To: Nancy Myers

From: Treg Cox

Date: April
Subject: APLED 121-Chapter 4 Summary-Outline

Sizing a Hydraulic Cylinder

Properly sizing a cylinder is an important first step is to get desired output force with maximum
efficiency with a hydraulic circuit. Along with the physical size of the cylinder other metrics such as bore
size and rod size cylinder are needed. These are part of the pertinent information needed to design an
efficient circuit. The following instructions will include a detailed step by step instruction on how to
solve for the parameters needed to design a hydraulic circuit.
To begin sizing a cylinder you will need the design pressure and the amount of force needed to
move the load, the design pressure is given pounds per square inch (PSI) and the force is given in
pounds. For the given example the design pressure will be 2000 psi, the extend force will be 20,000
pounds and the retract force will be 10,000 pounds. The stroke or distance the rod will be extending, for
this is example is 10 inches. The time we will be designing the circuit will be a 10 on the extend and 15
second on the retract.
• Step 1: First calculate Theoretical area size then convert that to diameter or Bore. This is
the size that would be the exact diameter. Cylinders come in prefabricated sizes so this
number will be used as a reference in order to get a cylinder in a timely and cost
efficient manner. To do this first you divide the extend force by the design pressure.

20,000/2000=10
• Step 2: Next Convert that area into a diameter by using the following formula

𝐴𝑅𝐸𝐴
√ =Diameter
.7854
10
√ =3.16
.7854
• Step 3: Next refer to a cylinder sizing sheet. Select the closest size but always size
up. Included is a cylinder sizing sheet, highlighting where to look for what
cylinder to select. In this example the closest size is a 3-1/4 bore.
 • Step 4: Next you will need to select a select a rod from the cylinder sizing sheet.
Unless otherwise instructed select the standard size rod. In this example the size
of that rod is 1-3/8.
• Step 5: Next you will solve for the bore end area, which is the area of the end of
the cylinder that does not contain the rod. Formula is as follows,

𝐷2 x.7854= Bore end area

3.252x.7854=8.29

• Step 6: Next you will solve for the rod end area. The formula is
(𝐷2 − 𝑑2 )𝑥. 7854 = rod end area. Where capital D is the bore diameter and the
little d is the diameter of the rod.
(3.252-1-3/82)x.7854=6.8
• Step 7: Next you will the ratio between the areas of the to sides of the piston in the
cylinder. This is the bore end area divided by the rod end area.
8.29/6.8=1.29
• Step 8: Next you will solve for the extend volume. This is the volume of oil in the bore
end of the cylinder with it is extending. This is done multiplying the stroke by the bore
end area.
10*8.29=82.9
• Step 9: Next we will solve for the rod end volume. This is done multiplying the stroke by
the rod end area.
10*6.8=68.0
• Step 10: Next we will solve for the load pressure needed to extend the cylinder. This is
done by dividing the extend force by the bore end area.
20,000/8.29=2412
• Step 11: Next we will solve for the load pressure needed to retract the cylinder. This is
done by dividing the retract force by the rode end area
10,000/6.8=1470
• Step 12:Next we will solve for the gpm of the pump. This is done by multiplying the time
of the extend by 3.85, then dividing the bore end volume by that amount.
82.9/(10)*(3.85)=2.15 gallons per minute
• Step 13: next we will solve for the compensator setting of the pump. This is done by
finding the highest pressure and multiplying it by 1.15 and rounding up to the next 50.
2412*1.15=2773
• Step 14: Next you round the number given up to the next 50 In this case 2773 rounds up
to 2800.
• Step 15: Finally you can solve for the pressure needed for the relief valve setting.This is
done by multiplying the raw compensator number by 1.15 and rounding up top the next
50.
2773*1.15=3189 round up 3200

The following instructions will provide the necessary information to safely and efficiency size a hydraulic
cylinder.