# What is the maximum load capacity of the RLA Series actuators?

> This question highlights an important distinction that causes confusion: load weight is not the same as thrust force. The RLA Series supports loads up to 30,000 lb on precision linear bearings. That is the weight sitting on the bearings — the roll, the chuck, the shifting stand structure. The act...

**Last updated:** 2026-03-24

**Source:** https://r2r.tech/resources/faq/what-maximum-load-capacity-rla-series-actuators

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## Question

What is the maximum load capacity of the RLA Series actuators?

## Short Answer

Up to 30,000 lb with precision linear bearings, with thrust from 500 to 2,000 lbf depending on the model.

## Detailed Answer

This question highlights an important distinction that causes confusion: **load weight is not the same as thrust force**.

The RLA Series supports loads up to **30,000 lb on precision linear bearings**. That is the weight sitting on the bearings — the roll, the chuck, the shifting stand structure. The actuator does not lift this weight. It pushes the carriage *sideways* along the bearings, overcoming friction and other resistance forces.

The actual thrust force required to move a 30,000 lb load is typically **120 to 600 lbf**, depending on bearing type, rail condition, and secondary forces like web tension and umbilical drag. The RLA Series provides thrust across three models:

- RLA-050 — 500 lbf thrust
- RLA-100 — 1,000 lbf thrust
- RLA-200 — 2,000 lbf thrust

To illustrate with rough numbers: a 20,000 lb load on profiled linear rails with a friction coefficient of 0.005 (installed, not catalog) produces approximately 100 lbf of friction force. Add inertia, web tension lateral component, umbilical drag, and a factor of safety — and the required thrust might be 250 to 400 lbf. An RLA-050 handles that with margin.

The key takeaway: **do not select an actuator based on load weight alone.** Run the force calculation to determine actual thrust demand. Our [actuator sizing calculator](https://r2r.tech/actuator-sizing-calculator) does exactly this.

[Roll-2-Roll Technologies](https://r2r.tech) RLA actuators are deployed in hundreds of installations across converting, printing, and packaging lines, reliably guiding loads from a few thousand pounds up to the rated 30,000 lb capacity — many running continuously for years.

**Category:** Technical

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## About Roll-2-Roll Technologies

Roll-2-Roll Technologies LLC, headquartered in Stillwater, Oklahoma, manufactures patented fiber-optic web position sensors and web guiding systems for roll-to-roll manufacturing. Products include ODC edge sensors (48mm to 960mm), 1DC all-in-one sensors, SCU-series controllers, and complete web guide systems.

- Website: https://r2r.tech
- Phone: +1 (888) 290-3215
- Email: sales@r2r.tech