Cylinder Manufacture

Cylinders are the most important component in hydraulic systems. Cylinders are the main reason why designers specify hydraulic systems in the first place. Cylinders have become very versatile, allowing opportunities to design applications that may not otherwise be practical.

Hydraulic systems can use a variety of cylinders depending on the application: Single acting – this can be either push or pull depending on the application. The rod protrudes from the one end and the attachment is made via a thread pin hole or any other form required to transmit the generated force required

• Double acting cylinders – probably the most popular type where the cylinder is forced out and in under pressure, and the force of the cylinder is determined by the working area of the piston face - therefore this type of cylinder always has less force on the inward stroke than on the out stroke due to the inward working on an annulus.

• Through rod cylinders - useful as both areas can be the same and both volumes the same. This is particularly useful on steering systems

• Telescoping Cylinders – usually single acting, although double-acting versions are available. Telescoping cylinders can contain any number of sets of tubing, or stages that nest inside one another. Each stage is equipped with seals and bearing surfaces to act as both a cylinder barrel and piston rod. Most often used on mobile applications where available mounting space is limited, the collapsed length of a telescoping cylinder can be as little as 1.5 times its extended length, but the cost is much higher than a standard cylinder producing a similar force.

• Ram Cylinders or differential cylinder - a special type of single-acting cylinder, where the rod is the same diameter as the piston. Ram cylinders are single acting and are particularly useful in a server environment

• Short-stroke Cylinders - usually have a rod length less than the piston diameter. Used in applications where a high force is to be generated from a relatively low supply pressure. Short-stroke cylinders also fit into a narrow axial space but require substantial radial width. These cylinders lend themselves to air-operated, automation machinery.

• Tandem cylinders - designed for applications where a high force is generated within a narrow radial space where substantial axial length is available. A tandem cylinder functions as two single rod-end cylinders connected in line with each piston inter-connected to a common rod, as well as a second rod that extends through the rod-end cap. Each piston chamber is double acting to produce much higher forces without an increase in fluid pressure or bore diameter.

• Duplex cylinders – like a tandem cylinder these have two or more cylinders connected in line, but the pistons of a duplex cylinder are not physically connected; the rod of one cylinder protrudes into the non-rod end of the second, and so forth. A duplex cylinder may consist of more than two in-line cylinders and the stroke lengths of the individual cylinders may vary. They are useful for achieving a number of different fixed stroke lengths, depending on which individual pistons are activated.

• Diaphragm cylinders - are either of the rolling diaphragm or the short-stroke type. Both usually use nitrile rubber diaphragms to seal the barrel-piston interface. The short-stroke type uses an Eastover sheet secured between halves of the cylinder body and is commonly used for truck and bus air-brake applications. The rolling diaphragm cylinder has a hat-shaped diaphragm that rolls into the cylinder barrel as the piston advances. Both types require very low breakout forces, have zero leakage, and are single-acting, spring returned.

Our extensive manufacturing service, offering superb facilities and capabilities will manufacture all the cylinders needed in your new systems. Our bespoke design service allows us to manufacture the precise cylinder needed in your system.