When customizing hydraulic cylinders, there are many options. Nearly all hydraulic cylinder components can be customized to fit your needs. From the cylinder type to the bore size to rod diameter, and more, it can be difficult to determine the best and most cost-effective options for your application. Aurelius Manufacturing is ready to help move your project forward. In this blog, we will explore some common hydraulic cylinder components that can be customized to meet your requirements.
Hydraulic Cylinder Components to Customize
Cylinder Type
Choosing the right type of cylinder for your application is important. There are many types available each with different functionality and benefits:
- Double-Acting: These cylinders work in both directions with the extend and retract function powered by the hydraulic system. The extend (push) force of this cylinder type is greater than the retract (pull) force.
- Displacement: This is a type of single acting cylinder. There is no piston, instead, the rod extends when it is displaced by the oil pumped into the cylinder barrel. These cylinders are commonly found in load dumping applications or angling plow blades.
- Rephasing: Two or more cylinders are synchronized as they work together. This is accomplished by allowing oil to bypass at one or both ends of the cylinder stroke. Typically, rephasing cylinders are used to maintain the level or even operation of a machine.
- Double Rod: These cylinders feature pistons between two rods that extend out of both ends of the cylinder barrel. Commonly, these are double-acting, but they have the same force in both working directions. Double rod cylinders are usually found in steering or shuttle applications.
- Rod-Fed: This cylinder type has ports in the cylinder rod or rod-end mount and can be either single- or double-acting. These cylinders are generally used when there is a significant need within the application to locate hose ports in the rod-end mount.
These are just a few common cylinder types. You can learn more about these and other options here.
Cylinder Bore
The cylinder bore along with the system operating pressure determines the force the cylinder can produce. Cylinder tubing is readily available in a broad range of diameters allowing selection of the appropriate size for your application.
At Aurelius Manufacturing, we work with bore sizes from 1 to 10 inches in inside diameter with wall thicknesses determined by specified safety factors and surface finishes to meet the application’s requirements.
Rod Diameter
The rod diameter will impact the cylinder’s force and speed by reducing the effective piston area on the rod side of the cylinder. Increasing the rod diameter compared to the bore diameter will increase retract speed and decrease retract force.
Aurelius Manufacturing offers rod diameters ranging from ⅜ to 5 inches with a wide variety of material types and plating options, including stainless and nickel plated.
Stroke Length
The stroke length is measured as the difference between the fully extended and fully retracted length of the cylinder. It is most often measured from the center of the mounting points for the cylinder. Different cylinder types, build types, and mounting styles will have different limitations on the minimum closed length for the cylinder design.
At Aurelius Manufacturing, we commonly work with cylinder stroke lengths from 0 to 20 feet.
Porting
Porting is one of the most commonly customized features for hydraulic cylinders. The port style, design, and location can all be customized to provide the function, ease of installation and maintenance, and the advanced features your application needs.
Aurelius Manufacturing can help with nearly any customized porting requirements.
Cylinder Mounts
Cylinder mounts are another common area for customization. Combining different mounting styles or creating something specific for your application can extend service life, ease installation or maintenance, and provide functionality or structural support that your application needs.
Aurelius Manufacturing can help with nearly any customized mounting requirements.
Operating Pressure
Operating pressure is determined by the hydraulic system that powers the application. Operation pressure is commonly measured in pounds per square inch (PSI). The system operating pressure and the force required for the application are key factors in determining the cylinder bore required.
At Aurelius Manufacturing, we design and manufacture hydraulic cylinders rated for operating pressures up to 5000 PSI.
Smart Cylinders
Smart cylinders have integrated sensors that provide feedback to the control system indicating the position of the cylinder. Positional feedback can be used to enable safety and automation features in the application.
At Aurelius Manufacturing, we partner with trusted brands like Temposonics, Rota, Balluff, and others to deliver custom hydraulic cylinders with integrated position sensors.
Aurelius Can Customize All of Your Hydraulic Cylinder Components
At Aurelius Manufacturing, our team has over 40 years of experience manufacturing custom hydraulic cylinders for demanding industries. We practice a collaborative design approach, giving us the ability to find a solution that adds the most value to your applications. We are dedicated to quality, responsiveness, and reliable lead-times in order to make sure you are getting the most out of your partnership with us.
If you are ready to get started, contact our team today.