Introduction 2

Hydraulic cylinders:
• allow hydraulic systems to convert fluid pressure and flow into linear
mechanical force and motion at the point of operation
• exploit linear motion of a piston, and do not use mechanical gears or levers
• when compared with pneumatic, mechanical or electric systems, hydraulic
cylinders can be simpler, more durable, and offer greater power
• available in a wide range of scales to meet a different application needs, as
industrial applications (hydraulic presses, cranes, forges, packing
machines…) and mobile applications (agricultural machines, construction
equipment, marine equipment...)

Machine Design 2
 Nomenclature 3

Stroke: The distance that the piston

travels through the cylinder
Operating pressure: the operating
pressure range specifies the full-
required range of operating pressure
Bore size: bore size is the inner
diameter measure of a barrel
Body material: common body
material choices include aluminum,
steel, stainless steel, and plastic
Rod diameter: the rod diameter
determines how much load the
piston is able to handle before it
buckles

Machine Design 2
 Cylinder types 4

The most common cylinder configurations are:

• welded body cylinders: they feature a heavy-
duty welded cylinder housing with a barrel
welded directly to the end caps
• tie-rod cylinders: they have high-strength
threaded steel tie-rods (usually 4) on the outside
of the cylinder housing, to provide additional
stability
• ram cylinders (or plunger cylinders): they are
devices in which the cross-sectional area of the
piston rod is more than one-half the cross-
sectional area of the moving component.
Hydraulic rams are primarily used to push rather
than pull, and are most commonly used in high
pressure applications

Machine Design 2
 Cylinder types 5

Cylinders can be:

A. single-acting: is pressurized for
motion in only one direction. Once
the work is completed, the oil is
depressurized and returned to the
fluid reservoir. The piston returns
to the starting position by an
external force such as gravity or a A.
compressed spring
B. double-acting: this design uses
pressurized hydraulic fluid to
extend and retract the piston rod.
This requires fluid ports at both
ends of the actuator in order for
the oil to be directed onto both
sides to the piston B.

Machine Design 2
 Cylinder mounting configurations A. 6

A. Fixed centerline or flange mounts —

clamp configuration: high stiffness and
little tolerance for misalignment

B.
B. Fixed noncenterline or side-mounts —
C.
easy to install, but the mounts produce a
turning moment as the cylinder applies a
load

C,D. Pivoting centerline — hinge configuration

D.
with clevises, trunnion mounts or
spherical bearings. This mounting
configuration let the cylinder change
alignment in one plane

Machine Design 2
 Type of ends 7

Machine Design 2
 Seals 8

This is probably the most vulnerable aspect of a hydraulic system. Proper seals
should reduce friction and wear and lengthen service life.
Typical materials for seals are all types of rubber, polyurethane,
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fabric reinforced elastomers and plastic
materials.

Machine Design 2
 Key specifications 9

Operating conditions
Depending on the application, cylinders can be selected base on pressure, force
exerted, space requirements imposed by machine design, high temperatures,
humidity, and even salt water for marine hydraulic systems
Fluid type
Most hydraulic cylinders use mineral oil, but there are also applications involving
synthetic fluids, such as phosphate esters
Cylinder materials
Most cylinders use medium-grade carbon steel for heads and bases, which is
adequate for most applications. Attention should be payed to piston rod material
in wet or high-humidity environments (e.g. marine hydraulics)

Machine Design 2