A CASE FOR SHORT STROKE, FLUID POWER CYLINDERS
WITH THICK WALLS
- ADAPTIVE AUTOMATION ACTUATORS-
-PART 1-
TO MANY PERSONS, A FLUID POWER CYLINDER IS
A TUBE, A PISTON AND A COUPLE OF END CAPS HELD TOGETHER WITH
TIE RODS. A SHORT STROKE CYLINDER IS SIMPLY A SHORT SECTION CUT
FROM THIS DESIGN. FURTHER, THEY POINT OUT ,THAT THERE HAS BEEN
NO IMPORTANT INNOVATION SINCE THE DAYS OF STEAM ENGINES. OTHERS
HAVE SAID THAT A FLUID POWER CYLINDER IS SIMPLY A COMMODITY WITH
NO REAL NEED FOR MAJOR TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS. IN A SENSE, "IF
IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT".
HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN COUNTLESS INCREMENTAL DEVELOPMENTS AND
MODIFICATIONS, USUALLY DICTATED BY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR AN
APPLICATION. SOME EXAMPLES ARE: ROD-LESS CYLINDERS FOR COMPACT
MOUNTING, PISTON LOCATION SENSING, SERVO CONTROLLED MOTION FOR
MULTIPLE STOP POSITIONING,
RE-PHASING AT END OF STROKE FOR SYNCHRONIZED MOTION IN ADDITION
TO CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENTS IN
MATERIALS, COATINGS & SEALING.
WHEN COMPARING, CYLINDER DESIGNS USING IDENTICAL PISTON HEAD DIAMETERS, THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER "D"
FOR HEAVY WALLED CYLINDERS IS APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO DIMENSION " Y" OF TIE ROD CYLINDERS AND IS
ALWAYS LESS THAN DIMENSION "Z". OVERALL DIMENSION "L" IS MUCH SHORTER.