Pneumatic Air Cylinders Manufacturers and Suppliers

Pneumatic air cylinders most often aid pneumatic systems and are used in a variety of industries to open and close, push and pull, or contain and release a vast range of mechanisms and materials.

Pneumatic air cylinders may be constructed using many different design plans, but most share the same basic components: a barrel, a port or ports, a piston, and end caps. Typically, these parts are made from a metal-like steel, stainless steel, aluminum, or nickel-plated brass. The function of the basic air cylinder is quite universal as well. To begin, compressed air enters the cylinder through the port at one end and pushes the piston, which is a disc or cylinder shape. This displaces the piston and causes it to travel the length of the tube, thus conveying the same mechanical force that caused it to move in the first place. What happens after this depends upon a cylinder’s individual construction. Usually, once the piston reaches the end of the cylinder, it returns to its original position. In the case of single-acting cylinders, which can only convey force in one direction, the piston is returned by the action of a compressed spring. Double-acting cylinders, on the other hand, return the piston using more compressed air. They can do this because they have two ports, one that moves air in one direction and one that moves it in the other. Because they only move air in one direction, single-acting cylinders require about half the amount of power that double-acting cylinders do. However, because of the space that the spring takes up, single-acting cylinders have limited extension abilities. Regardless of their type, most pneumatic air cylinders are sealed at the ends by end caps.

Single-acting and double-acting air cylinders are the two most common types of pneumatic air cylinder. However, there are quite a few other types available in addition to these, such as telescopic cylinders, rotary air cylinders, tandem air cylinders, through rod air cylinders, cushion end air cylinders, impact air cylinders, and rodless air cylinders. To achieve their purposes, these cylinders utilize not only additional components, such as piston rods, but also additional individual strategies. These include the use of magnetic coupling in place of rods, the impartation of rotary motion, the use of regulated air exhaust, and the use of multiple cylinders. Pneumatic air cylinders are available in a wide range of different sizes, typically from anywhere between 2.5 mm (0.10 in) and 1,000 mm (39 in). They also vary in speed, air consumption, and mounting configuration, which is how they are attached to adjacent equipment.

Other types of pneumatic air cylinders include tie rod cylinders, flanged-type cylinders, one-piece welded cylinders, and threaded end cylinders. Compatible with an incredibly broad range of applications, tie rod cylinders are the most secure, the safest, and perhaps the most widely used type of pneumatic air cylinder. Next, flanged-type cylinders have fixed flanges attached to their ends. These fixed flanges consist of protruding collars and ribs or flat rims. One-piece welded cylinders, which cost little to produce, have ends that are welded or crimped to the tube. They are quite secure, but because their end cannot be removed, the space in between the end and the tube cannot be serviced. Finally, threaded end cylinders are cylinders with ends screwed onto their tube body. In one sense, these threaded ends are advantageous, because they help create secure bonds with other ends. However, in another sense, they are disadvantageous, because the material reduction involved in their formation can weaken the tube and cause problems later down the line, like issues with thread concentricity.

To find the right air cylinder for their application, customers are advised to seek out an experienced air cylinder manufacturer. They will take into account factors like intended stroke lengths, projected humidity and temperatures, load levels, and application location. Whether a cylinder is needed to dispense beverages or lift a truck, the right manufacturer will know what to do.