Pneumatic cylinder
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"Air cylinder" can also mean a gas cylinder used to store compressed air, often used for scuba diving.
Pneumatic cylinders or air cylinders are mechanical devices used to impart a force from a fluid, typically compressed air.
Pneumatic cylinders are available in a variety of styles, including tie rod, compact, round body, rotary, gripper, escapement, guided, and rodless cylinders. Other features of pneumatic actuators include the ability to have multiple strokes or a full stroke with intermediate stopping points, adjustments to control the amount of extension or retraction of a given actuator, and locks that can serve as safety mechanisms in case the machine experiences a loss of air pressure.
A typical pneumatic cylinder consists of a piston, piston rod, and a body or tube. Compressed air enters at one end of the tube, imparting force on the piston, which is then displaced (moves) in order to balance the force exerted on the piston. Air cylinders, or actuators as they are also called, are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, and have varying strokes. Typical cylinder sizes range from a small 2.5mm air cylinder, which might be used for picking up a small transitor or other electronic component, to 400mm diameter air cylinders which would impart enough force to lift a car. Some pneumatic cylinders reach 1000mm in diameter, and are used in place of hydraulic cylinders for special circumstances where leaking hydraulic oil could impose an extreme hazard.
Air Cylinders are available in a variety of styles. Some examples include: Single acting cylinders--cylinders that use the force imparted by air to move in one direction, and a spring to return to the "home" position. Double acting cylinders--cylinders that use the force of air to move in both extend and retract strokes. Rotary air cylinders--actuators that use air to impart a rotary motion Rodless air cylinders--actuators that use a mechanical or magnetic coupling to impart force, tyically to a table or other body that moves along the length of the cylinder body, but does not extend beyond it.
Pneumatic cylinders are generally less expensive than hydraulic or electric cylinders of similar size and capacity.
There are a number of different manufacturers of pneumatic equipment. Some examples are:
- Parker Hannifin [1]
- SMC Corporation of America [2]
- FESTO [3]
- PHD, Inc. [4]
- Norgren Pneumatics [5]
- Bimba Manufacturing Company [6]
- Airpot Corporation [7]
- TOX-PRESSOTECHNIK [8]
[edit] See also
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