Cylinder Usage Requirements and Selection Guidelines

I. Cylinder Operating Requirements
    1) Standard operating conditions: ambient and medium temperature 5–60°C, working pressure 0.4–0.6 MPa (gauge). Outside this range, use special seals and extremely dry air.
    2) Pressure test at 1.5× working pressure before installation; zero leakage permitted.
    3) If load varies significantly over the stroke, select a cylinder with sufficient force margin.
    4) Avoid full stroke operation—especially on extension—to prevent impact damage.
    5) Ensure proper lubrication. Except for oil-free cylinders, correctly install and adjust an oil mist lubricator; poor lubrication severely degrades performance or causes failure.
    6) Pay attention to piston rod strength. Rod threads are vulnerable to impact damage. Since rods typically handle compressive loads, consider buckling stability for long rods and sagging due to self-weight in horizontal mounting. Never subject the rod to radial loads.
    7) At the rod end connection, high-inertia loads cause impact upon stopping, risking rod head damage. Always assess inertial forces and install mechanical stops, cushions, and eliminate improper side loads.

II. Cylinder Selection Criteria
    1) Determine required force F and duty cycle based on load. Set operating pressure P ≤ 85% of supply pressure. For single-acting cylinders, assume rod-to-bore ratio ≈0.5; for double-acting, ≈0.3–0.4. Calculate bore D using standard formulas and round to standard size. Use mechanical amplification if D is too large.
    2) Select stroke based on actual travel distance; add 10–20 mm for ease of installation/adjustment—but avoid excessive length to minimize air consumption.
    3) Choose cylinder type and mounting style based on application and space constraints (refer to catalogs).
    4) Rod speed depends primarily on port and tubing ID. Base selection on port thread size. For slow, smooth motion, use air-oil dampened cylinders. Standard speed: ~0.5–1 m/s; for high-speed applications, use cushioned cylinders or add external buffering.