ELECTROMECHANICAL ACTUATORS

CROUZET provides electromechanical actuators for aerospace utility control applications, such as entry door actuators, oil cooler air trap actuators, engine and APU disconnect actuators, APU inlet door actuators, and a host of other aircraft utility applications. CROUZET engineers work with customers for requirements validation for each application. Our utility actuators use RVDTs, potentiometers, and resolvers to capture motion information and interface with the flight control computer.

With more than 14,000 actuators flying, each with a proven MTBF greater than 15,000 FH, CROUZET has the technology, experience and capability to provide a more optimized unit in terms of system weight, cost, aircraft integration, reliability and maintainability. 

CROUZET actuators are designed for safety with the inclusion of over torque limitation, dual load paths and redundant sensors – all according to application requirements. Further, all electrical components used are mature components – logging flying hours for more than 20 years.

We are accustomed to working with both aircraft and system manufacturers in a collaborative environment. When coupled with our extensive and capable on-site test facility, CROUZET is able to support all systems requirements, from development to certification, within the program schedule.

CROUZET is both an OEM and MRO solution provider.

EMA solutions offer an alternative to what is commonly used in existing aircraft – hydraulic actuators that move various surfaces, such as spoilers, aileron, rudder. While hydraulic technology is mature, it requires multiple hydraulic pumps and a network of hydraulic pipes and valves – all with high weight and maintenance cost implications. Further, fluid contamination can lead to common failure modes at the aircraft level and oil leakage above a hot brake could possibly even create fire.

The good news is that the current aerospace industry trend is toward more electrical systems on aircraft. New power sources now allow more aircraft surfaces to be driven by electro-mechanical actuators (EMA).

We provide all key components to perform and secure electrical motion with on-demand capability for designing an electromechanical actuator.

Crouzet design and manufacture High-Power Density Motor, Force Sensors, Transducer Units, Hermetic Limit Switches, Proximity Sensors, Power Electronics which are critical components for EMA.

To ensure that we have the expected design and the level of maturity at key components level, to learn about the manufacturing process, our DesignLAB has developed several prototypes for three decades. The initial project, Eugide in the 90’, a second one Covadis in 2008 and a new one in 2022. This product integration experience brings us some new skills such as Model-Base System Engineering, Safety Analysis, Finite Element Analysis, and Thermal Management.

These research and development projects’ goals are to mature design and manufacturing process to prepare large production quantities of such key components.

One or two electric motors drive a linear screw that can move the control surface and holding the required position. Several concepts have been evaluated to meet various aircraft applications, architectures and certification requirements. Our Solutions for EMA can be deployed in either fly-by-wire or conventional flight control systems.