Small Air Cylinders Manufacturers and Suppliers

Air cylinders, also known as pneumatic cylinders, use mechanical energy to power a variety of commercial and industrial processes. Small air cylinders, which are up to 60% smaller than traditional air cylinders, work in the same way, only they are able to fit into much smaller spaces than their standard cousins. As such, small linear and rotary cylinders are well-suited to integrate into a variety of pre-existing workspaces in the packaging, textiles, electronics, automotive, construction, building, forestry, metalworking, and food processing industries. Some of the devices into which small air cylinders are incorporated include lift gates, valves, and other engine and machine components.

There are a variety of different types of small air cylinders, but most share a similar basic configuration. First, the air cylinder, which is rectangular or circular, has an air valve that takes in air and lets out exhaust at one or both ends. If it has only one inlet and directs motion in only one direction, it is known as a unidirectional or single acting cylinder. If, on the other hand, it has two valves and powers motion in two directions, it is known as a double acting cylinder. Regardless, the next component of most small air cylinders is the shaft, which contains at least one piston. This piston is connected to a rack, rod, or cable. So, when compressed air enters the enclosed shaft, it hits the piston face, which moves the rack, rod, or cable, transferring motion to the load or tooling for which the cylinder is working. Typically, the components of the air valve are made of precision-machined steel, stainless steel, or aluminum.

There are a few different types of standard air cylinders, including flanged-type cylinders, tie rod cylinders, threaded end cylinders, and one-piece welded cylinders. Flanged-type cylinders have fixed flanges, which are protruding collars, ribs, or flat rims, attached to their ends. Tie rod cylinders are the safest, most secure, and most popular type of cylinder. They may be used with the most diverse set of applications. Threaded end cylinders are those cylinders with ends screwed onto their tube body. These threaded ends can help create secure bonds with other ends, but the material reduction they undergo can weaken the tube. This reduction can cause problems later down the line, such as thread concentricity problems. One-piece welded cylinders have ends that are welded or crimped to the tube. One-piece welded cylinders are inexpensive to produce and quite secure. However, because their end cannot be removed, the space in between the end and the tube cannot be serviced. Regardless, these cylinders have various mounts to match them. These include, plain, threaded, trunnion, clevis, torque or eye, foot, bracket-single, or bracket-double. In addition, some smaller models are rodless. Rodless models, along with miniaturized piston rod models, allow small air cylinders to fit into even tighter spaces without sacrificing any functionality or efficiency.

Small air cylinders are an excellent investment for a number of reasons. For one, small air cylinders are generally as powerful as their larger counterparts but able to serve more applications because of their compact size. Also, it is easy to integrate them into already existing systems. Because they run on compressed air only, they are much more efficient and environmentally-friendly than many other mechanical processes.

For help choosing out the best small air cylinder for your application, call an experienced professional to guide you. They can help you choose a material, which should be chosen based on factors such as specified stroke lengths, anticipated levels of humidity, anticipated temperature(s), and anticipated levels of loads. Other aspects of your small air cylinder or cylinders they can help you determine include mount end type, cylinder body type, and cylinder size and diameter. The right manufacturer will not only help you choose the right small air cylinders, but they will also construct the best small air cylinders. Find your fit by browsing the available talent listed here on the IQS Directory.