Radial Torque (kgf·cm)
The turning moment produced around a shaft, expressed as the product of force and the force arm. The unit kgf·cm is the equivalent of a kilogram-force applied at a distance of 1 cm from the shaft centre. The servo motor of the AXI HCT400 produces 75 kgf·cm of radial torque and applies 15 kgf of force to the hydraulic lever.
The link between torque and the force acting on the lever is directly geometric: the force is found by dividing the torque by the force arm. A torque of 75 kgf·cm corresponds to roughly 15 kgf of force on a 5 cm arm. The 15 kgf value declared for the HCT400 is consistent with this relationship.
- If the arm gets longer: with the same torque you get less force but more movement.
- If the arm gets shorter: the force increases and the travel distance decreases. On a stiff hydraulic lever this trade-off is decisive.
- Selection criterion: feeling the force needed to move the lever by hand is the most practical preliminary assessment; if the lever moves with difficulty in your hand, a unit with higher force is needed.
That is why in product comparison one looks not only at the torque figure but at the connection geometry through which the torque is transferred to the lever. In installations that have to drag several hydraulic levers together, the higher-force HCT402 is preferred; on this product the force is given as approximately 20 kgf.
The context where this term is used: Converting a tractor hydraulic lever to electronic control