Hydraulic Cylinders

With the single-acting hydraulic cylinders, the piston surface is only pressurised with hydraulic oil on one side. The force or movement is only in the extending direction. The retraction or return movement is caused by an external force or by the piston's own weight. A typical application for single-acting hydraulic cylinders is, for example, a lifting platform.

In double-acting hydraulic cylinders, both sides of the piston come into contact with oil. The most common form of double-acting hydraulic cylinder is the differential cylinder. This type of cylinder has the piston rod on one side. The piston area is much larger on the other side (without the piston rod), which means that a large force is achieved during extension. When retracting, the smaller piston surface is exposed to oil. As a result, the force is smaller, but the retraction speed is greater than during extension.

Hinge eyes are attached to the piston rod or the cylinder base.They have only one degree of freedom. The cylinder mounting with a hinge eye enables a ball joint installation. The ball joint also contains a liner that requires maintenance and must be greased regularly. This bushing prevents foreign bodies such as dirt, dust, water, etc. from entering the bearing area.

The price of a hydraulic cylinder depends on the size and design. Single-acting cylinders are usually somewhat cheaper than double-acting hydraulic cylinders. A cylinder from the standard range is also cheaper than a special cylinder. 

Before you buy a hydraulic cylinder, know what type of application you need it for. Is a single-acting or a double-acting cylinder necessary? You should also know what force you need. Depending on the available oil supply, the cylinder can then be selected. Furthermore, the installation dimension is an important parameter to consider when selecting a hydraulic cylinder.