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How to select a pneumatic cylinder?

Views: 20     Author: Site Editor     Publish Time: 2025-01-14      Origin: Site

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Pneumatic cylinders are an important part of industrial automation, mainly completing the motion requirements of mechanical equipment through telescopic movement. We will talk about how to select a pneumatic cylinder from 5 aspects.


  • Pneumatic cylinder type

  • Pneumatic cylinder bore size

  • Pneumatic cylinder stroke

  • Pneumatic cylinder action type

  • Pneumatic cylinder accessories



1. Pneumatic Cylinder Type

Compact Cylinder

Compact structure and light weight. No installation accessories are required and it can be directly installed on fixtures and equipment.

Standard Cylinder

The pneumatic piston can output force (thrust or pull) when it moves forward or backward. The structure is simple. The stroke can be selected according to needs.

Double-rods Cylinder

It has guiding, anti-bending and anti-torsion properties and can withstand certain lateral loads.

Slide Table Cylinder

Low friction, can achieve smooth movement without looseness. High guiding accuracy, can resist torque, and has strong load capacity.

Pneumatic Gripper

It can realize various grasping functions and is a key component of the pneumatic manipulator of automation equipment.

Mini Cylinder

The price is low and it can effectively save installation space. It is suitable for high-frequency use requirements.

Rodless Cylinder

Without piston rod, it is especially suitable for small cylinder diameter and long stroke.


standard cylinder
pneumatic cylinder



2. Pneumatic Cylinder Bore Size

Cylinder bore size: refers to the diameter of the inner wall of the cylinder tube, which is a key factor in measuring the output force


pneumatic cylinder bore size
cylinder bore size


Usually, the dimensions are as follows: (Unit: mm)

⌀2.5, ⌀4, ⌀6, ⌀10, ⌀15, ⌀16, ⌀20, ⌀25, ⌀32, ⌀40, ⌀50, ⌀63, ⌀80, ⌀100, ⌀125, ⌀140, ⌀160, ⌀180, ⌀200, ⌀250, ⌀300, etc.


The output force refers to the thrust or pull generated by the pressure of compressed air acting on the effective area of the piston during the working process of the pneumatic air cylinder.

The determination of cylinder bore size should take into account two factors: output force and load.

air cylinder output force table



3. Pneumatic Cylinder Stroke

Cylinder stroke: refers to the maximum distance the cylinder piston moves (the error distance between the piston rod extending and retracting).

Cylinder stroke length is the maximum distance a cylinder can move a load. Stroke length affects the performance and efficiency of a pneumatic system.

cylinder stroke

* In order to facilitate installation and debugging, a margin should be left for the calculated stroke.


The stroke of the cylinder is determined by the length of the load. VPC pneumatic products have different strokes according to their different series. Please refer to the product catalog for details. Of course, if the user has special needs, we can customize a special stroke.


4. Pneumatic Cylinder Action Type

According to the different action types, the pneumatic cylinder is divided into single-acting typedouble-acting type, double-rods double-acting type, dual-rods dual-acting adjustable type, single acting spring extent and single acting spring return.

Single-acting pneumatic cylinder: The piston is only supplied with air on one side, and the air pressure pushes the piston out to generate thrust. When the air supply is turned off, the spring returns the piston to its original position. Therefore, force and movement are only generated in one direction.

Double-acting pnumatic cylinder: There is air pressure on both sides of the cylinder piston to achieve forward or reverse motion. There are multiple components to direct flow to this double-acting piston.

Double-shaft double-acting pneumatic cylinderThe piston rod of cylinder adopts a double-rods design, that is, two parallel piston rods work together. The bidirectional movement (advancement and retraction) of the piston rod is controlled by switching the air source forward and backward.


Dual-shaft dual-acting with adjustable stroke: Based on the double-rods double-acting cylinder, users are allowed to adjust the cylinder's stroke, speed, pressure and other parameters according to work requirements to improve work efficiency and accuracy.

Single acting spring extent cylinder: The piston rod is pushed out by compressed air and pulled back by a spring or external force. Thrust can only be generated in one direction.

Single acting spring return cylinder: The piston rod is driven by compressed air to complete a direction of action (usually "retract" or "rebound"), while the reset action is completed by an internal spring or external load. Its function and structure are opposite to those of a single-acting extrusion cylinder.

* Single-acting cylinders have limited extension due to the presence of a compression spring in their design. Double-acting cylinders have unlimited stroke length.



5. Pneumatic Cylinder Accessories

Cylinder accessories are used to mount the cylinder or connect the piston rod to the load. Cylinder accessories mainly include:

Single and Double Clevis

Used to connect cylinders and other components to provide stable support, such as CA and CB, etc.

Fork Joint and I type Joint

Used to connect cylinders and other pneumatic components to ensure smooth air flow. Y-type and I-type connectors are suitable for different air path layouts and connection requirements.

Floating Joint

Used to allow a certain range of movement, suitable for applications that require a certain degree of flexibility.

Foot Mount and Bracket

Used to support and fix the cylinder to ensure its stable operation. Common models include LB-16, 20, 25, 32 and 40, etc., suitable for cylinders of different sizes and weights.

Flange Mounts

Used to fix the cylinder on the equipment to ensure the stability and safety of the cylinder. Common models include TC, FA, etc.

In addition, it can also be connected with accessories such as speed control valves, solenoid valves, connectors, magnetic reed switches, etc.

The above is about how to accurately select the cylinder. If you have any questions about cylinders or other pneumatic components, contact VPC. We will be happy to provide you with more professional pneumatics help.



Related Questions

① Is the cylinder magnetic? 

Conventional air cylinders are all magnetized. If the customer does not need magnetization, please inform us in advance.

② What is a reed switch?

The auto reed switch is used to detect the piston stroke and determine the movement position, so that the piston rod can be fixed and stopped at a certain position. If you need to use a reed switch for a cylinder without magnets, you need to purchase a magnetic ring, otherwise it may not work. 

* For how to choose a magnetic switch, please refer to this article.



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