Practical 07

Pneumatic Cylinder
The word pneumatic means related to air. Many will be familiar with the pneumatic tubes that use air
pressure to send documents to the teller at a bank drive-through. Similarly, pneumatic cylinders use air
pressure differentials to produce force and motion, resulting in work.

Types
1. Single-acting cylinders
These cylinders have only one compressed air connection. The incoming compressed air moves the
piston in one direction, and the cylinder force is built up in this direction. If the piston needs to return to
its initial position, the air is simply expelled from the cylinder.

The mechanical spring pushes the piston back to its initial

position. This part has a ventilation/exhaust hole so that no
excess or low pressure is generated through the piston
movement in the second cylinder chamber.

Advantages:

Defined position in the event of a power failure

Reduced air consumption

Disadvantages:

Cylinder has a longer construction length

Spring-dependent stroke length limits the maximum stroke length

2. Double-acting cylinders
The double-acting cylinder requires compressed air for every direction of movement. On this type of
cylinder, the force both the advancing and retracting direction is built up using compressed air. The
simplest way of actuating a double-acting cylinder is by using a 5/2-way valve.

Advantages:

Force builds up in both directions of movement

Constant force (dependent on stroke)

Strokes of several meters are possible

Disadvantages:

Every movement uses compressed air

No defined position in the event of compressed air failure

Pneumatic Valve