Hydraulic cylinders, also known as hydraulic cylinders, fulfil a very important role in operation of industrial and construction machinery such as excavators or rollers or even passenger and cargo elevators.

Cylinders are powered by hydraulic fluid pressure which actuates the piston rod, thus resulting in its sliding motion. Fluid pressure is converted to mechanical energy which allows movement of specified load.

Hydraulic cylinders implement in practice a simple hydraulics equation, i.e. the Pascal’s law. Force which may generated by the cylinder is a multiplication of the piston surface affected by the fluid pressure, and a value of this pressure. However, additional factors decreasing this force, such as friction, should be taken into account.

Hydraulic cylinders are very popular primarily due to their simple structure and relatively high effectiveness as low motion speed proves sufficient to achieve large force. Hydraulic cylinders are applied in a wide range of operations and businesses, therefore, they are not uniform in respect of types. There are two basic types of hydraulic cylinders:

Single acting cylinders

In such cylinders, the piston’s motion is powered in one direction, i.e. piston’s stroke in the opposite direction is not powered by a cylinder but another device. Such device may be e.g. a special spring. In some cases, mere weight of piston’s rod may result in reverse motion.

Double acting cylinders.

The motion is powered in both directions by hydraulic fluid pressure. In such structures, contrary to single acting cylinders operation basis, the fluid does not leave the bottom chamber.

Additionally, as a part of classification of double acting cylinders, two sub-types may be found: cylinders equipped with single-sided piston rod, and double-sided piston rod. They fifer by using motion speed in both directions – in the first one, such speeds are different, in the second one, these are the same.

Almost all cylinders available in the market and suitable for construction machinery manufactured by Komatsu, Hitachi, Volvo or Caterpillar are available at House Machinery Parts. Review ourcatalog or call us!