cylinder.jpg
cylinder.jpg
cylinder.jpg
cylinder.jpg
cylinder.jpg

Ever heard of ideal cushioning?

Feb. 21, 2014
You shouldn't expect maximum cycle rates from your air cylinders if they aren't achieving ideal cushioning.
Air cylinder with self-adjusting cushion. Click on image for more information.

I received an inquiry earlier this week from a graduate research assistant at the Technical University in Dresden, Germany. She commented that she found an article on our website about ideal cushioning both interesting and useful — and she was asking if I could direct her to more information on the subject. Naturally, I was happy to oblige.

The article she initially found is All about cylinder cushioning. So I directed her to two other feature articles on the subject: Avoiding the bounce and Pneumatics cuts lumber costs, an application-oriented feature aritcle. Both of these articles also have hyperlinks to additional information.

We also have a short piece on an air cylinder that uses an engineered plastic cushion as an alternative to a pneumatic cushion. You'll find that one by clicking here.

And if you'd like even more, just enter cushion or cushioning into the search box at the top of any of our web pages.

But that's not all, our sister publication, Machine Design, also has information about cushioning in pneumatic cylinders. Click here to view it.

About the Author

Alan Hitchcox Blog | Editor in Chief

Alan joined Hydraulics & Pneumatics in 1987 with experience as a technical magazine editor and in industrial sales. He graduated with a BS in engineering technology from Franklin University and has also worked as a mechanic and service coordinator. He has taken technical courses in fluid power and electronic and digital control at the Milwaukee School of Engineering and the University of Wisconsin and has served on numerous industry committees.

Continue Reading

Motor leakage variations

Oct. 18, 2006
affect low-speed performance

The Impacts of Electrification on Fluid Power Systems

May 15, 2023
Electrification presents challenges as well as opportunities to re-evaluate and improve upon the design of hydraulics and pneumatics.

Sponsored Recommendations

7 Key Considerations for Selecting a Medical Pump

Feb. 6, 2024
Newcomers to medical device design may think pressure and flow rate are sufficient parameters whenselecting a pump. While this may be true in some industrial applications, medical...

How Variable Volume Pumps Work

Feb. 6, 2024
Variable volume pumps, also known as precision dispense pumps, are a positive displacement pump that operates by retracting a piston to aspirate a fluid and then extending the...

What is a Check Valve and How Does it Work?

Feb. 6, 2024
Acheck valve, a non-return or one-way valve, is a mechanical device that allows a gas or liquid to flow freely in one direction while preventing reverse flow in the opposite ...

The Difference Between Calibrated Orifices and Holes

Feb. 6, 2024
Engineers tasked with managing fluid flow talk about both holes and calibrated orifices, but they are two distinct entities. A hole can be any opening, but a calibrated orifice...