If you’re thinking about purchasing a new height adjustable table or workbench, you’ll need to know what size of electric motor your application needs. Every project requires some sort of review by a trained individual in order to figure out exactly how much height adjustability is actually needed, since ordering the wrong actuator size could result in wasted time and money.
By the end of this short five-item article, you’ll be fully equipped to figure out what actuator size your application requires!
Position of Use
Will this workspace be used by people who will be standing, sitting, or a combination of both throughout the day? If the work space will be used for a “sit to stand” function, where people can choose to stand or sit throughout the day, choose an actuator with around 26” of motor stroke. If the work space will be used by people for only sitting or only standing at proper ergonomic heights, either the 8” or 12” motor stroke can be used. Let’s check out some other factors to see when to use each of these.
Height Difference
Determining the height difference between the shortest and tallest people using the table can be helpful (but make sure to consider a generous range of heights, as the table will likely outlast the current people using it in your company!).
For instance: If you have a person that happens to be 5’4” tall wearing shoes, and another that is 6’4”, then the height difference is 12”. In contrast to popular belief, this does not automatically require you to have a 12” motor stroke.
The proper table height range that will accommodate a collection of people varies. However, typically, the table height range required is only about ¾” per 1″ of height difference between the shortest and tallest person. In our scenario of the height difference between two people being 12”, this would be multiplied by 0.75. This would result in the true table top height range of 9”.
0.75 x 12″ (height difference) = 9″ (table top height range)
It’s a bit trickier to find the proper table height range for an application where the person working will only be sitting. Each person’s torso and legs would determine which sitting height works for them. Generally, we suggest companies offer sit-to-stand height adjustability (26”) for applications where sitting is sometimes necessary, as it is commonly recognized that having the option to stand for periods throughout the day is much healthier than only having the option to sit.
Portability
Will the unit be moved around often, or will it generally stay in one spot in your company? This is important in figuring out what kind of floor contact you need on the table or workstation, which in part affects your height options. LTW’s casters (heavy duty swivel-locking wheels for easy mobility) are about 5-6” tall, in contrast to short 2-4” floor levelers.
There is sometimes a limit on what your lowest height can be with certain products due to the design. For instance: If you are interested in an LTW E2 Table, and your desired minimum (fully lowered) height is 30”, you’d either choose our 8” motor to achieve this low height, or swap out the 5” casters for 2” levelers.
Weight Capacity
The total weight being placed on the table is extremely important when figuring out which actuator size you need. Each motor has a specific weight capacity. If that is exceeded, the motor could get overheated, slow down, or stop working all together over time. It is suggested that if you’re close to the weight capacity, you should either go down in motor stroke, or add more actuators.
For instance, if you’re interested in purchasing an LTW E1 Table with casters and a 12” actuator (which has a weight capacity of 550lb), but you need to put 650lb on the table you purchase, you could instead choose the 8” motor (780lb weight capacity). However, if your application requires the 12” of height adjustability, then you could instead choose to upgrade to an LTW E2 Table. Our E2 series features a two motor system, as opposed to just one with the E1 series, so these tables can handle twice the load. See our Weight Load Capacity Chart for more information on these options.
Weight Distribution
A common mistake made is only thinking about the total weight being put on a table, and not taking into account the distribution of that weight. The above-given weight capacities refer to weight that is evenly distributed across the surface. When 700lb is set above only one 550lb actuator on an LTW E2 Table, the table will not lift correctly. However, if that same 700lb was set in the middle of the table, it would lift effortlessley.
If your weight won’t be distributed across the tabletop, consider where that weight is located and make sure that the individual motor capacity can lift that weight by itself. If you plan to install a 600lb machine on one end of a table, you have a couple options. You could choose 8” motor stroke with our LTW E2 Table, or you could upgrade to the E4 Table. Both of these options would ensure you don’t run into weight complications.
The Bottom Line
Save yourself a headache down the road by becoming an ergonomics expert now. Instead of worrying later about whether or not you bought the right specifications on your industrially ergonomic table, use these five factors to figure out the best motor stroke for your application.
If you have any questions, or would like further help determining which actuator size you need, call us today!
8″ or 12″ Actuators
8″ or 12″ Actuators
8″ or 12″ Actuators
26″ Actuators
Thanks for reading! This article is brought to you by your friends at LTW Ergonomic Solutions.
LTW was created with humble beginnings in the basement of the president’s home, and has grown into an industrial ergonomic standard for height adjustable machine bases, workstations, operator platforms, and more. In 2020 LTW celebrates 27 years in business!
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