I am having difficulty sourcing some sort of linear actuator for my upcoming project. I am looking for a linear actuator with about an 8" stroke that can extend and retract in roughly 5-10 seconds. With that sort of speed, I am completely fine with sacrificing force as I only NEED ~10lbs. Does this sort of thing exist? It seems like all of the linear actuators are geared to push a lot of weight very slowly rather than the reverse.
I am intending to mount it behind the bumper of my truck to automatically deploy my front license plate when parked but retract it in any other position to allow me the look of not having a front plate, but not get tickets from meter maids…I know there are simpler solutions (like mounting the dang plate or magnets), but I am bored an need a project.