SBA45 belt actuators (NEMA 17)
The SBA45 is the smallest belt actuator in the LYNX line and the first family the engine tries for any X or Y axis: a NEMA 17 motor, a single toothed belt, and an aluminum profile carrying a recirculating-ball carriage over 100, 250, or 500 mm of travel. If the payload-at-speed fits the SBA45 envelope, nothing larger is quoted.
Three drive options cover the family. The direct-drive stepper (500 mm/s cap) is the price leader at $1,250–$1,450. Adding a 3:1 planetary gearbox ($1,400–$1,800) trades top speed for a 7 kg rating and solves inertia mismatch on heavier carriages. The servo version ($1,400–$1,600) runs to 1,000 mm/s with feedback. The SBAC45 variants add an absolute encoder so the axis knows its position at power-up without homing; the 270 mm SBAC45 and 100 mm motor-up SBA45 are the stock encoder parts.
What it carries
With the 3:1 gearbox the catalog rating is 7 kg at 500 mm/s on a horizontal axis; the engine applies a 2× safety factor, so plan on about 3.5 kg of moving mass — a pipettor, a small gripper, a camera — for sizing. Repeatability is ±0.05 mm. A 500 × 500 mm liquid-handling or pick-and-place gantry on SBA45 axes with an LSA45 Z is the most common assembly the engine produces.
All 15 SBA45 belt actuators
| Part | Travel (mm) | Rated load (kg) | Max speed (mm/s) | Motor | List |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBA45 100mm Motor Down Stepper | 100 | — | 500 | Stepper | $1,250 |
| SBA45 100mm Motor Up Stepper Absolute Encoder | 100 | — | 500 | Stepper | $1,270 |
| SBA45 100mm Motor Down Stepper 3:1 Gearbox | 100 | 7 | 500 | Stepper | $1,400 |
| SBA45 100mm Motor Up Servo Absolute Encoder | 100 | — | 1000 | Servo | $1,420 |
| SBA45 100mm Motor Down Servo | 100 | — | 1000 | Servo | $1,500 |
| SBA45 250mm Motor Down Stepper | 250 | — | 500 | Stepper | $1,250 |
| SBA45 250mm Motor Down Servo | 250 | — | 1000 | Servo | $1,400 |
| SBA45 250mm Motor Down Stepper 3:1 Gearbox | 250 | 7 | 500 | Stepper | $1,600 |
| SBAC45 270mm Absolute Encoder Stepper | 270 | — | 500 | Stepper | $1,390 |
| SBAC45 270mm Absolute Encoder Servo | 270 | — | 1000 | Servo | $1,590 |
| SBAC45 270mm Absolute Encoder Stepper 3:1 Gearbox | 270 | 7 | 500 | Stepper | $1,750 |
| SBAC45 270mm Absolute Encoder Servo 3:1 Gearbox | 270 | 7 | 1000 | Servo | $1,950 |
| SBA45 500mm Motor Down Stepper | 500 | — | 500 | Stepper | $1,450 |
| SBA45 500mm Motor Down Servo | 500 | — | 1000 | Servo | $1,600 |
| SBA45 500mm Motor Down Stepper 3:1 Gearbox | 500 | 7 | 500 | Stepper | $1,800 |
Rated load and speed are catalog maximums for the configuration shown; "—" means the figure depends on the motor curve at your speed — the engine computes it. All prices are U.S. list, single quantity.
Not sure which one?
Describe the task — payload, travel, speed, orientation. The engine picks the family and the variant, shows the torque and inertia math, and prices the whole system.
Frequently asked
What is the maximum payload of an SBA45?
7 kg rated with the 3:1 gearbox at 500 mm/s; the engine sizes to a 2× safety factor, so about 3.5 kg of moving mass for a horizontal axis.
Stepper or servo on the SBA45?
At 2–3 kg over 500 mm both work; the stepper with gearbox is cheaper, the servo has twice the speed headroom. The engine shows both columns with torque margin and price.
What is SBAC45?
The SBA45 with an absolute encoder on the motor: no homing at power-up and closed-loop position feedback. See the absolute-encoder guide for when it matters.
How long can an SBA45 be?
500 mm. For longer travel move to the SBA60 (to 750 mm stock) or SBA90 (to 1,275 mm).