Sneak Peek: Electric Cylinders

Automate 2026 will also offer attendees an early look at PBC Linear’s forthcoming family of electric cylinders — the company’s first foray into the cylinder form factor and a direct alternative to hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders in industrial automation. Unlike PBC’s established actuator portfolio, which moves loads via an external carriage, the new electric cylinders extend a rod from the end of the unit, mirroring the physical interface that engineers expect from a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder while delivering the cleanliness, controllability, and energy efficiency of electric actuation. Internally, the cylinders use either lead screw or ball screw drivetrains, leveraging the same precision drivetrain technology PBC has developed for its existing actuator lines.