How Fast Should a Linear Actuator Move? Speed, Force, and Noise, Explained
Speed is the specification buyers compare first and understand least. Two actuators can carry the same printed speed and behave very differently on the job — because speed is not a fixed number. It changes with load, it trades against force, and the number on the product page only means something if you know which load it was measured at.
This guide explains how to read a speed specification, how to translate it into seconds of travel, and how to choose the right speed for your project instead of defaulting to the fastest option.
The First Rule: Ask "At What Load?"
An actuator's speed always drops as its load rises. That is normal, not a defect: the motor works harder, the gearing meets more resistance, and the rod moves more slowly. For that reason, a serious specification gives two speeds:
- No-load speed — how fast the rod moves with nothing attached. This is the best case, and the number most often quoted in headlines.
- Full-load speed — how fast it moves at its rated force. This is the number your project will actually feel.
Comparing a no-load speed from one model with a full-load speed from another is meaningless. Compare like with like: full-load against full-load for the job you are doing, no-load against no-load only for a rough sense of the mechanism's free movement.
Here are the speeds verified for this guide, stated both ways:
| Model | Force | No-load speed | Full-load speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| HH-LA-U5 (500N version) | 500N | 10 mm/s | 7 mm/s |
| HH-LA-U1 | 900N | 10 mm/s | 7 mm/s |
| HH-LA-508 | 12000N | 6.5 mm/s | 4.5 mm/s |
Other models' speeds are not listed here because they were not in the verified set used for this guide — check the Full Specifications on the exact product page before comparing. Do not carry a speed from one model to another, and do not assume a model you have not checked shares the speed of a model you have.
Speed Trades Against Force
In general, the stronger the gearing, the slower the travel. The table above shows why: the 12000N unit moves at roughly two-thirds the speed of the 900N unit, because its gearing trades speed for force. This is a property of the mechanism, not a quality ranking — the heavy unit is not "worse" for being slower, and the light unit is not "better" for being faster. Each is geared for its job.
That trade is why force-first sizing matters. If you size by force correctly (our force-calculation guide covers the method) and check the travel with our stroke measurement guide, the speed that comes with that force rating is usually the right speed. Buying a far stronger actuator "to be safe" also buys you a slower one, and buying the fastest actuator regardless of force buys you one that stalls under your load.
A related point: voltage does not set speed. A 24V version of an actuator is not automatically faster than its 12V version; voltage changes the current draw (roughly half at 24V for the same job — see our power supply sizing guide), while speed is set by the gearing and the load. Compare speeds model by model on the product page, never by voltage alone.
Translating Speed Into Seconds
Millimetres per second is hard to picture. Seconds of travel is easy. The conversion is simple:
Travel time ≈ stroke ÷ speed
Use the full-load speed for the realistic number, since your actuator works under load.
Worked example (illustrative numbers, not a product specification)
Take a 200 mm stroke moving at a full-load speed of 7 mm/s: 200 ÷ 7 ≈ 29 seconds for a full stroke. At a no-load speed of 10 mm/s, the same stroke would take 20 seconds — but your project will not run unloaded, so the 29-second figure is the honest one to plan around.
Run this calculation before you order, and ask yourself whether that time feels right for the job. Twenty-nine seconds to raise a TV out of a cabinet feels calm and deliberate. Twenty-nine seconds to open a hatch you use ten times a day feels slow. The same speed is right for one project and wrong for another — which brings us to choosing by application.
Choosing Speed by Application
TV lifts and furniture: slower is usually better. A television rising out of a cabinet should move smoothly and quietly, not snap up. The same applies to recliners and adjustable furniture, where a gentle motion is part of the comfort. For these jobs, a full-load speed around the single digits of millimetres per second is a feature, not a drawback — and noise matters as much as speed. On noise, only two verified figures are used in this guide: the U3 at under 40 dB, and the U2 at 45 dB. Other models' noise figures are not quoted here; check the product page. Mounting also affects perceived noise — a rigidly bolted actuator transmits more vibration than one mounted with its brackets free to pivot, so judge noise on the installed job, not on the bench.
Hatches, platforms, and utility jobs: speed is convenience. A dump bed, a trailer ramp, or a workshop hatch used many times a day earns its keep partly by not keeping you waiting. Here a faster full-load speed is worth paying attention to — but still size by force first. A fast actuator that stalls under your hatch is slower than a slower actuator that finishes the stroke.
Precision positioning: speed is control. If the actuator must stop at a particular point — a vent held at a certain opening, a platform levelled to a mark — a slower speed makes manual stopping easier and overshoot smaller. Standard switch and remote kits are on/off controls: they run the actuator at full speed while pressed and stop it when released. They do not provide variable speed or soft start/stop. If your job genuinely needs programmable speed or soft motion, that is a different controller requirement — confirm it exists for your model before ordering, rather than assuming any kit can do it.
Common Speed Misunderstandings
| Misunderstanding | Reality |
|---|---|
| "The headline speed is the working speed" | Headlines usually quote no-load speed; plan on full-load speed |
| "24V is faster than 12V" | Voltage changes current draw, not speed; compare model by model |
| "Faster is always better" | Faster gearing means less force; a stalled fast actuator is the slowest of all |
| "Two same-model actuators run identically" | Load, geometry, and voltage drop differ per side — small speed differences are normal (see our twin-actuator guide) |
| "I can speed it up with a bigger supply" | A bigger supply fixes voltage sag; it does not re-gear the actuator, and over-voltage damages the motor |
| "Slow means faulty" | Slower under load is normal physics; compare against the full-load figure, not the no-load one |
FAQ
Why is my new actuator slower than the old one?
Three usual reasons, in order: it is carrying more load than the old one (including binding in the mechanism), its supply voltage sags under load, or it is a slower-geared model. Check the load and the supply first — see the troubleshooting checklist — and compare speeds at the same load before blaming the part.
Can I make an actuator faster by using a higher-voltage supply?
No. Over-volting a motor risks damage and does not change its gearing. If you need more speed, you need a different model geared for it, sized for your force — not a bigger power supply.
How do I slow an actuator down?
With a standard on/off switch or remote kit, you cannot dial the speed down — the kit runs the actuator at its geared speed while pressed. Short, pulsed presses can inch it into position, but that is manual control, not speed control. If you need true variable speed, confirm a compatible controller exists for your model before you buy.
Does speed change over the actuator's life?
A well-mounted actuator in a free mechanism keeps close to its rated speed. A gradual slowdown usually means rising friction — a binding hinge, a bent bracket, or a mechanism picking up load — rather than the motor wearing out. Our maintenance guide covers the checks that tell the difference.
What speed do I need for a TV lift?
There is no single correct number, but the right question is: how long should the TV take to rise, and how quiet should it be? Take your stroke, divide by the full-load speed, and judge the seconds — then check the noise figure on the product page. Our TV lift cabinet guide covers the build; measure the travel first with our stroke measurement guide.
Is a slower actuator weaker?
Not necessarily, and often the opposite: slower gearing is usually how higher force is achieved. Judge strength by the force rating and speed by the full-load speed figure, separately. A slow, strong actuator and a fast, light one are both correctly designed — for different jobs.
The right speed is the one that finishes your stroke in a time that feels right, at a force that handles your load, without drama. Size the force first, read the full-load speed second, divide stroke by speed third — and only then compare models. If the seconds feel wrong for your job, change the model, not the voltage.