Designing a fast acting solenoid actuator

[BobW]

I'm looking to design a small fasting acting solenoid actuator, and can't find any useful information online. What I'm looking for would be similar to the hammer drivers they used on 1960's era computer line printers. If I could buy something like that ready made that would be great, but if not, I'll have to build my own. Choice of voltage is flexible. I'm thinking that to get maximum speed I may have to use a capacitor charged to a high voltage that can be dumped across the solenoid.
Any suggestions?

 

[gophert]

What speed are you looking for and why don't the existing solenoids on the market work for you? Or are you asking, "which vendors sell solenoids?"?

 

[gophert]

195207-225 Ledex Dormeyer Saia, a Division of Johnson Electric | Motors, Solenoids, Driver Boards/Modules | DigiKey

Order today, ships today. 195207-225 – Intermittent Duty Solenoid Closed Frame (Push), Tubular Type 0.700" (17.78mm) Stroke 12VDC Panel Mount from Ledex Dormeyer Saia, a Division of Johnson Electric. Pricing and Availability on millions of electronic components from Digi-Key Electronics.

www.digikey.com

 

[BobW]

Thanks. I wasn't expecting Digikey to have anything close to what I needed, so I hadn't spent much time searching there. Working back from the link you posted, it appears they do have quite a few parts close to what I'm looking for.

I'm working on a device that needs to make a mark on an object passing under it when it gets a "mark" signal. The solenoid will operate something (yet to be determined) that will make the mark. The faster the better, however things can be positioned to account for a certain amount of time lag from when the "mark" signal is received to when the solenoid actually fires.

 

[gophert]

Thanks. I wasn't expecting Digikey to have anything close to what I needed, so I hadn't spent much time searching there. Working back from the link you posted, it appears they do have quite a few parts close to what I'm looking for.

I'm working on a device that needs to make a mark on an object passing under it when it gets a "mark" signal. The solenoid will operate something (yet to be determined) that will make the mark. The faster the better, however things can be positioned to account for a certain amount of time lag from when the "mark" signal is received to when the solenoid actually fires.

There are bigger solenoids (up to 250W) but those are pull vs push.

are you doing a single hit? A local company, Mecco, makes vibra-preening equipment.

 

[rjenkinsgb]

The trick to get a very fast reaction from a solenoid is to drive it from a rather higher voltage than it needs, with a series resistor (or electronic constant current circuit) to set the steady-state current.
The higher the voltage the faster reaction, even though the maximum current stays the same; you don't need a capacitor discharge system.

That's how mechanical teleprinters managed to handle serial data at anything from 50 to 110 bits per second, driving a solenoid mechanism - the solenoid system only needed about 6V, but they were driven by around 60 - 80V with a ballast resistor or barretter filament regulator to limit the current to eg. 60mA or 20mA.

 

[BobW]

are you doing a single hit? A local company, Mecco, makes vibra-preening equipment.

It's just a one off device. Those Mecco units are nice, but a lot fancier than what I need. I expect mine will just put a single blob of ink or paint on the work piece.

The trick to get a very fast reaction from a solenoid is to drive it from a rather higher voltage than it needs, with a series resistor (or electronic constant current circuit) to set the steady-state current.
The higher the voltage the faster reaction, even though the maximum current stays the same; you don't need a capacitor discharge system.

That's good to know. That will simplify things quite a bit.

 

[gophert]

I've been looking at product marking/decorating techniques for a consulting project over the past few weeks. PM if you want to discuss.

 

[shortbus=]

I expect mine will just put a single blob of ink or paint on the work piece.

Maybe something like these?

Spray Markers for Industrial Dot and Stripe Marking | Pannier

Spray marker for industrial products with dot and stripe marking. Use inks or paints for inspection marking, color coding, or indicating cut or weld points.

www.pannier.com

One-Dot-System for fine dot marking and line marking | REA JET

Dot marking with REA JET one dot systems for very fine dot and line markings. REA JET | Your expert for spray mark technology in trade and industry.

www.rea-jet.com

https://www.nireco.com/en/product/process/jet-marker.html

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

Laser marking is pretty quick.

 

[BobW]

I failed to mention that this is just a hobby project. So low cost is a primary concern. I would like to explore laser marking for other things though, sometime in the future.

I hadn't realized that Digikey stocks so many inexpensive solenoids. I can already think of a few other applications. So, I'll be ordering a few different ones to experiment with.

 

[gophert]

I failed to mention that this is just a hobby project. So low cost is a primary concern. I would like to explore laser marking for other things though, sometime in the future.

I hadn't realized that Digikey stocks so many inexpensive solenoids. I can already think of a few other applications. So, I'll be ordering a few different ones to experiment with.

I used some of the relays from Digikey to build flippers as I restored a prototype pinball machine from the 1950s. Once I finished, the gentleman I was helping finally told me the pinball machine was never completed by his grandfather - I finished the rebuild (original build?) and apparently played the first game on it. No rolling score board, just a chain of tasks that connected a cascade of relays that made you a "winner" if you completed the chain. One of the first electronics projects I ever did on commission.

 

[shortbus=]

I failed to mention that this is just a hobby project. So low cost is a primary concern.

Does it have to be paint? Would ink work? How about a single color jet from an old ink jet printer?

 

[gophert]

Does it have to be paint? Would ink work? How about a single color jet from an old ink jet printer?

Or a bump from a Sharpie or a Paint Pen.

 

[BobW]

I was thinking of having something like a typewriter ribbon between the solenoid and the work piece.

 

[shortbus=]

I was thinking of having something like a typewriter ribbon between the solenoid and the work piece.

May be not keeping us in the dark about what your trying to mark would get better ideas. There are many ways of doing marking on many different materials, and some of us have done it in our daily work environments. Not trying to be mean to you but trying to find a way to help.