Hydraulic Cylinder

For the layman, the hydraulic cylinder is the best-known of the hydraulic components, The cylinder is an example seen in everyday life of how the effects of hydraulic forces are used to produce the most varied movements in a machine. for the specialist too, it is the cylinder which plays a dominating role because it is usually the cylinder which serves as the starting point for the design of the whole hydraulic system. The hydraulic motor converts hydraulic power into mechanical power in the form of rotational movement. The cylinder, on the other hand, converts the hydraulic power into linear movement. For this reason, it is also referred to as a hydraulic linear motor.

The task of generating linear movement (translation movement) is carried out by the cylinder with a minimum of structural outlay and with excellent power efficiency. Both force and velocity can be maintained constant throughout the whole of the piston stroke, or they can be varied at will it is in this respect that the cylinder differs essentially from purely mechanical devices.

The fact that the drive (pump) is located separate from the cylinder facilitates a larges degree of freedom in selecting the layout, with the result that optimum machine design can be achieved. The versatility of the hydraulic cylinders is even further increased by the variety of fastenings and mountings which are possible, and by its combination with levers and linkage.