"Less is more" seems to be the trend in the pneumatic actuator market. Real estate on production equipment is at a premium today, more than ever.
The evolution of compact air cylinders can be traced back to the late 1950s. This type of pneumatic actuator was designed to satisfy the need for short-stroke, low-profile, compact air cylinders that can fit in tight spaces. Almost seven decades later, compact air cylinders are still a big deal!
Today, compact pneumatic cylinders are the primary mechanism for linear actuation when space is limited. Frequently referenced as short-stroke cylinders, these devices are available with bore sizes ranging from 0.5 to 4 inches and standard strokes ranging from 0.0625 to 4 inches.
The applications for compact air cylinders are boundless. Cylinders are used in animatronics, conveyors and material handling equipment, custom assembly and test systems, packaging and palletizing machinery, paper converting machinery, plastic molding machinery, printing presses, stamping and forming lines, semiconductor processing equipment, and door and window frame manufacturing equipment.
Compact air cylinders are selected according to their ability to perform a specific function. Numerous designs, options and configurations are available from numerous brands.
However, sometimes the job at hand falls outside of standard product offerings and only a custom product will suffice. The development of custom compact air actuators can often be both expensive and time-consuming but may be the only solution for unique applications.
To specify a compact air actuator for any application, two main questions must be answered before moving into the heart of the design. What do you need the cylinder to do? What types of cylinders are available to do that? If the ideal actuator cannot be found among the host of standard offerings, then a custom actuator might be a better solution.