2017 was a big year for us at Progressive Automations. We moved to a new, larger location as we continue to grow and introduced many new products. There were also many exciting projects that our customers shared with us over the last year. Let’s take a look at what happened in 2017!
Products
One of our goals here is to consistently innovate and create actuator models based on customer feedback. We want to have an actuator for you no matter what your application is so we take the time to research what customers are asking for and base our actuator development on that. One such actuator we introduced was the PA-13 High Force Industrial Actuator. This is now the strongest linear actuator we have in stock, capable of producing a whopping 3000 lbs of force and with an IP66 protection rating.
We expanded our line of the adjustable desk frames this year as well. The FLT-08, FLT-09, and FLT-10 were all unveiled this year with each offering their own unique advantages. The FLT-08 is our second four-leg model but with one key difference, each set of two legs is controlled individually. The FLT-09 is another three-leg model with a unique 120-degree angle design while the FLT-10 offers another option for our line of lifting columns. We have big plans for our line of desk frames in 2018 so make sure to follow us on social media for all our latest updates and announcements.
Projects
One of the keys to our continued success is our relationships with our customers. We ensure they get all the technical assistance they need to build their applications. We want to know what they are creating because we love to share their custom projects. Seeing these finished projects come to life is a great feeling for us, so we wanted to share some of the coolest projects our customers created with our products over the last year:
Secret Bookcase Door
This is exactly the type of project we love to share, it looks like something out of a movie! Using our PA-14 mini linear actuator along with some of our microcontrollers, the customer was able to design and build his own secret bookcase. You can learn more about the project and how it was built here.
Hidden Bar Cabinet
Another project that showcases the creativity of our customers is this hidden bar cabinet. At first glance, it just looks like any old cabinet, but with the help of one of our FLT-06 lifting columns, a fully stocked liquor cabinet rises into view with the press of a button.
Mobile Barbershop
We had a great time working on this mobile barbershop, the first of its kind in Vancouver. A hidden TV is able to raise and lower into view with the help of our actuators so customers can have the ultimate barbershop experience. Learn more about the barbershop project from this post.
Going into 2018
We’ve got a lot of exciting things planned for 2018. We have a new actuator currently in development that comes with a built-in Hall Effect sensor for positional feedback control. We also have a unit being designed that is made for solar panels. It will come with a special shaft mounting bracket meant to fit solar tracking applications. As mentioned earlier we have big plans for our line of table lifts as well so make sure to stay tuned to Progressive Automations throughout 2018!