CAN SAE J1939® – One standard across mobile off-highway machinery
With CAN SAE J1939 control you get an all-in-one package solution. LINAK® actuators with built-in CAN bus are easy to install and adjust to fit a wide range of heavy-duty machinery.
What is CAN SAE J1939?
CAN SAE J1939 is a standardized method developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for communication across Electronic Control Units (ECU) – offering a common language for all manufacturers. CAN SAE J1939 provides a Higher Layer Protocol (HLP) which is based on the physical Controller Areas Network (CAN) layer.
The protocol has been on the market for decades and is widely used in mobile off-highway machinery for construction, material handling, and forestry machines to support smart automation.
LINAK actuators with integrated SAE J1939 CAN bus
In modern farming, construction and mobile outdoor applications, requirements for machinery control are crucial.
The solution is electric and includes advanced BUS communication. LINAK therefore paves the way for a more automated and autonomous world, offering several actuators with integrated SAE J1939 CAN bus control – all covering a wide range of options when it comes to size and power.
CAN SAE J1939 is part of our IC Integrated Controller™ programme and with this well-known bus standard, you can use linear actuator movement in your CAN bus system without having to use customised electronics.
Actuators with built-in CAN bus control are easy to install and adjust to fit a wide range of heavy-duty machinery within, for instance, agriculture and construction. Increased connectivity and live data make it easy for a control system and actuators with CAN bus to communicate directly with each other.
Easy integration and adjustment options
With few components and simple wiring, our range of CAN SAE J1939 actuators give you a hassle-free installation and connection to the existing CAN bus network in your machine. Furthermore, each actuator type can be adapted to different functions for the same machine with just a minor parameter change.
Features and advantages
With this bus standard, the actuator provides information for planning maintenance, diagnostics and troubleshooting, which cuts service costs significantly.
In addition to full position control, the CAN bus actuator can provide feedback information about the piston position, service data and full diagnostics.
Features of actuators with CAN SAE J1939
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
Hardware and software addressing | Generation of seven unique CAN addresses by a simple pin configuration change. The result is fast installation and replacement, and you can even use the same actuators for several purposes.The software CAN address assignment can be achieved using the LINAK service tool or the J1939 diagnostics. |
Dynamic speed adjustment | Speed variation throughout the actuator movement and direct read-out of speed on the CAN bus network. |
Soft start and stop | Soft start and stop times can be set directly using a CAN command. You can set a ramp time for a smoother run to reduce mechanical stress on your machinery. |
Increased compatibility | A wide range of fixed communication speeds in addition to Autobaud for increased compatibility with various machinery. |
The benefits of actuators with integrated CAN SAE J1939 are numerous
- Check real-time position of the actuators
- Monitor their status feedback such as speed, run-time, current and other conditions
- Full diagnostics and service overview, including both current and historic data
- Fewer components and simple wiring, easy to integrate in your machine
- Increased flexibility for adapting the same actuator to fit various types of applications
- Service data allows for faster troubleshooting and maintenance
Supporting files for CAN bus
At LINAK®, we currently supply actuators with two different CAN bus software versions - v1.x or v3.x.
Determine the actuator version with the LINAK BusLink software
Connect the actuator to the BusLink software to verify the correct software version. When the actuator is connected you can find the ‘Connection Information’ tab. In the example below, the LA36 CAN bus actuator has version 3.0.
For further information, please see the BusLink service interface chapter in the CAN bus user manual.
What is the difference between version 1.x and version 3.x?
On CAN bus v3.0, we have introduced several new functionalities - such as hardware addressing, dynamic speed adjustment, soft start/stop commands and increased compatibility (125 kbps, 250 kbps, 500 kbps and Autobaud).Please note that the soft start/stop now needs to be defined in the CAN bus command (in version 3.x). If left at 0, it will result in no ramping. If set to 251 it will use the actuator’s predefined factory settings. Any number in between will set the ramping time.
For further information, please see the Communication chapter in the CAN bus user manual.
BusLink quick guide
Find a guide on how to use the BusLink programme for your actuator.
CAN bus user manual for software version 1
CAN bus user manual for software version 3
A CAN DBC file (CAN database) is available for easier setup. It consists of a text file that contains information for decoding raw CAN bus data to 'physical values'.
BusLink
Actuators with IC Integrated Controller from LINAK can be configured via the BusLink configuration software.
Download a free version of the latest BusLink software to configure your actuator or read out service data. The basic functionalities are explained here, and each communication protocol also comes with a variety of added features and guidelines.

