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The new rare-earth sammarium-cobalt magnets are revolutionizing electromechanical actuation design to the extent that power-by-wire can be a legitimate follow-on to fly-by-wire. These new magnets coupled with innovative design techniques which feature direct interface with fly-by-wire are creating electromechanical actuator designs that are highly competitive to hydraulic actuators in terms of weight, space, and performance. A major promise of these new electromechanical actuators is to permit unification of total secondary power systems under a single medium, electrical.

The actual development and test of electromechanical actuation hardware for critical, manned aircraft, flight control application that is specifically designed to interface with fly-by-wire commands is now represented by only two hardware units. One of these units was built by Delco Electronics for NASA-Houston and the second unit built by AiResearch Manufacturing Company for the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory. Each of these units feature inside-out motor designs using rare earth samarium cobalt permanent magnet rotors with electronic commutation and are powered with 270 volt DC electrical power. The innovative design features, incorporated in these two actuation units, are thought to have a significance for the future that will eventually influence actuation design for business aircraft.

The new rare-earth sammarium-cobalt magnets are revolutionizing electromechanical actuation design to the extent that power-by-wire can be a legitimate follow-on to fly-by-wire. These new magnets coupled with innovative design techniques which feature direct interface with fly-by-wire are creating electromechanical actuator designs that are highly competitive to hydraulic actuators in terms of weight, space, and performance. A major promise of these new electromechanical actuators is to permit unification of total secondary power systems under a single medium, electrical.