Actuator control system and method

An actuator control system, comprising:

• a reservoir of hydraulic fluid providing a source of hydraulic fluid;
• a pump mounted in fluid delivery communication with said source of hydraulic fluid;
• an electric motor operatively coupled to said pump for driving said pump for supplying a pressurized flow of hydraulic fluid from said source of hydraulic fluid;
• a variable speed controller operatively coupled to said electric motor for driving said electric motor at variable speeds;
• a hydraulic actuator in fluid delivery communication with said pump for receiving said pressurized flow of hydraulic fluid from said pump, wherein said hydraulic actuator is a rotary actuator;
• a feedback loop operatively coupled from said electric motor to said variable speed controller for providing feedback signals from said motor to said variable speed controller for intermittently driving said motor between a first low torque and high velocity state in response to said feedback signals being correlative to a low load being placed on said hydraulic actuator and a second high torque and low velocity state in response to said feedback signals being correlative to a high load condition being placed on said hydraulic actuator;
• a common enclosure enclosing said reservoir, said pump, said electric motor, said variable speed motor controller, and said feedback loop within said common enclosure;
• and
• wherein said hydraulic actuator is external to said common enclosure.