exported
equivalent
actuator
IRI:
http://www.inf.ufrgs.br/ontologies/copi#Actuator
Generated on 2026-04-15
Natural Language Definition
EN
An actuator is an assembly that bears an actuation function to convert energy from an external source into kinetic motion in response to control signals.
PT-BR
Um atuador é um conjunto que possui uma função de atuação para converter energia de uma fonte externa em movimento cinético em resposta a sinais de controle.
Formal Axioms
Semi-formal (Aristotelian)
Every actuator is an assembly that has the function of converting external energy into controlled kinetic motion.
First-Order Logic Theory
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▸ Stored override
∀x (Actuator(x) ↔ Assembly(x) ∧ ∃f (ActuationFunction(f) ∧ bearerOf(x,f)))
OWL 2 / Turtle
@prefix copi: <https://www.inf.ufrgs.br/ontologies/copi/> .
@prefix : <https://www.inf.ufrgs.br/ontologies/copi/> .
@prefix owl: <http://www.w3.org/2002/07/owl#> .
@prefix rdf: <http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#> .
@prefix rdfs: <http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#> .
@prefix xsd: <http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#> .
@prefix bfo: <http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/> .
@prefix iof-core: <https://spec.industrialontologies.org/ontology/construct/> .
@prefix iof-av: <https://spec.industrialontologies.org/ontology/annotation/> .
@prefix skos: <http://www.w3.org/2004/02/skos/core#> .
@prefix qudt: <http://qudt.org/schema/qudt/> .
@prefix dcterms: <http://purl.org/dc/terms/> .
@prefix foaf: <http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/> .
@prefix apv: <http://inf.ufrgs.br/ontologies/apv#> .
### COPI — Core Ontology for Petroleum Installations
### Class module: Actuator
<https://www.inf.ufrgs.br/ontologies/copi>
rdf:type owl:Ontology ;
dcterms:title "Core Ontology for Petroleum Installations (COPI)"@en ;
dcterms:title "Ontologia Core para Instalações de Petróleo (COPI)"@pt-br ;
dcterms:description "BFO/IOF-Core conformant ontology of equipment classes for petroleum production plants, developed using the five-step RDL enrichment method."@en ;
skos:scopeNote "Material artifacts (bfo:material_entity) that (i) are part of a petroleum production plant, and (ii) bear at least one function whose realization involves the transport (e.g. production and injection), processing (separation and other processes), control, monitoring, measurement, containment or offloading of material or energy."@en ;
skos:scopeNote "Artefatos materiais (bfo:material_entity) que (i) fazem parte de uma planta de produção de petróleo, e (ii) possuem ao menos uma função cuja realização envolve o transporte (p. ex. produção e injeção), processamento (separação e outros processos), controle, monitoramento, medição, contenção ou escoamento de material ou energia."@pt-br ;
skos:scopeNote "COPI provides high-level equipment categories defined by function to demonstrate the defined-class mechanism. Equipment subtypes are annotated with references to CFIHOS and PCA RDL terms. COPI is not a reference data library; organizations should use CFIHOS, PCA RDL, or ISO 14224 for comprehensive equipment classification."@en ;
skos:scopeNote "COPI fornece categorias de alto nível de equipamentos definidas por função para demonstrar o mecanismo de classe definida. Os subtipos de equipamentos são anotados com referências aos termos do CFIHOS e do PCA RDL. COPI não é uma biblioteca de dados de referência; organizações devem utilizar o CFIHOS, o PCA RDL ou a ISO 14224 para classificação abrangente de equipamentos."@pt-br ;
owl:versionInfo "1.1.0" ;
owl:imports <https://spec.industrialontologies.org/ontology/core/Core/> ;
owl:imports <http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/bfo/2020/bfo.owl> ;
dcterms:creator "Nicolau Oyhenard dos Santos"@en ;
dcterms:contributor "Cauã Antunes" ;
dcterms:contributor "Haroldo Rojas" ;
dcterms:contributor "Rafael Petry" ;
dcterms:contributor "Régis Romeu" ;
dcterms:contributor "Mara Abel" ;
dcterms:isPartOf <https://inf.ufrgs.br/projetos/OntoKG> ;
dcterms:publisher "Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)"@en ;
dcterms:license <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/> ;
dcterms:created "2026-04-08"^^xsd:date ;
dcterms:modified "2026-10-08"^^xsd:date ;
apv:GlobalMinLanguageCoverage "en pt-br" ;
apv:ClassURIFormationRule "https://www[.]inf[.]ufrgs[.]br/ontologies/copi/(COPI_[0-9]{7}|[A-Z][A-Za-z0-9]*)" ;
apv:ClassMinAnnotationCoverage "rdfs:label https://spec.industrialontologies.org/ontology/annotation/naturalLanguageDefinition" .
iof-av:naturalLanguageDefinition rdf:type owl:AnnotationProperty ;
apv:MinAnnotationLength 20 .
### Identity-giving function
:COPI_0000407 rdf:type owl:Class ; # ActuationFunction
rdfs:subClassOf iof-core:DesignedFunction ;
rdfs:subClassOf [
rdf:type owl:Restriction ;
owl:onProperty bfo:BFO_0000054 ; # realizedIn
owl:allValuesFrom :COPI_0000408 # ActuationProcess
] ;
rdfs:subClassOf [
rdf:type owl:Restriction ;
owl:onProperty bfo:BFO_0000054 ; # realizedIn
owl:someValuesFrom :COPI_0000408 # ActuationProcess
] ;
rdfs:label "actuation function"@en ;
rdfs:label "função de atuação"@pt-br .
### Process type
:COPI_0000408 rdf:type owl:Class ; # ActuationProcess
rdfs:subClassOf iof-core:PlannedProcess ;
rdfs:label "actuation process"@en ;
rdfs:label "processo de atuação"@pt-br .
:COPI_0000408 # ActuationProcess
rdfs:subClassOf [
rdf:type owl:Restriction ;
owl:onProperty iof-core:hasInput ;
owl:someValuesFrom :COPI_0000045 # ControlSignal
] .
### Equipment universal: Actuator
:COPI_0000207 rdf:type owl:Class ; # Actuator
owl:equivalentClass [
rdf:type owl:Class ;
owl:intersectionOf (
iof-core:Assembly
[
rdf:type owl:Restriction ;
owl:onProperty iof-core:hasFunction ; # Object branch (MaterialArtifact/Assembly/Object/FiatObjectPart)
owl:someValuesFrom :COPI_0000407 # ActuationFunction
]
)
] ;
rdfs:label "actuator"@en ;
rdfs:label "atuador"@pt-br ;
iof-av:naturalLanguageDefinition "An actuator is an assembly that bears an actuation function to convert energy from an external source into kinetic motion in response to control signals."@en ;
skos:definition "An actuator is an assembly that bears an actuation function to convert energy from an external source into kinetic motion in response to control signals."@en ;
iof-av:naturalLanguageDefinition "Um atuador é um conjunto que possui uma função de atuação para converter energia de uma fonte externa em movimento cinético em resposta a sinais de controle."@pt-br ;
skos:definition "[ISO 15926-4] An <ACTUATOR> is a <FunctionalObject> that is capable of <ACTUATING>"@en ;
skos:definition "[CFIHOS] A physical object for changing a signal into a corresponding movement."@en ;
skos:definition "[OnePetro] An actuator is a type of motor for moving or controlling a mechanism or system. Actuator's are a vital part of offshore operations."@en ;
skos:definition "[POSC Caesar] A transducer that is intended to convert energy (electric, mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic) from an external source into kinetic energy (motion) in response to a signal or or power input."@en .
Axiomatization Decision Log
1
Identity-Giving Function
Function class
ActuationFunction
⊑ DesignedFunction
Realized in
ActuationProcess
⊑ PlannedProcess
All definitions converge on actuators converting energy into motion/movement. This energy-to-kinetic-motion conversion is the identity-giving function that makes an actuator an actuator, regardless of whether it's pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric.
2
Genus Determination
Assembly
bfo:Object (BFO_0000030)
Causally unified material artefact composed of physically connected,
separable MaterialComponent parts. Satisfies
Assembly ⊑ MaterialArtifact ⊑ bfo:Object.
Actuators are causally unified artifacts with physically connected components (housing, moving parts, energy conversion mechanisms) that work together as a single unit. They are more complex than simple MaterialArtifacts. None of the parent candidates (FunctionalObject, general instrument, Artefact) are appropriate domain-specific classes in our ontology. Assembly is the correct IOF-Core root for engineered artifacts with removable subcomponents.
3
Necessary Parts
No necessary parts recorded (concept may be primitive at this level).
These are the universal components present in all actuator types - something to convert energy and something to produce motion output.
4
Process Participation Signature ⟨I, O, T⟩
Inputs (I)
ControlSignal
— may be analog or digital
Outputs (O)
—
Transformation (T)
energy conversion from input form to kinetic energy with signal-controlled positioning
Actuators convert external energy into controlled motion based on input signals, distinguishing them from simple motors or energy converters.
5
Axiom Mode Decision
Necessary + Sufficient
— modelled as a defined class
(≡, EquivalentClass). Automatic classification is
appropriate for this concept.
Cross-Standard Observations
All sources agree on the core energy-to-motion conversion concept. ISO15926 emphasizes the 'actuating' process, CFIHOS focuses on signal-to-movement conversion, OnePetro adds the motor/control aspect, and POSC Caesar provides the most comprehensive definition including energy types and transduction.
