Improve Efficiency and Safety: Key Considerations for Custom Hydraulic Cylinder Design

Demanding industries and applications rely on hydraulic cylinders for their machinery to function properly and for them to get the job done. Off-the-shelf hydraulic cylinders may not be the best option for many of these demanding industries and this is where a custom hydraulic cylinder can come into play. Let’s explore how these custom solutions can improve the efficiency and safety of your hydraulic cylinder applications. 

Benefits of Customized Hydraulic Cylinders

Improved Efficiency

Since your hydraulic cylinder will be precisely designed to fit your application, these solutions will make installation easy, eliminate extra components and assembly steps, and minimize future maintenance needs. 

Durability

When designing your custom hydraulic cylinder, many considerations are made. The right material must be chosen based on the pressure, number of cycles, and cycle speed, so your hydraulic cylinder can withstand the demands of your application for a long life. 

Greater Functionality

Integrating valves, cushions, and position sensors gives you greater safety, control, and automation features in your hydraulic cylinders.   

Key Considerations for Customized Hydraulic Cylinder Design

When designing your customized hydraulic cylinder, there are many different aspects for you to consider. Let’s review the key considerations during the design process. 

Choose a Cylinder Type

There are various types of cylinders on the market, so you will need to make sure you are selecting the right solution for your application. 

• Double-Acting cylinders work in both directions with the extend and retract function powered by the hydraulic system with the extend (push) force being greater than the retract (pull) force. 
• Displacement cylinders are a type of single-acting cylinder where there is no piston. Instead, the rod extends when it is displaced by the oil pumped into the cylinder barrel. They are commonly found in load dumping or angling plow blade applications. 
• Rephasing cylinders are two or more cylinders that are synchronized as they work together. This is done by allowing the oil to bypass at one or both ends of the cylinder stroke. These cylinders are used to maintain the level or even operation of a machine. 
• Double Rod cylinders feature pistons between two rods that extend out of both ends of the cylinder barrel. They are commonly double-acting, but have the same force in both working directions. 
• Rod-Fed cylinders have ports in the cylinder rod or rod-end mount and can be either single- or double-acting. They are used when there is a significant need within the application to locate hose ports in the rod-end mount. 

Determine the Proper Cylinder Bore

The cylinder bore determines the surface area of the piston. The piston area along with the system operating pressure determines the push force that the cylinder will be capable of producing. At Aurelius, we work with bore sizes from 1 to 10 inches in diameter and wall thicknesses determined by appropriate safety factors. 

Determine the Rod Diameter

The rod diameter impacts the cylinder’s retract force and speed by reducing the effective piston area on the rod side of the cylinder. Increasing the rod diameter increases the retract speed and decreases the retract force. Rod diameter also factors into the column load rating for the cylinder. Aurelius Manufacturing offers rod diameters from ⅜ inch to 5 inches in various material types. 

Determine the Stroke Length

The stroke length is the distance the piston moves inside the barrel and determines the distance the cylinder will move its load. It is measured as the difference between the fully extended and fully retracted lengths of the cylinder. At Aurelius, we work with cylinder stroke lengths from 0 to 20 feet. 

Know the Operating Pressure

The operating pressure will be determined by the design and components used in the hydraulic system for the application. It is critical to design the cylinder with appropriate safety factors that consider the standard operating pressures and any higher pressures that could be induced by the application. 

Choose Your Build Type 

There are several build types for hydraulic cylinders, each having unique features and benefits. Aurelius offers several different build types including threaded retainer, threaded nut, bolt flange, snap ring, and wrap ring. 

Determine the Right Mounting Type

By choosing or combining the right mounting types for your application, you will be able to extend the service life, ease installation or maintenance, and provide the functionality or structural support that your application needs. 

Choose the Right Porting Type

The porting style, design, and location for your hydraulic cylinder can be customized to provide specific functionality, ease of installation and maintenance, and the advanced features required for your application.

Other Desired Functions

Your application may have unique requirements that have not been covered in this article. At Aurelius, our team is ready to work with you to understand your application and develop a cylinder design that will deliver the performance and functionality you need. 

When You Need a Customized Hydraulic Cylinder, Turn to Aurelius

Our team at Aurelius Manufacturing has over 40 years of experience manufacturing custom welded hydraulic cylinders for a broad range of demanding industries. We practice a collaborative design approach which allows us to develop a solution that adds the most value to your application. Our team is dedicated to quality, responsiveness, and reliable lead times in order to make sure you get the most out of your partnership with Aurelius. 
Contact our team to get started.