Pneumatic cylinders – 11 types

This article focuses on the pneumatic component known as a “pneumatic cylinder.”This concerns many categories of pneumatic cylinders.

Pneumatic cylinder basics

For the purpose of carrying out work in a pneumatic circuit, a pneumatic cylinder utilized. In light of this, cylinders are also sometimes referred to as working members. There are further articles on this website that provide additional information regarding the fundamentals of pneumatic cylinders.

Pneumatic cylinders – types

When it comes to functioning elements, pneumatic cylinders are exceptionally durable. When compared to hydraulic or electronic equipment, pneumatic cylinders of any kind are distinguished by their low susceptibility to failure and their extended service life throughout their entire lifespan.

When the design is chosen well and the proportions are taken into consideration, it is also possible to achieve high speeds. For the system to function without any problems, it is necessary to have a design that is accurate, to install it correctly, and to perform maintenance with care.

The various kinds of pneumatic cylinders are listed below, along with a description of each type listed below.

• Single acting cylinder
• Diaphragm cylinder
• rolling diaphragm cylinder
• Double-acting cylinder
• Cylinder with end position cushioning
• Cylinder with through piston rod
• Rodless cylinders

• tandem cylinder
• multi-position cylinder
• percussion cylinder
• rotary cylinder

Technically significant pneumatic cylinder designs

Single acting cylinders

The pneumatic cylinders are pressurized with compressed air from one direction alone. Thus, these cylinders are capable of functioning effectively in only one way. The retraction movement of the piston rod is typically controlled by an integrated spring. Some cylinder shapes have retraction movement controlled by an external force. Single-acting pneumatic cylinders with built-in springs have their stroke restricted by the spring length. Therefore, cylinders are produced with a maximum stroke length of 80 mm.

Single-acting pneumatic cylinders are engineered for different motion functions, commonly known as “feeding” in technology. Possible functions include, but are not limited to:

• Tighten
• Pass on
• merge
• branch off
• Spend
• To share

Diaphragm cylinders and rolling diaphragm cylinders

Diaphragm cylinders and rolling diaphragm cylinders are classified as single-acting pneumatic cylinders.
Their structure is a lot like that of a single-acting cylinder. However, not all types of double-acting cylinders have a return spring. Both of these links let air flow. The good thing about double-acting gas cylinders is that they can work both ways. Because of this, the possible uses also grow. It is important to note that the piston rod sends out a lot more power during the forward stroke than during the return stroke. The reason for this is that the piston side of these cylinders is bigger than the piston rod side.

Cylinder with end bearing damping

In the event that the cylinder is required to move particularly big masses, dampening in the end position is utilized. A so-called damping piston is a type of piston that, prior to the piston reaching its end position, interrupts the flow of direct air through an outflow cross section that is frequently also adjustable.

The travel speed of the piston decreases as it reaches the end of the stroke that it has been performing. The greatest method to prevent hard hits and the damage that they do is to do so in this manner.

To ensure that the required adjustment screws on the pneumatic cylinder are never completely tightened, it is necessary to take precautions when putting this instruction into practice. In such a scenario, the piston rod might not be able to reach the final position that is necessary.

Pneumatic cylinder with continuous piston rod

The piston rod in these cylinders is continuous and made out of a single component, and it extends towards both sides. The benefit comes in the more advantageous piston rod steering that is made possible by the presence of two bearing points. Pneumatic cylinders are characterized by the fact that the forces that are discharged at either end are identical, in contrast to other forms of tubes.

There are certain designs that feature a piston rod that is hollow, allowing pressurized air or another medium to pass through it. In addition, it is feasible to attach a vacuum if the design is adequate.

Multi-position cylinder

These pneumatic cylinders are made up of two or more double-acting pneumatic cylinders that are directly coupled to one another throughout their entirety. The movement of the various pistons in the cylinders is determined by how the compressed air is applied. A good illustration of this would be the fact that it is possible to achieve four distinct stroke lengths by installing just two cylinders that each have a different stroke length.

Tandem cylinder

These two double-acting pneumatic cylinders have been integrated into a single unit. These designs allow the piston rod force to be nearly doubled. Tandem cylinders are employed when significant forces are required but there is insufficient room for a larger cylinder diameter.

Rotary cylinder

These cylinders are similar to the double-acting pneumatic cylinder kind. The piston rod has a tooth profile and drives a gear. This changes the basic linear movement to a rotational action.rotating cylinders can have rotating ranges of 45°, 90°, swivel ranges of 180°, 270°, and 360°, with a maximum torque of 150 Nm.

Percussion cylinder

By speeding up the piston rod, certain cylinder designs may transfer incredibly high kinetic energies. Percussion cylinder piston rods can travel at up to 10 m/s, depending on the formation path. Impact cylinders, however, are not appropriate for lengthy forming courses.

Rodless pneumatic cylinders

These cylinders move linearly even though they lack a piston rod. Therefore, these systems are frequently referred to as linear drives in practice. They come with a straightforward drive or integrated guides, like roller or sliding guides. Consequently, the runner can be loaded with lateral moments and forces, greatly simplifying processes such as the multi-axis drive of parts handling.

The absence of the possibility of the piston rod buckling is another benefit of rodless cylinders. Furthermore, the installation length of these pneumatic cylinder kinds is rather short. These cylinders can handle stroke lengths of up to 10 m with ease because the movement can be carried out over the whole length of the stroke. The forces acting in both directions of motion are the same.

Telescopic cylinder

Multiple stages of cylinder extension are possible with telescopic cylinders. Like a telescopic rod, multiple piston rods are nested inside one another. A telescoping cylinder has the benefit of having a bigger stroke at a relatively short installation length.

Pneumatic cylinders of this kind are offered in single- and double-acting varieties. The quantity of phases also varies among them. There are three, four, or more stages to the cylinders.

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