrication access.
Includes full L10 life calculation and CAD envelope check
Short-stroke aerospace EMAs should compare retracted length in CAD before treating dynamic load rating as the deciding factor.
Peak thrust alone is not enough. The calculator uses cubic mean load as a screening proxy before full L10 life modeling.
Below 150 mm favors inverted architecture in early screening; the 140-180 mm transition zone should be compared both ways.
Standards are cited with source-check dates. Final categories and revisions must be confirmed by the certification or program authority.
Understanding the mechanical power flow is critical. The Inverted Roller Screw places the long thread on the nut, which can be directly driven by a frameless servo motor rotor.
This layer separates source-backed standards from screening assumptions and program-specific unknowns.
| Calculator item | Basis used here | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Equivalent mean load | Cubic mean over active duty cycle, with a 10% peak segment inside the active interval. | Shock/proof loads and supplier fatigue data must be added before release. |
| Target dynamic capacity | Equivalent mean load multiplied by a 1.5 screening factor for early supplier shortlisting. | Do not treat this as a certified C rating requirement without L10 target life and speed spectrum. |
| Peak drive torque | Peak thrust x screw lead divided by 2pi x 0.85 assumed screw efficiency. | Motor, gearbox, brake, and back-drive margins require separate review. |
| Architecture breakpoint | Below 150 mm stroke favors inverted layout for envelope; above 150 mm favors standard layout for heat and service access. | The 140-180 mm range must be compared both ways in CAD. |
| Source | Date context | How it is used | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAE ARP5812 | Published Jan 9, 2025; source checked July 19, 2026 | Frames mechanical linear actuator specification and RFQ evidence needs, including roller screw actuator applicability. | It is a specification guide, not a product rating or program certification. |
| RTCA DO-160 | RTCA page checked July 19, 2026; DO-160H/ED-14H update noted as in progress | Supports the environmental qualification context for airborne equipment and DO-160G references. | Program authority must confirm the mandated revision, sections, and categories. |
| FAA AC 21-16G | FAA page checked July 19, 2026 | Cross-checks that DO-160 versions D, E, F, and G are recognized as acceptable environmental qualification references. | Advisory circular acceptance does not select categories for a specific actuator installation. |
| MIL-STD-810H Change 1 via DLA ASSIST | DLA ASSIST page checked July 19, 2026 | Supports the military environmental tailoring context and Change 1 date of 18-MAY-2022. | MIL-STD-810 is tailored by program environment; it does not impose one universal actuator test profile. |
In continuous-duty aerospace applications, Planetary Roller Screw Mechanisms (PRSMs) can face coupled thermal, lubrication, and contact-stress effects that reduce fatigue life if not properly mitigated.
| Constraint Metric | Inverted Architecture | Standard Architecture |
|---|---|---|
| Axial Length (Retracted) | Shortest possible | Stroke + Nut Length + Bearings |
| Heat Dissipation | Poor (trapped inside long nut/rotor) | Excellent (exposed screw shaft) |
| Lubrication Access | Complex (requires internal galleries) | Simple (wiper injection) |
| Rotational Inertia | High (nut + rotor spins) | Low (only shaft spins) |
| Failure Mitigation (Jamming) | Direct integration allows robust anti-rotation | Requires external anti-rotation guides |
Continue the aerospace actuator trade study through adjacent product, process, and quality pages.
They can shorten the axial stack by letting the motor rotor wrap the internally threaded nut. That is useful when the actuator envelope is constrained by wing, fin, landing gear, or door geometry.
No. It is a screening breakpoint used by this page. Around 140-180 mm, engineers should compare both inverted and standard planetary layouts against bearing stack length, heat path, lubrication access, and critical speed.
Thermal buildup and lubrication starvation are primary risks. Heat changes lubricant viscosity and component clearances, which can concentrate contact stress and accelerate surface fatigue before the headline dynamic load rating is reached.
SAE ARP5812 is useful for mechanical linear actuator specification structure. RTCA DO-160G and FAA AC 21-16G are relevant to airborne equipment environmental qualification, while MIL-STD-810H Change 1 may apply to military or contract-specific environmental tailoring. Confirm the latest mandated DO-160 revision and categories with the program authority because the DO-160H/ED-14H update is in progress in 2026.
No. It is an early screening tool. A final calculation needs the complete mission spectrum, shock events, speed profile, preload, lubrication, material heat treatment, operating temperature, mounting stiffness, and supplier-specific dynamic capacity data.
Use standard planetary architecture when stroke length, heat rejection, lubrication access, lower rotating inertia, or maintainability matters more than the shortest possible retracted length.
Send peak and continuous thrust, full duty-cycle percentages, stroke, required speed, target life, shock/proof-load cases, temperature range, vibration category, material restrictions, lubrication constraints, and CAD envelope drawings.
Exact cryogenic limits, qualified lubricant life, proprietary dynamic load ratings, and aircraft-program test categories are usually not public. This page marks those items as review requirements instead of inventing universal limits.
Send your actuator envelope drawings, duty cycle profiles, and target L10 life to our application engineers. We will return a DFM assessment within 48 hours.
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Include target OD, lead, stroke, load, quantity, and delivery country.
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