Double Acting

Cylinder
Pneumatics –
Module 5
Objectives
 Explain the function of double acting
cylinder.
 Describe the main types of
controlling double acting cylinder.
 Explain the difference between
direct control and indirect control of
single acting cylinder.
 Explain the differences between
single and double acting cylinder.
 Draw the required circuit diagram.
 Simulate the pneumatic circuit using
FluidSIM software.
 Double Acting Cylinder
 Double acting cylinder is considered to be as a main
actuator in any pneumatic systems.
 Double acting cylinders are more expensive than single
acting cylinders, but double acting cylinders are superior
to single acting cylinders by any other important measure.
 Double action cylinders are faster and stronger.
 In industrial applications, single action cylinders are used
in few applications, but when speed and force are
important double acting cylinders are employed.
Applications of DAC
1. Opening and closing doors
2. Taking things off conveyor belts
and putting things on conveyor
belts.
3. Lifting and moving packages
around
4. Presses and punches.
Comparison between
Single & Double Acting
Cylinders
Serial Single acting cylinder Double acting cylinder

1 It has one port. It has two ports.

2 It has a spring. It has no spring.
It exerts force in one It exerts force in two directions
3
direction only. (forward and backward).

It uses compressed air in

the forward stroke while It uses compressed air in both
4
the return stroke is strokes forward and backward.
achieved by the spring.
Function
 Doubleacting cylinder is
an output device that
converts the pressure
energy to a mechanical
energy (linear motion).
Way of Operation
 Double acting cylinder as
mentioned has two ports and
the air is applied in both
directions (forward and
backward)
Forward (Advance)
Stroke
 The air is supplied to port
(1) and the exhaust air is
forced out through port
(2)
Backward (Return)
Stroke
 The air is supplied to port
(2) and the exhaust air is
forced out through port
(1)
Which Force is larger;
The Forward or
Backward Stroke?
Control circuit of the
double acting cylinder
 The piston rod of a double-acting
cylinder is to advance when a push
button is operated and to return
to the initial position when the
push button is released. The
double-acting cylinder can carry
out work in both directions of
motion, due to the full air supply
pressure being available for
extension and retraction.
Types of Control of a
Pneumatic Cylinder

Direct Indirect
 DIRECT CONTROL

The simplest level of control for the single or double-acting

cylinder involves direct control signals.

With this, the cylinder is actuated directly via a manually or

mechanically actuated valve, without any intermediate switching
of additional directional control valves.

If the port sizes and the flow values of the valve are too large,
the operating forces required may be too great for direct
manual operation.

Reference values for limits of direct cylinder control:

Cylinder with piston diameter smaller than 40 mm
Valves with connection sizes smaller than 1/4"
 INDIRECT CONTROL

Cylinders with a large piston diameter have a high

air requirement.

A control element with high nominal flow rate must

be used to actuate these.

If the force should prove too high for a manual

actuation of the valve, then an indirect actuation
should be constructed, whereby a signal is
generated via a second smaller valve, which will
provide the force necessary to switch the control
element.
To achieve the indirect control, a single and/or
double pilot valves will be required
 NOTE
The actuation of a cylinder is effected via a directional
control valve. The choice of such a directional control valve
(number of connections, number of switching positions, and
type of actuation) is dependent on the respective
application.

The advancing speed and the retracting speed are

different in the single acting cylinder because the piston
reset spring creates a counteracting force when advancing.
When retracting, the displaced air escapes via the valve. A
flow resistance must therefore be overcome.

Normally, single-acting cylinders are designed in such a way

that the advancing speed is greater than the retracting
speed.
 Practical Task
 A filling system fills bottles with milk. The
bottles are fed to the system on a conveyor
belt and are stopped underneath the filler
using pneumatic cylinders. The double acting
cylinder 1A1 (due to its large size) has to be
controlled indirectly.
 Task Requirements
 Draw pneumatic circuit that controls
the double acting cylinder (1A1)
indirectly. You may use the provided
space below.
 Simulate the circuit using FluidSIM
software.
 Assemble the circuit practically and
check its operation.
 Write down your observation below
Solution Description
 In the initial position, the double-acting cylinder 1A1 is retracted.

 A 5/2-way single pilot valve is used to actuate the cylinder. Connection

2 & 4 of the valve 1V1 is connected to the cylinder; connection 4 is
exhausted to atmosphere via connection 5.

 The valve 1S1 is actuated when the push button is activated and
pressure is applied to the control port 14 of the control valve 1V1.

 The control valve 1V1 is actuated against spring force and is thus
switched to flow.

 The pressure building up at the cylinder piston causes the cylinder

piston rod of the double-acting cylinder to extend.

 The signal at the control port 14 remains as long as the push button is
operated. Once the piston rod has reached end position, it returns only
after the push button has been released.

 When the push button is released, the valve 1S1 returns to its initial
position. Control port 14 of the control valve 1V1 exhausts to
atmosphere and the signal is reset. The control valve also returns to
initial position. The return spring causes the cylinder to retract. The
air from the cylinder chamber is exhausted to atmosphere via the
control valve.
Review
Exc.